African Gambian Mask Painting

Born in 1968 in Ado-Ekiti Nigeria, Olumide discovered his love of art at a young age through his father and Uncle (Prof. Michael Olusegun Adejemilua) and his "Ona Art Movement"..he was later influenced by his painting lecturer Prof. Tola Wewe and classmate namesake Dr. Olumide Ayeni. After 20 years as Visual Art Teacher, Olumide returned to his easel and brushes on a full time basis. My paintings are dialogues of my mind as viewed, perceived or seen from things, lifestyles of the people and the worlds around me. When I captured the images in my conscious mind, I find a special way to analyze and engage those images carefully into my canvas. Through this free form approach to my paintings, I explore the use of balance, lines, shapes, colours and heavy textures and give a lot of chances and freedom to experiment with my colours which results in real unconscious juxtapositions of colours and other elements in the whole work.