EXCLUSIVE:
‘OIL on Canvass Painting is My Life’–Oresegun Olumide, Nigerian Artist takes over Social Media in few days
*Says: “My 3rd Art Exhibition will Hold in United States of America/United Kingdom Nov. 12”
*Narrates how he Beats all Odds from Childhood into Adulthood to be a Success Story
*Confessed: “I was Twice Arrested for taking Pictures just for My Love for Arts”
*Request: “I want Nigerian Govt, International Community come to my aid on Exposure, Exhibitions & Endorsement”
*QUOTE: “Success is getting what you want, happiness is wanting what you get”–W.P. Kinsella
BY GEORGE ELIJAH OTUMU/FOREIGN BUREAU CHIEF, UNITED STATES
HIS art works are speechless. Breath-taking. Awesome. Alluring, highly attractive, real and evoke the truism in the philosophy of W.F. Kinsella that “Success is getting what you want, happiness is wanting what you get.” Oresegun Olumide, a Nigerian Artist, born in Lagos has by dint of hardwork, determination, vision, constant self-practicing, appraisal and belief proven that dreams do comes through if you never give up your aspiration, no matter how long it is delayed. Don’t think the artworks are pictures, but far more captivating than pictures taken on digital camera. It’s incredibly oil on canvass painting-out of the ordinary you will agree.
His artworks are living, irresistible, powerful and for the first time trending all over social media: attracted 18.7k fans on Instagram, 25k shares on Facebook, 12.6k on Twitter, 10.5k on Snapchat, 9.4k on Tumblr, 12.6k on Google Plus, still trending, which is why it takes the ingenuity of a genius to have attained this global internet attention on blogosphere within a short space of few days. In brevity, Oresegun is an embodiment of raw talent, yet very humble, refused to be distracted, rare virtues only displayed by ‘Eagle, the king of bird.’ Today, Oresegun is living his dream.
‘OIL on Canvass Painting is My Life’
In an exclusive interview with our correspondent, he said: “Oil canvass is my life. I put all my efforts and passion into my art paintings, which is my first love. I have always known that when I put all my passion and efforts into what I enjoy doing, such talent would take me to places I have never ever dreamt of. I have always dreamt of going Overseas to showcase my talent. I am planning of having my 3rd Art Exhibition in United States of America (USA) or United Kingdom (UK) by November 12, 2016. Oil on canvass painting is my first love. I can make use of charcoal, poster colour and rest on oil on canvass as I know the painting stays longer to dry.”
On how he gets inspiration to have developed this most sought after oil on canvass painting, Oresegun in a telephone interview explained: “Actually, after I finished Secondary school in 1999, I studied Fine Arts at the Yaba College of Technology, Lagos where I specialized in painting. By then I started painting normal photowork using oil on canvass perfected in media. That was why my first painting done on oil on canvass was titled ‘ILAJE’. I felt great by the huge response I received from the turn out of the crowd that saw my artistic work. I approached that painting with brush stroke on oil colours even at my National Diploma (ND 2). During my ND2 days, we were not taught how to use oil colour, but by self discovery I explored the idea all alone. I knew if I could be successful in using oil colour, I could use oil media perfectly.
“Since I don’t mingle around, instead of me participating in playing with my friends, I help my nieighbours do some house chores by way of household assistance. By then, we lived in Shomolu, Lagos. That is why it becomes so easy for me to flashback to my childhood, look closely at my immediate environment and society to design ,y oil on canvass painting. I get my inspiration from there.
“Most times I have the idea on my head of what I want. Thereafter, I would ask the children to pose for those concepts I had on my mind and in my head, the results are the astonishing oil on canvass paintings you see that people get confused it with real pictures taken on digital camera.”
Childhood into Adulthood to be a Success Story
Regarding how be braced all odds, overcome every obstacle to realize his dream from childhood into adulthood, this 35 year old endowed artist said “In my childhood, I don’t mingle with friends or crowd. I only had two friends. When my childhood friends would be riding their bicycles and playing about, I would start drawing and painting, at the tender age of four years. That was when during my Nursery school days. I have always love drawing and painting so passionately. I never lose focus or got carried away by the vicissitudes of life. A year after (5years), I remembered how I emerged first in class when my art work was chosen as the best amongst my peers then. I enjoyed drawing from my childhood.
Arrested for taking Pictures just for My Love for Arts
This slow-speaking and intelligent artist narrated to this reporter how he was arrested twice: first by the police and the second time by Hausa Mallams just because of his love for arts. His words: “Most times as a young man, I always followed my Mother to Mile 12 to see the crowd of people, traders and buyers alike. This is the reason all my art works in Higher National Diploma 2 (HND 2) in same Yaba College of Technology were tailored to the market. Sorry for the little digression. I was arrested in 2007 for taken photographs by Mallams and was handed over to their Seriki (Hausa market leader). My camera was collected from me.
“Also, during my National Youth Service Corps a year after (2008), in Zamfara State, I was arrested by the Nigerian Police for taking photographs of an Hausa man. You know when you take camera to an Hausa man without any press badge showing you to be a journalist and without you able to communicate fluently in Hausa language that could pose a serious problem. My camera was collected. I was taken to the police station. Their Divisional Police Officer (DPO) asked me to identify myself: I told him I am a youth corper but forgot my identity card in NYSC quarters. Luckily, I knew the DPO’s daughter-a friend of mine in NYSC camp. That was my saving grace.”
First and Second Art Exhibitions
With so much creative energy in him for arts, he embarked on plans to stage his 1st and 2nd Art Exhibition which became hits. He said: “Immediately after my youth service, I wanted to showcase my art works. My first art exhibition and the second held in 2011, 2014 at Mybrim Gallery. I can never forget those period.”
Assistance from Nigerian Govt & International Community
Sounding emotional, he said: “I want the Nigerian Government under President Muhammadu Buhari to help me in showcasing my art works in State House, various states of the federation. I am a Nigerian, making Nigeria proud through the work of arts.
“I want the International Community to assist me in good management process, International exposure through foreign art exhibitions so that people can know that an African can truly create Angelic art rhythm using abstract oil on canvass in all ramifications and can stand shoulder-to-shoulder anywhere in the world with any other white-coloured art professional.”
#YOU CAN REACH OLUSEGUN OLUMIDE DIRECTLY FROM ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD FOR ANY FOREIGN ART EXHIBITION, SYMPOSIUM OR ENDORSEMENT BY DIALING HIS MOBILE PHONE NUMBER AT: +234-803-618-3993
Good. Thanks for the support.
We thank God Almighty for everything-MANAGEMENT
I would like to see all your arts do you have a website? And prices.thanks
Feel free to call ORESEGUN OLUMIDE directly on his cellphone number in Nigeria by dialing: +234 803 618 3993 and what phone number can he reach you so we may pass it on to him instantly-MANAGEMENT
That’s a slick answer to a chlelanging question
Oresegun, bravo. I just want you to see #Worldwrapperman interview with #SaharaReporters https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=W0RlLJ2iZiw another creative ideal from #Nigeria.