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Why Art?

I fell in love with
art. Art is life and life without art is boring. I can see art
virtually in everything I do. It’s in my family lineage so I got a
share of it. Art makes me happy, focused, and when am so engulfed in
it, I wander if I will survive without Art. I owe my thanks to my
parents for their support. Daddy bought me colours, art materials to
help me nurture this talent. Mummy would exempt me from house chores
whenever was engulfed in it. In school I studied a mixture of art and
the sciences, almost studying Pharmacy. But today I see it as an act of
God that I had the freedom to choose what I had passion for. Art is
contagious and I will transfer the energy through projects with strong
multicultural and environmental themes. The joy of seeing is believing
that the sky is just the beginning.

Training

In 1991, I gained
admission to study painting at the IMT, Enugu. At FGC Ilorin, I won
some prizes in Art collegiate competitions. Having acquired HND in
Painting in 1996, I went back in 2003 to crown it up with a BSC Art Ed.
in Painting, University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), 2007.

Medium

I desired to be an
experimental artist as a journey through the world of Art, since
variety is the spice of life .I did not want to be bored, so I tried my
hands in virtually all the media, starting from the pencil, charcoal,
pastel, oils on canvas etc. But today the Acrylics on canvas is gaining
more ground as it is more convenient to achieve the blend of my
technique and the Aboriginal style I implore in my painting.

Influences

Art is contagious,
my trips have influenced me a lot. For example the trip I made to
Toowoomba in 2006 has an influence on my current paintings, though they
do so in an exciting manner that compels the viewer to contemplate, and
to yearn to possess them. More so, a marriage seems to be going on as
the batik making technique is infused into it with the darker
background.

Inspiration

My inspiration comes from poetry, Bible stories, nature and dreams representing abstracts.

Best work so far

I have tried to
balance the elements of a good design in my paintings, and I have my
strong points in works like ‘The Dancer’, ‘Deforestation’, ‘Mother of
Sorrows’, ‘Faces in Sydney’. These are my favourite in recent times.

Last satisfying work

Am yet to discover
any of my works that will be tagged ’least satisfying’, but I know that
one man’s meat is another man’s poison, so I allow my critics to figure
that out for me.

Career high point

I hope to leave
behind a legacy by God’s grace for the foundation of children through
projects with strong multicultural and environmental themes. I wish to
transfer the energy.

Favourite artist living or dead

I do not have any
favourite now, but any artist who does projects to affect lives, the
future generation and contributes to a better environment, I will
acknowledge.

Ambitions

To make an impact
in the society using the work of my hands. To create new ways of
painting, using art to create wealth for needy children. Preparing the
resources we have to be aware of the knowledge God has stored in them
which is yet to be tapped. Sensitising the public that our resources
are not oil and gas, but our children.