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Anjolaoluwa: Teen painter, creator on canvass

By Omiko Awa
22 September 2019   |   2:48 am
Drawing and painting at a tender age and growing to make it a hobby, Anjolaoluwa Olanrewaju never knew she would one day compete with others on the global art space and make her impact felt.

Drawing and painting at a tender age and growing to make it a hobby, Anjolaoluwa Olanrewaju never knew she would one day compete with others on the global art space and make her impact felt.

The 16-year-old undergraduate of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, draws inspiration from to draw and paint from happenings in her immediate environment, nature and music.

According to her, “music is magical; sometimes, I come up with images to draw and paint by mere listening to a very nice music and relating things around me to it. Music spurs me to do more and I give all the glory to God.”

She revealed that there are times some drawings/paintings come to her subconsciously, in which she just keeps drawing without having any idea in mind and at the end of the day the drawings/paintings will come out fine with a lot of people appreciating them.

With her works spread across politics, human interest, feminine issues and nature, Anjolaoluwa disclosed that she has sold her works to different people and at different venues.

She said: “I have different works on diverse interests and have begun to sell them. Though, my first sale was on the average; it, however, prompted me to do more and I am grateful for it.”

She started scribbling lines on papers and tracing images right from her days in the nursery and secondary school, she said, “I draw and paint with ease because I have been doing them right from when I was very young, so, I do not have any challenge coming up with images or mixing colours on any medium I want.”

On how she got used to the palette and mastered her colours, the young painter disclosed that with the right motivation and regular practice, one would get used to them. She revealed that her parents gave her the necessary motivation she needed right for when they saw the signs that she likes drawing/painting; imagining things and bringing them to concrete object.

Anjolaoluwa noted some works take her days or weeks to complete depending on their nature and sizes. She also said she takes her time to make sure her works come out well.

On how she combines this with her studies, Anjolaoluwa revealed that she has time to attend to her hobby — painting/drawing.

“Painting to me is a hobby, so, I do it at my free time. I do not allow it to distract me from my studies, especially as I have earmarked different times for each in my life and none should take the place of the other,” she said.

As no artist draws/paints for personal consumption, the young painter has at different times and years showcased her works at different platforms. She has featured in art competitions and exhibitions from the OMO art competition to Vision of the Child (VOTC) and the Creative Youths Initiative Against Corruption (CYIAC), among others.

With many works sold and show and laurels won, Anjolaoluwa disclosed that the future is bright for artists in the country. “Most of my works address societal issues. They do not just highlight problems in the country, they also proffer solutions to them. So, artworks as media depict different things to the society and the people looking and interpreting the drawings/paintings,” she said on her subjects and how she picks them.

Commenting on youths and ideas, the painter noted that idea is key if one must have any meaningful impact on the society. Advising young people to never give up on themselves, she urged them to always seek for knowledge to improve on themselves and aspire to be the best they can be.

On what to expect from her soon, she said: “ People should expect as much artworks as possible, because I am not thinking out of the box, I am breaking the box.” Looking into the future, the painter said she hopes to own and run a multi-media gallery comprised of music, artworks and fashion. She said the three are inseparable, especially as they touch everyday life.

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