About Obanijesu Oluwadele:
Tell us about your artistic background and experience. What led you to pursue art as a creative outlet?:
My name is Oluwadele Obanijesu Ayooluwa, a Nigerian visual artist whose journey into art began in childhood. I studied visual art at The Polytechnic, Ibadan, and Obafemi Awolowo University, later training under master artists at the Ibadan Cultural Centre.
Art became my creative outlet because it helps me express emotions, heal, and inspire hope. My work explores themes like childhood innocence, emotional transformation, and inner strength, often using blue hues, symbolic patterns, and surreal elements.
Since stepping into the art market, I’ve exhibited in several group shows across Nigeria, including Roots and Resonance, Illumination Art Exhibition, and Lagos Easter Art Carnival. Through my work, I aim to revitalize hope and celebrate the power of personal stories.
What inspires you as an artist? Are there specific themes or subjects that you find yourself drawn to?:
I’m inspired by childhood innocence, emotional honesty, and the quiet beauty of everyday life. Children often appear in my work because they represent truth, hope, and unfiltered emotion. Nature, especially trees, birds, and flowers also influences me deeply, serving as symbols of growth, resilience, and identity.
My art explores themes like memory, transformation, and healing, all rooted in the idea of Revitalizing Hope. I use recurring elements like tree patterns, sparrows, and the color blue to express emotional depth and spiritual connection. Ultimately, I create to connect, reflect, and inspire a sense of peace and possibility.
What do you hope to communicate or evoke through your art? Is there a specific message or emotion that you strive to convey to your audience?
Through my art, I hope to communicate hope, healing, and emotional truth. I want viewers to pause, reflect, and feel seen especially in the quiet, often overlooked moments of life. My work speaks to the inner child, to memory, to vulnerability, and the silent strength we carry within.
I strive to evoke a sense of peace, nostalgia, and emotional connection, using symbolic elements like children, tree patterns, and blue tones to guide the viewer inward. At the core, my message is simple but powerful: no matter how complex life gets, there’s always hope there’s always a way forward.
Are there any particular artists or art movements that have influenced your work? How have they shaped your artistic perspective?
I’m inspired by Bob Ross for his calming, healing approach to art, Pablo Picasso for his bold reinvention and emotion, Mufu Onifade for his cultural depth and Araism, and Dotun Popoola for transforming discarded materials into meaning. Their work has shaped my style into one that blends realism, symbolism, and emotional storytelling.
How do you handle criticism or feedback on your artwork? How do you use it to grow and improve as an artist?
see criticism and feedback as essential parts of growth. I don’t take it personally instead, I listen, reflect, and extract what’s useful. Every perspective helps me see my work through new eyes.
Even when feedback is tough, I use it to refine my technique, deepen my message, or strengthen my visual storytelling. It keeps me grounded, open, and evolving not just as an artist, but as a communicator.
Are there any specific goals or aspirations you have for your artistic career? How do you plan to pursue them?
My goal is to build a globally recognized art career rooted in hope, emotion, and African identity. I aspire to host solo exhibitions, collaborate with international galleries, and create programs that inspire children through art. I’m actively pursuing this through consistent exhibitions, networking, applying for residencies, and growing my creative brand.
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