Posted by By SOLA BALOGUN on
She probably has the British tongue but surely, she has more of African blood flowing in her veins. Abi Adeyemi is a rare artist both by birth and by inclination.
She probably has the British tongue but surely, she has more of African blood flowing in her veins. Abi Adeyemi is a rare artist both by birth and by inclination.
This is why as a little Lagos child, her eventual relocation and settlement in the United Kingdom only helped to boost her teenage curiousity about the environment she found herself.
A graduate of Chartered Marketing, pretty Adeyemi became an artist and designer by accident. And in becoming one, she soon got hooked to abstract painting such that her body and soul always yearn for inner values or respond to extraordinary elements.
Today, Abi not only paints and markets artworks, she also produces greeting cards, puzzles, as well as serves as interior decorator who has incurable passion for fitness and cleaniliness.
Abi who markets her works directly and on-line (www.abizart.co.uk) visited Nigeria recently to familiarise herself with her roots and her people. She told Daily Sun that Nigeria needs more outlets to train artists other than the conventional colleges and universities. She believes that all youths and children should be exposed to diverse creative endeavours to enable them discover their talents. She hinted further that unlike in England, artists are usually misrepresented in Nigeria and they are not being given enough room to practice and grow.
Background
I hail from Ibadan, Oyo State. I am the second child of my mother but I was raised by my grandmother, Chief Mrs. V.A Tewogbade. I attended Omolewa Nursery and Primary School in Ibadan. Then I moved to St Annes, Ibadan where I spent just three years before moving on to England where I completed my secondary education. I studied Chartered Marketing at Emile Woolfe and I am a member of Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM).
Becoming an artist
My journey into the arts started when I wanted to buy a piece called Lime from an artist. I told the artist I wished I could do something like that but because I was not a trained artist, I couldn't. But the artist told me then that I needed not be a trained artist before I start painting. He urged me to study the works so well to see if I could create similar things using a particular medium. That was how I started and I ultimately became my own biggest critic.
Abstract painting
It is the job of artists to take up positions in their different ways to make the world a beautiful place for people to live in. My own position within this context is abstract art. I like to express deeper personal spiritual feeling as well as probe into the inner thinking of others. And because I have the opportunity of being exposed to different cultures, I have been able to blend these cross culture values in my works.
Professionalism/works
Over the years, art has exposed me to vast areas of the profession.Overseas, visual artists have the opportunity of being exposed to vast areas beyond their immediate constituency. For example, my works were part of those exhibited in the non traditional gallery shows in the United Kingdom. These include Grand Designs Show 2004, Volvo Urban Interior Show 2003, Black Music and African Crafts Fair as well as Greenwich Arts and Crafts Market.
Some of my personal works include Acquatic Eye, Blu Infusion, among many others.
Home coming
My brief stay in the country has so far taught me that the visual art scene here is very active based on the regualr exhibitions holding in galleries, particularly in Lagos. While I have plans to exhibit my works in Nigeria, I am yet to enter into concrete agreement with any of the galleries. Last year, I did a preview for a select audience in Victoria Island, Lagos. I also hope to exhibit in other major cities like Abuja and Port Harcourt and there is a new fashion line coming soon.