Ibe

child Ibe was introduced to drawing and how to observe and take notes of inspiring subjects. He achieved success at the age of 16 when he first exhibited his works at the National Gallery of Modern Art in Lagos, Nigeria. Trained at the University of Benin in Nigeria, his performance at school earned him first class honors in Fine Arts from the esteemed university. Since graduation, Ibe has traveled extensively throughout the United States, Mexico, South America, Europe, Asia, and Africa to exhibit his works, participating in seminars and fine arts workshops along the way. Ibe’s work has been recognized nationally and internationally through numerous awards in juried shows and competitions, and has been featured in major art publications, museums, private collections, and galleries around the world. Recognition for Ibe’s work has led to his involvement with prestigious art organizations in the United States, especially the Portrait Society of America. He is also a member of Portrait Society of Atlanta, the African American for the Arts, and the Quinlan Visual Art Center in Georgia. Ibe, who is always willing to share his gift and passion for art with others, occasionally invites college students of fine art to his Atlanta studio to study and learn his technique and style. He has continued his passion, painting portraits of the President, musicians, the political “Who’s Who,” Hollywood personalities, and many others. Ibe recently relocated to New Jersey. B.F.A. University of Benin, Nigeria 2007 - Art Business News, Selected as one of the "Top New Artists" in the industry 2006 - New York Artexpo; SOLO artist of the year NEXT STUDIO VISIT: Onyeka Ibe January 16, 2011 Why Art? Art is the way I express myself. For me, it's the language that I speak and it's what makes me feel the most connected to my soul. Seeing people connect with what I create is what makes the process all the more special Training I graduated from the University of Benin with a degree in Fine Arts. Upon moving to the United States, I continued my education at Georgia State University. Though I have had some formal art training, much of my development has come through practice, traveling, and studying the works of the artists I admire Medium Oil is my preferred medium because of its richness, but I also work with several other mediums as I am always looking to improve my skill by experimenting with new materials and methods. Influences To date, my father has had the biggest influence in my life and in my career as an artist. The many times I felt discouraged about making a career from my art, he was always there to encourage me. Inspirations I am inspired by my environment - the beauty and its complexity are evident in my work. My paintings strive to depict visual tales of emotion, mood, color, movement, form, textures, and other elements. My experiences and interactions with these elements can be interpreted and translated best when they are depicted on canvas. Best work so far Each piece communicates something different that's very meaningful to me. I am always on a quest to produce works that will resonate even deeper than the last piece, so I tend not to get too attached to my paintings. Least satisfying work I am very critical of everything that I do, but I have found that what I find the least satisfying is what someone else will find the most intriguing. I believe every work I create will fulfill a purpose for someone and that's satisfying to me. Career high point Getting the opportunity to exhibit my work alongside some of the world's most recognized artists and being named as one of ‘Today's Top Artists' in July 2007, by Art Business News are accomplishments that I am very proud of. Winning the SOLO Award at the International Artexpo New York in 2006 is also an accomplishment that I am proud of because my work was singled out in the midst of hundreds of other great works. Favorite artist, living or dead Pablo Picasso - I am inspired by him because of his ability to be a multi-dimensional artist. He was able to break away from the norm and create his own style of painting. Jackson Pollock - He is an inspiration to me because of all of his accomplishments during his short life. Pollock created the unusual technique of pouring and dripping paint on canvas which is known to be the origin of the term ‘action painting'. Ambition Besides continuing to create works that will inspire people, I would love to make art more accessible to people by partnering with organizations that support this cause. In recent years, I partnered with some of these organizations, including The National Gallery of Art (NGA). In collaboration with the NGA, I facilitated the sponsorship of a few Nigerian artists and provided them the opportunity to exhibit their work at the International Artexpo, New York and Las Vegas. This is a wonderful experience for the artists involved and it has pioneered the way for an annual Artexpo in Nigeria