My muse has flown.

After the euphoria which died at the end of my most recent painting Nyarinya, which as I have earlier mentioned, was the largest oil painting I have done, I have sort of lost the will to paint. I am at a loss for subject matter, medium or mode and have been staring at blank canvases for the past week.

One option would be to go back to semi-completed paintings (you know, those ones that at some point we become stuck on and can't proceed) and attempt to make a more detailed finale.

Would have loved to make another huge painting before the Society for Nigerian Artists exhibition in a few weeks time (well, huge by my standards is the 36 inches by 36 inches blank canvas winking at me) but it just isn't happening.

A final option would be to just go back to bed - ID Extra and Crime & Investigation and Candy Crush being my companion. Getting to level 2574 is not 'snuff spit' as my people would say (giving myself a pat on the shoulder till the muse returns).

Another Art Shop for supplies?

Hi everyone,

It's really difficult finding painting material in Port Harcourt. Apart from the usual Art World at Rumuola, I'm not sure there's any other place worth its salt for paint, canvas and other related art material. I wonder how the Fine Arts students at the University of Port Harcourt and Colleges of Education cope with this monopoly.

Wouldn't it be a lot of relief if we had another Art shop in town?

New Horizon Exhibition

My two paintings, Family and African Woman were part of the exhibition at New Horizon Exhibition organised by Discova Art Centre in Port Harcourt from September 8 to 16, 2018.

Some highlights from the opening day.

Nyarinya

This painting I think took a lot of my energy over the past weeks as it's the first time I have painted this large. I had no excuses as my mentor had given me huge canvas frames to encourage me to stretch bigger canvases and paint large.

I observed the model (somewhat covertly) from my car window at a busy street intersection. She was full of joy, holding in her hands two bags - one a plastic black bag usually given at open markets to carry purchased items home and the other a bag of 'pure water' to quench thirst in our hot climes. I admired the flow of her hijab and the joy on her face. Her hijab was not this peach colour but I leaned on artistic licence and prompting from my daughter to change the colour.

African Woman

Oil on Canvas
20 x 16 inches
May 2018

I had fun making this. It was shown at the recently concluded New Horizon Exhibition in Port Harcourt from September 8-16, 2018.

John Howard Sanden - Exercise on 'Nigerian Lady'

This is my second exercise following John Howard Sanden's 'Portrait s from Life in 29 Steps'. Today, I am working on the Nigerian Lady, step by step.
I don't have Venetian Red or Cadmium Red Light colours but I'm making do. If nothing else at least this was a learning experience and provided much needed confidence. Guess I'll be making one of myself next.

Finished painting

Young woman and baby

Spent some time on this one. My reference photograph stopped just short of her arm so I had to improvise and added the basin. Not sure it works.

36 x 24 inches; Oil on Canvas.

Artillery Junction

Ending the year 2017 with this post of a painting done late week of a road junction I go past on my daily commute. The photograph wasn't too clear so the features aren't too defined. I like it all the same.

20x16 oil on canvas.

Norway - Virtual Paintout

Oil on canvas paper 12"x12"
Reference from Google Street View - Norway, done as part of the Virtual Paintout for August 2016.

Three Friends - Sold

Oil on Canvas 16"x20"

I enjoyed making this painting which has been sold. What attracted me to this picture got from a free copyright artists' reference site, was the joy on their faces with the right touch of mischief. I also was stretched on making them look as happy and carefree as the photograph.

Two sunsets

Quick commission for a stark wall. Diptych.  Oil on canvas

Two geles

Digital painting of two Nigerian women

Trying my hand at digital art - what do the brushes do?

First Digital Painting

Made with Clip Studio software on an intuos tablet.

Deraa

Portrait of my nephew. Oil on canvas paper. 14 x 10"

My Redeemer Liveth (Oil on canvas 36 x 24")

Self Portrait 1

Finally made a self portrait that didn't end up in the bin. 16 by 20 oil on canvas.

Sold - Perfume Bottles - progress posts

18" x 22" oil on canvas.

Market Scene, Charleston South Carolina

This is a 10 x 14 oil on paper made for the Virtual paintout forum (www.virtualpaintout.blogspot.com).

Atilogwu Dancer - 9th Mile

I'll post progress photographs of this study (14 x 10) oil on canvas paper. Hope to make a bigger painting if this works.