The Union Painting

I was born in 1966 at Surulere, Lagos. My parents are from Oyo State, Nigeria. Right from Primary school, I knew that I was destined to be an artist because I cannot stop drawing and coping pictures from dailies and magazines. From my second year in Secondary school, I was also training as an artist in the studio of late David Essiet. Thus, I was a 1981 to 1985 trained Artists before moving on to the university. From 1980 to 1984, I was the Best Fine Arts student throughout my Secondary school years at Igbobi High School, Yaba, Lagos. I was also honoured with a Distinguished Stewardship Award by the Society of Nigerian Artists, Lagos State Chapter in 2015. I have being practicing as an artist since 1985 before going for further studies as well as being involved in other art related engagements till date. As an art critic and historian, I have contributed essays to some books, journals and exhibition catalogues. I have also written articles on art published in Nigerian newspapers such as "The Guardian", "The Nation", and "This Day". I have been documented in several publications. My art works have been collected in Nigeria and other countries such as USA, England, and the Netherland to mention a few. I have executed many commissions in painting, sculpture, graphics, art management and other creative fronts. My creative inspiration comes from diverse sources such as life and death, joy and sadness, simplicity and complexity, natural and mysterious essence of life as well as Godliness. I have worked as a draughtsmanship trainee, graphic artist, art teacher, art and culture manager, and curator between 1984 and 2010. I am a member of the Society of Nigerian Artists (SNA), and Best of lfe group of Artists. My hobbies are reading, writing, watching sports, films, music, nature watch and other forms of art. Whether as Rasheed Amodu or Rasheed Amodu Arts, you can find me online on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, Google+, Twitter, and Pinterest. I am a versatile artist, art teacher and writer, poet, art historian/ critic and consultant based in Lagos, Nigeria.