Art inspires.
Our team was fortunate enough to connect with well known artists from across the globe. Their mediums may vary but their passions are equally high and dedicated. Today you will learn from artists from Nigeria and New Zealand. Check back this Friday to discover the second set of artists that will be featured!
We interviewed each of these amazing artists with the same three questions. Their life and work often go hand in had and we hope it motivates you to find your inner artist.
Check out their work, followed by their words of wisdom.
Ekene Ngige | Nigeria
1) How did you become an artist?
“I was born an artist actually. I started drawing at about the age of four. At about the age of seven i created comic books with pen on paper. i grew up always wanting to be a cartoon animator. I was the best in Fine Art at Junior High. My fine art teacher called me Kenny da vinci. He said i was his own Leonardo da vinci. I took more interest in painting at College and I started making money with my artworks at school so that really encouraged me to continue fine art as a career despite the fact I am still a successful cartoon animator with over ten years of work experience.”
2) What inspires you the most in your work?
“Life inspires my work especially the events that happens around me everyday.”
3) How is your life and culture expressed in your artwork?
“I found love in painting with coffee which originated in my continent, Africa. I have expressed my freedom in using this medium to paint because personally I do not like being restricted in life. I am a very free and peaceful spirited person and I feel so much more of these energy when I drink coffee. I make free splashes and drips on my paintings which expresses more of my flexibility. My works passes messages of peace that cut across the globe so I try not to limit it to just Africa or Nigeria where I come from. The whole world needs to find peace.”
Jesse Metcalfe | New Zealand
1) How did you become an artist?
“I was terrible at art in my school years, I guess I never took it seriously. It wasn’t until I was homeschooled for 6 months by my Grandmother that I started to look at the methods in a different light. Watching her draw human faces in a comical style with ease was like magic and inspired me to give it a try.
I first discovered digital art when I was around 16 years old during my school photography class. I had the idea of making human arms come out of the trees I had photographed. That’s when I picked up Photoshop for the first time and it opened up a world of surrealism I had no idea was possible until then.”
2) What inspires you the most in your work?
“I love seeing my ideas come to life, knowing I have really challenged myself and the thought that someone will enjoy my work as much as me. I’m always thinking of ways to create artwork that will evoke emotion from the viewer and tell a story on a deeper level.
Each piece is a learning experience, I find it hard to stick with one particular style because I’m always learning and evolving as an artist. I wake up and want to create something better than yesterday.
Honestly almost all of my inspiration comes from other artists. The incredible artwork I discover everyday motivates me to continue learning, almost as if there is an unreachable goal I am trying to achieve.”
3) How is your life and culture expressed in your artwork?
“My digital pieces are quite structured and methodical, they have a close relationship to my work as a Graphic Designer. Whereas my painting techniques are all self taught, so I am able to think less about the outcome and just enjoy the process. When exploring a new idea for an art piece, I like to use my feeling towards the topic as a tool. My emotions help me choose the colours, the style and overall tone of the image. I really enjoy looking back at my work and reflecting on what state of mind I was in at the time. I try to hone in on those feelings and exaggerate them to push an idea to its limits. I love to be shocked by artwork and left thinking about it later on, I guess I am wanting to give my audience the same feeling when viewing my work. ”
