Antique Beauty

Hello.

Gosh, it's been a while. I've been busy and not prioritizing properly. And I do sincerely apologise. Merry Christmas, too.

In today's Art world, we talk about contemporary artists, we drop names of exhibitions we've attended, glibly. But we, Nigerians, we do something very, very wrong.

We never look back.

100 year old Olowe statue, yoruba tribe

60 year old Yoruba warrior and horse statue

65-70 year old mirror statue, Igalla tribe

80 year old Igbo-Ukwu brass vase

Before you cry "oh the fetishness of it all!", please remember you avidly watched tv shows and movies about mythological greek deities (yep, you paid money to watch an Anglicised version of Sango, in a red cape, fall in love with a human woman, defeat his half brother, ad save the world with other superheros). We know sooo much about Zeus, and are not overly worried Christmas Day used to be a pagan celebration the Catholic church appropriated. So, let's respect those who believed in other religions, because you're dreaming of going to Egypt to one day see the Pyramids and the Sphinx. Amirite?

I'm glad to say some of these came home with me, and what I learnt about their history and the people who made them came along too, and I will pass that information to my children's children, so they know they are not lost.

"...A people's relationship to their heritage is the same as the relationship of a child to its mother..." 

John Henrike Clarke


Ye me ike.

The Evolution of a Drawing

So I attempted a section of Michaelangelo's sculpture "The Pieta", I really love his works because they bring such life and emotion to sculptures.

New pastel studies

I got my set of Rembrandt pastels a few months ago, but I'm just getting into using them. I'm planning a still-life, so decided to do some pastel studies of my favourite fruit, apples.

I set this apple up and did a quick sketch, using Rembrandt and Winsor and Newton soft pastels

This study was done after Deborah Bays, a wonderful pastel painter

I'm enjoying my pastels. There's so much to learn, and weirdly my style of painting in this is so different from my watercolour style. I'll keep you updated on how my journey goes.

Later, everyone.

Back Again

Hello, my lovelies.
I'm sorry I disappeared for such a long time. I was working as a makeup artist on a great new film, titled "October 1". It's set in 1960, and is an social-thriller. It had a great cast and crew, and though it was gruelling, I learned a lot.

I did makeup, special effects, prop-making, set-building and even learned what storyboarding and costuming were about. This experience highlighted how much an artist and an art student can do on a film and movie set. So many career choices.

The research was awesome and I met incredible people like Kunle Afolayan (a visionary director), Yinka Edwards (Cinematographer), Mr. Pat Nebo (former art teacher and legendary production and set designer), Victor, Jide, Yinka, Mike Steve, Kulanen, Susie Q, Dotun, Jacob and Ekpo and so many more people. It was an honour working side by side with these guys.

But I'm back to the blog, and we will talk even more about Nigerian Art, and its role in the world.

Studying with Abiodun Olaku, legend

So one day, after much prodding by loved ones, you decide you're going to study Art. You write your letter to the Universal Studio of Art, requesting to study under the tutelage of Mr. Abiodun Olaku, whom you've heard is a great painter.

"Home Sweet Home"

"Vigil"

You meet the man, the artist. Eager to show him you know SOMETHING and you have SOME talent, you bombard him with your precious drawings, past works and pepper him with lots of theoretical questions. After all, you think you've learned from the best and have travelled the world and own a great many books. Mr. Olaku tells you (with a twinkle in his eyes) he doesn't know all this theory, and you should draw more.

A month later, when you're struggling to draw well and have started painting a bit, you wonder why Mr. Olaku doesn't tell you about values, composition and the rest. I mean, what he's teaching you isn't how it's written in all those books you bought. Then you sit behind him as he paints, listen to him as he makes a sentence (only one sentence) about your work, and realise you have just been taught Tonal Gradation, Atmosphere, Light and Shape, Colour Harmony, with that one sentence.

I could tell you about his past, and what school he went to, the number of exhibitions, the fact that Mr. Abiodun Olaku is represented by respected local and international galleries, and that his work is deemed Collectors' items internationally (I've met a British art teacher who told me about him and she had never been to Nigeria), that I googled him and found a Brazilian man waxing lyrical over his work (his fame is legendary). I could tell you that art lovers and non-art lovers have stood in front of his paintings and asked in an awed voice "I wonder how he does it". No. But I will tell you about how he takes care of his charges.

By inspiring us to bring nothing but our best to the table

By challenging us

By teaching about everything (from Socio-political issues to Football)

By introducing us to artists, old and contemporary, whom we've overlooked


By giving us a steady diet of food and supplies when we need them

By listening to us, when we are unsure of ourselves

 As you spend more time at the studio, under the mentorship of Mr. Abiodun Olaku, your goals for your art become loftier, as you spend more time watching over his shoulder, you suddenly find your heart, eye, mind and hand engaged in a way you never knew was possible. Why, you ask yourself?

Because in the presence of Greatness, Good becomes Better.

Art Exhibition: Ripples – Global & Traditional Influences on Contemporary Nigerian Art

Watersworth Gallery invites you to the opening reception of a group exhibition tagged “Ripples” to be hosted by Morning Side Suites this weekend. The seven man group exhibition will showcase some of the most outstanding artists on the Nigerian contemporary Art scene. Admission is free for all.


Date: Saturday 3rd August 2013 to Saturday 10th August 2013
Time: 6 PM
Venue: Watersworth Gallery, 3B Unity Close, off Admiralty way, Lekki phase I, Lagos

See you guys there, and feel free to come say hello, I like meting blog readers.
Have a great weekend.

Ilustrations in motion

I started doing illustrations as a child, had no formal training in them. I simply grabbed a copy of a comic (thanks, Superman, Batman and Spidey, for the companionship, by the way) and drew from them. I also, couldn't trace. I did it a few times as a kid, and was never satisfied. So I developed my own style and as Teen Titans gave way to Naruto and Neon Genesis Evangelion (Anime shout-out, whoop whoop) and Stargate Atlantis, Andromeda and every sci-fi on tv (sundays used to the best, NBC, Fox and ABC).

 

watercolour and charcoal on cardboard

 

 Pen and wash

Illustration is fun, no hassles. Try doodling and then let it grow from there. Next post, will be on a very special painter....tbc

 

Book Review: Artists in Nigeria

 New coffee-table book out, on sale at Terra Kulture, titled "Artists in Nigeria".
I think this is a great compilation, it has all modern art, from colonial to contemporary, all Nigeria's great painters (Yusuf Grillo), sculptors (Bisi Fakeye), potters (Ladi Kwali), photographers (Kelechi Amadi-Obi) even a designer (Deola Sagoe made it in the book). It's beautifully printed as well, glossy pages, and it's a huge book. Definitely a keeper.

I wanted to show an insert, you can see the colour reproductions are of the highest order. Check out Terra Kulture's store if you are interested in buying it.

Brushes (yay!)

I decided to get some watercolour brushes from the US. It took 4 long weeks, during which I had no idea if I would receive my package. I kinda almost went stir-crazy, so I decided to look for alternative watercolour brushes here in Lagos.

Winsor and Newton Sceptre series: these are okay, but don't quite fit my technique. They don't hold water well, so I use them for chinese style calligraphy (more on why I do that).

 

Winsor and Newton Cotman series: I like the flats, not the rounds. Period.

 Rembrandt, Winsor and Newton series 7 and Daler-Rowney artists brushes: these are great so far. 

Japanese hake brushes: these were a great find. I couldn't believe when I found them. Really like these.

So I will keep looking, keep you all updated. Let me know if you have questions.

Take care.

Gani Odutokun

The late Gani Odutokun was one of Nigeria's most influential painters in the 20th century. He studied at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria (one of Nigeria's elite art schools) and was an excellent draughtsman. Gani Odutokun was known for his bold, painterly brushstrokes and rich use of colour. The late artist was until his death influenced by his environment while making strong commentaries on sociopolitical issues of the time and was a pioneer of Modern African Art.

I found out about Gani Odutokun when I was in the offices of Omenka magazine (there's a post coming on them soon). I've been doing as much reading up as I can on him, and it's been pretty fascinating. Gani was always interested in Architecture in Art and was an experimentalist in his works.

The last painting is a tribute to a classical western art piece and is "Dialogue with Mona Lisa". It's stirring, moving and tells me about the artist's need to understand Western art and it's influence on Nigerian art. Traditionally, our Nigerian art has been reluctant to accept anything that is seen as outside influence. There is absolutely nothing wrong with this, and I usually support this, but sometimes we exclude to the point where we stagnate ourselves.

Gani Odutokun's legacy will always be here with us and should be shown as an example of a fusion that can occur seamlessly.
His works can be seen at Museums and galleries around the world.

Rembrandt the Great

Today Google marked the407th birthday of Rembrandt Van Rijn,dutch painter from the 17th century, who was one of the greatest painters to have ever existed in the world. Man was a genius, he painted light and shadow in a dramatic manner (an effect called Chiaroscuro, still in use by painters and photographers to this day).

Self-portrait of the artist

I first saw the above painting at the National Gallery of Art, Washington DC. It's an incredible painting. 

Rembrandt stated in one of his letters, that his greatest achievement through Art was to try the greatest and most natural movement. In his later works, he actually discouraged viewers from looking too closely at his paintings, as he used coarse brush strokes (much more different than his earlier smooth style). But the end result of this painting style was a richly varied handling of paint, deeply layered and often apparently
haphazard, which suggests form and space in both an illusory and highly individual manner.

So, let's raise a glass to Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn (oh stop showing off that you can pronounce his name and just call him Rembrandt) and happy 407th birthday, old man.
Cheers.

Akanimoh Umoh: watercolourist

Akanimoh Umoh studied Fine and Applied Arts at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. He further studied at the Universal Studio of Art, Igamnu, under notable painter Mr. Abiodun Olaku, one of Nigeria's legends (a huge post coming on him, and it's going to be the best post ever). Akanimoh works extensively in Watercolour medium, so he and I are buddy buddies. The first day I met him, he took my supplies and started painting with them, and that little sketch looked great.

 Flora's Secret, watercolour on paper

Tiger Lily, watercolour on paper

Akanimoh's painting style is a subtle blend of Contemporary African and Art Nouveau. He loves the Female figure and has this dreamy, beautiful quality to his work. He's using the one of the hardest media ever and creating such detailed nuances in his works.

Akanimoh's work is to be found at most auctions, including Arthouse and Terra Kulture.

The Portrait work of Wallace Ejoh

The first time I met Mr. Wallace Ejoh, he was very kind to spend time educating me on Art. He showed me the different movements of Art, from Classicism, Impressionism and Post-Impressionism. Mr. Ejoh is an impressionistic painter. He was born in Ghana, but is Nigerian. His work has been exhibited widely and is popular at art auctions.

 Mr. Ejoh executing a portrait painting demonstration to a group of students.

 The finished painting.

The last 2 are other works of Wallace Ejoh. Mr. Ejoh takes commissions for portraits, so if you do want a portrait done, I would recommend him and I know he can handle many media, so it doesn't have be in oil medium.

How to Sketch part One

Can I make a confession? I was a really bad still-life drawer. I cannot for the life of me explain why, but I would rather have done a complicated human life study than a simple still-life. Of recent that has changed.
I got the book, Keys to Drawing, by Bert Dodson and he covers drawing in general. It's a great book.

 

Rule no. 1 of drawing is, well....Seeing.

Our minds are incredible: we have so much info in there that if we shaded lines in a particular manner, our minds will recognise the shapes if they are familiar. So when most of us want to draw, we immediately start and then follow our mind's eye, not what we see in front of us. Which is why our drawings look stiff and awkward and others look artistic.

Before you start worrying about proportions and drawing an apple to look like an apple, why not try this: 

Draw straight lines and use them to form an apple. 

Force your mind to be uncomprehending of thought, so your mind goes blank and you record what you see before you and not what your mind thinks an apple looks like.

This is a sketch I did of some trees in Freedom Park, Lagos Island. People actually recognise them, but they are not precisely drawn. I've suggested them. And I did it in 5 minutes, to force myself not to think of what I was drawing, and just draw.

 

Tree study, charcoal on paper

Try it today, grab some paper, pencil or a pen. Heck, even a piece of cooking charcoal. We're all artists on the inside.