NSIKAK ESSIEN
Nikak Essien is one of the best known fulltime studio artists of his generation. The 64yearold Multitalented artist was a founding member of the famous AKA Circle of Exhibiting Artists which included other stalwarts such as El Anatsui, Bona Ezeudu, Obiora Anidi and the late great Okpu Eze among others. Essien studied art at the Insititute of Management and Technology Enugu, graduating with Distinction in Painting as Best Overall Graduate and winner of the Fasuyi Best National Art Graduate in Painting in 1979. After an eleven year stint as lecturer in his alma mater from 1980 to 1991, Essien opted for fulltime studio work, from which he has continued to enchant the world of art lovers with acclaimed productions shown in solo and group exhibitions including permanent ones in many very highly visible venues such as Aguda House and the Asso Villa collection, the National Assembly and the Central Bank of Nigeria Headquarters, all in Abuja to name a few. Others are to be found in highly notable and famed institutions, galleries and private collections of in the many famous homes and palaces.
Mr. SAM OVRAITI
Sam Ovraiti: Sam Ovraiti is a consumer artist and a notable Nigerian artist from the Auchi colourist school. He studied painting at the Auchi polytechnic and the University of Benin where he bagged an MFA degree specializing in painting. His expressive watercolours brought him to limelight in the early times of his career in the 1980's.His artistic journey reveals that he is proficient in a number of mediums and styles. Sam taught painting and drawing at the famous Auchi polytechnic for close to a decade where he had a lot of followership before opting out to pursue a fulltime professional practice in 1993, with studio in Lagos, Nigeria. He has since been consistent in creating art and also offering mentorship and training to young artists .Some of whom have become famous. Sam has won recognition in all levels of art, winning prizes at both academic and professional levels. His art works are well received and have been shown in numerous important group and solo exhibitions the world over. Sam has also participated as a member of jury in art competitions such as AAF organized National Art competition, Guarantee
Trust Bank National Art Competitions and an international juror at the Goje Africa International Art competition. He is a member of the Guild of Professional Fine Artist Nigeria, Society of Nigerian Artists and the Watercolor Society, Nigeria. He is presently the director of the Harmattan Workshop.
LASISI LAMIDI, Ph.D
Abdul Lasisi Lamidi was born in Bibiani, Ghana, on the 4th of September 1966. His parents are from Offa, Kwara state, and he is a graduate of Sculpture from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. Lasisi's engagements at his almaMata earned him his First and Second Degrees, in 1990 and 1998 respectively. He had his Ph.D. in sculpture in 2015 also in A. B. U. Zaria. His enlistment as lecturer in the same institution has culminated into a fourth romance. Since graduating, his exploratory artistic rendition has not been limited to modelling and paintings but, equally to a progressive exploit with the fluidity or the pliability of metal rod as a medium of sculptural interpretation. Equally evident of his artistic expedition is his craftsmanship in the way he has.
KLARANZE OKHIDE
Klaranze Okhide is a Nigerian Visual Artist and Educator. Born Clara Nze (klaranze) in 1976, she had her formal training from the Auchi Art School (1999). Answering the call to mould lives, she did a postgraduate diploma in Education at the University of Abuja (2006). Klaranze draws inspiration from everyday life and she is a colourist. She derives great joy in creating art through diverse mediums as she promotes art at the youth and professional levels through workshops, seminars, school art competitions, exhibitions etc. She resides in Abuja and has exhibited solo and in numerous group shows including "Bayelsa @ 10" by Bayelsa state Government, 2006", "Aresuva" by National Gallery of Art Abuja 2009, Nigeria @ 50, Fed. Ministry of Culture2010, "Green is keen" by Total Epng Portharcourt2013, Female Artist Exhibition Abuja 2014, Society of Nigerian Artists (S.N.A.)@50-Omenka Gallery Lagos 2014, Image of the World Art Exhibition (IMAGO)SPAIN 2014 among several notable others, winning several prizes and awards along the way.
ERASMUS ONYISHI
Erasmus Onyishi read sculpture BA, MFA at the University of Nigeria. He has participated in over forty exhibitions both internally and offshore. He is an experimentalist and one of the ten artists presented by El Anatsui in the controversial “New Energies” exhibition in 2001. Erasmus is one of the earliest exponents of Video Art in Nigeria. He won the Originality Prize in the 2013 edition of LIMCAF and has received three awards (two in 2010 and one 2012) from National Universities' Commission (NUC) for Research and Development in the Humanities. He is the first prize winner of the 2014 edition of the National Art Competition organized by the Nigerian Breweries and African Artists Foundation. He also won second Prize (University category,) in the 2014 Third National Education and Innovations Exhibition organized by the Ministry of Education. He has scholarly articles in reputable journals to his credit. He teaches Sculpture at Federal University Lafia, Nasarawa State, Nigeria.
REPRESENTATIVE OF THE ALLIANCE FRANCAISE NETWORK
