Workshop

I have been involved in teaching art to international audiences since 1974, when I was first invited to teach at Haystack Mountain Craft School in the U.S. Since then I have lectured and held workshops on African art, mosaic art, oil painting, printmaking, plastocast and especially bead-painting (making paintings with beads) an artform which I am credited with first popularizing in the 1960s.

The Yoruba people of Nigeria have traditionally incorporated beads in many of their artforms. In particular, their glittering look encouraged their use in decorating the King’s regalia, including crowns, shoes and walking sticks. My innovation was to adapt this traditional use to the more contemporary art form of painting. My interest today is to spread the gospel of bead-painting, especially to a younger generation.

Kids of all ages, from 8 years to 18 years, as well as adults, participate in my workshops. My main goals in teaching are to:

  • Increase the sense of worth and uniqueness of individual participants;
  • Instill discipline in participants (beadpainting being such a time consuming process);
  • Reveal and encourage talents in the participants;
  • Introduce participants to several aspects of African Art and Culture which form my creative process;
  • Provide participants with technical skills;
  • Share with participants my four decades of experience and research into this type of art.