A Nigerian ballpoint pen artist identified as Oyindamola Oyewumi has continued to be a source of inspiration for many lovers of art.
Speaking with Muse.ng, the self-taught artist said she started drawing professionally after people commended her when she drew her mum.
According to Oyewumi, she was always excited whenever she saw artists and made up her mind to develop herself to be one.
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In her words: “Anytime I see artists, I’m always excited, and I made up my mind to develop myself to be one.
“Kept drawing for fun, till one day, I drew my mum and uploaded it on my WhatsApp and people started asking me to draw them.”
The artist’s motivation
Oyewunmi said she has been a professional artist for four years and what has kept her going is motivation.
Speaking on the patronage of art in Nigeria, Oyewumi said a lot of people don’t appreciate it.
She said: “A lot of people don’t appreciate art here in Nigeria. Unlike other countries where they let the arts communicate with them.”
Oyewumi opened her art studio in Ibadan in, the Oyo State capital in 2021 but said patronage has been low ever since then.
According to Oyewumi, all her clients are from referrals and social media.
Despite the low patronage, Oyewumi said she has never thought of quitting because she enjoys what she does.
Greatest moment as an artist
In 2021, Oyewumi got the attention of American software developer and founder of the Cardano blockchain platform Charles Hoskinson after drawing the entrepreneur.
Hoskinson tweeted the artwork and announced that he would be selling the tweet with the drawing and send all the proceeds to the artist.
The entrepreneur ended up selling the tweet with the artwork for $6,300 and sent everything to Oyewunmi.
The young lady described her encounter with Hoskinson as her greatest moment as an artist.
In her words: “My greatest moment as an artist was my encounter with Charles Hoskinson after he acknowledged my art and sold it in a tweet for $6300.”
According to Oyewumi, arts are underpriced and undervalued in Nigeria.
She advised upcoming artists in the country to keep doing what they love, adding that consistency and persistence is the key.
