                                                              ARTIST BIOGRAPHY
EDUBIYI DAMILOLA a Lagos based artist painter and art educator Born 11, April 1995, hails from Ayietoro, Ayietoro town, Ogun state. I grew up in Otta, Otta town Ogun state. My art experience started from my early age due to my interest in drawing and painting my parents Mr. and Mrs. Edubiyi observed me since I was able enough to hold a pen and pencil. I was the leading figure in my primary school days. My late dad Tunde Edubiyi who was a civil servant and my mum Ajoke Edubiyi a self-employed hair stylist, I’m the last born of the family and the only boy, I have 3 sisters. My parents submitted me to undergo an informal training for about 4years after a serious discussion with my mother and they agreed I should learn art informally for a start, where I compiled the ability to draw, paint, and print. I was under the tutelage of Mr. KAYODE Orole who owns an art workshop named student world of art.He blended my idea and my feelings towards being an artist. I lived in the same area with the great painter Mavua Lessor.we go severally to visit his colleagues who studied art and from there I started picking up my skills blending them together. The more I saw the more I learnt because I’m a fast learner, within those 4 years of training while I was still at secondary, I resume to the workshop everyday except Sundays, so once I get back from school around 3:00 pm I would resume training and close for 7:00 pm, this was my routine for several months. I was the first apprentice he had so a lot was been taught and I had to take the role (senior boy) in the workshop, he trusted me because my skills were quite impressive.
TERTIARY EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND
I had my early child education at the ambassador schools Otta Ogun state and later moved to Benmarg nursery and primary school Otta to complete nursery and primary level education, and obtained my senior secondary certificate at Ansar- ud-deen comprehensive college. I moved to Lagos in 2013 after getting admitted to Federal College of Education (tech), Akoka Lagos Nigeria in completion of my diploma (N.C.E) in fine and applied art education (double major), during my years at the college, I had a good rapport with my lecturer Mr. Dotun Alabi who was formally the SNA chairman lagos state chapter, I was tutored and blended both the basic practical and theoretical aspect of fine art and art education, my project was injected on the walls of the college medical building after completing my three years in the college, then I got admitted by direct entry to the university of first choice where I obtained my first degree B.A in creative art painting major at the University of Lagos 2021, there at Unilag I discovered my style of paining and my motif to painting in between my program I came in contact with Hamid Ibrahim who took me in for my industrial experience, I was moved by is eclectic figure paintings especially his mastery in land scape and market scene, he’s like a Father to me and also a teacher, we had exhibitions and also I curated one of the group exhibitions we had in the university. Also I got inspirations from the paintings of Dr. Bolagi Ogunwo and he always inspired me more when I listen to him talking about art life, he always talk to me and my colleagues not to stop painting, he drives me to do more and paint more, even sometimes when I fail I get up again and restart. Over the years I have met a-lot of artist and I learnt and been motivated by the art they produce and also from there interviews properly when they talk about art.
MY PAINTINGS
My recent works study focuses on figurative painting and portrait in different pose and gesture, I have put into use the objects and symbols that befits my collaboration to human figures most especially female figure, and to synchronize the figure, objects and motifs together in culture context of African and African-American black art, because I belief head is the seed of destiny and Art like beauty has no price so the black content to the universe is priceless because of the uniqueness and the elegance we project of our culture home and abroad. I have had group exhibition hosted by the visual unit creative art department, University of Lagos and also I have taught in several school and children museum as an art educator, I have worked with artist such as Ogunwo Bolaji, Hamid Ibrahim, Ajayi potter, Dotun Alabi. My art tends so speak aesthetically to the African and Africanamerican culture through the expression and the impression of both the past and present to future events that can be resonated, I work mainly with oil and acrylic on canvas.
ARTIST STATEMENT – My paintings create a visual note of different faces, phases and their expression
