"Reaching Out" Painting

Born and raised in Teso-North, Busia County, Okamar Onesmus is now a multi-award-winning visual artist majoring in Painting and Sculpture. His dream of becoming an artist was groomed by his uncle Peter Elungat who supplied him with art materials, books and mentorship. Balancing between school academic work and art he started his professional journey in 2012 when he first visited different art centres and galleries to gather more knowledge. He later on, met with Maina Boniface who introduced him to the art scene and introduced his work to the buyers. By 2014 he won his first Mask Prize award as the best in the painting category, later on in 2016 he won another Mask Prize award. In his work, he portrays issues that deal with self-realization, mental health, love, coexistence and unity amongst other themes that concerns us and those around us in the communities. He has participated in several art workshops, residencies and numerous exhibitions both locally and internationally including at the Saatchi gallery and in Washington DC. Onesmus' work is mainly collected by corporate organizations, one of them being I & M Bank and private collectors both locally and internationally in The U.S.A, UK, Spain, Asia, and Australia. He works from The Kobo Trust Studio in Nairobi- Kenya.