Art-Devine-Slasher

Getting down to business

Nkolika — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 03:05:17 +0000

Acrylic painting of a Kitten

2.5″ X 3.5″

Just got a new catalogue of art materials from Jackson’s Art delivered to me (Still trying to get used to having my mail delivered to my door step). I am definitely going to enjoy going through it along with the one from Art Discount.

I am so excited that any art material I want is within reach, all I need to do is say (with a debit card of course) the word and it will be delivered to me. Gone are the days when I used to go through art books and wonder where on earth I am going to lay my hands on the materials listed in the book. The very first one I had was Art School which my mum bought from Glasgow and sent down to me at home. I remember feeling so sad that half of the things that were mentioned in the book were not easily available to me. My frustration got worse when I went to the market and the biggest shop there that sold painting materials had no idea what I was talking about. O well, gone are those days.

I am still looking out for a really good place where I can get art materials on line. There are tons of them. I once bought an artograph projector and liquitex paints from Art Discount and I was impressed with the way they delivered it. But I wonder if they are really the cheapest. It is going to take time but I am sure it will be worth it making comparisons and finding out which store is best for which material. Do you have any ideas?Similar Posts:

The season of love is here

Nkolika — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 12:56:40 +0000

A Rose for you this Valentine

Oil pastel on matt board

2.5″ X 3.5″

Click here to buy

The season of love is here. Romance is already in the air every where around here. Even if one is not into Valentine and all that go with it, you can’t help but admire the passion with which those that celebrate it go about doing their things when it approaches.

I am offering unique handmade butterfly cards at give away prices this season. And the amazing part of it all is that it comes with free worldwide shipping.Similar Posts:

Butterfly Series

Nkolika — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 14:07:12 +0000

Butterfly No 1

2.5″ X 3.5″

Click here to buy

I recently made a series of paintings of butterflies that caught my interest. They are part of the things that have kept my mind (and soul) busy. I have always been fascinated by the lightness and freedom of butterflies. They are so lightweight and yet very beautiful. I enjoyed highlighting the differences that existed in their patterns. I also made Butterfly cards which are good unique gifts to give a loved one this valentine.

Butterfly No 2

2.5″ X 3.5″

Click here to buy

As time goes on I would be adding more of the butterflies here. Currently I am offering free shipping on all the items in my Etsy Shop there you would find different types of paintings made with different media and different sizes.

All the best.Similar Posts:

SALE……………Blank ACEO canvases

Nkolika — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 11:18:13 +0000

I recently added a new listing in my shop and it is for 15 blank ACEO canvases cut to the size of 2.5″ x 3.5″. With it you get 15 more for FREE. I cut them from heavy weight superior cloth of medium grain surface that has been triple coated with two coats of highly pigmented primer and one coat of acid free sizing.

-> INDIVIDUALLY HAND CUT BY AN ARTIST FOR ARTISTS
-> CUT FROM 8OZ WINSOR AND NEWTON CANVAS.
-> PERFECT FOR AMATEUR AND PROFESSIONAL ARTISTS.
-> READY TO BE PAINTED ON.
-> IDEAL FOR USE WITH OIL, ALKYD AND ACRYLIC PAINTS.
-> PRODUCES VERY BRIGHT PAINTINGS.

The size is perfect for trying out new techniques (including heavy application of colour) without having to waste paint. They can be used as they are or mounted on mounting boards.

It is perfect for every budding artist who loves to experiment. Are you an experienced artist? Or are you thinking seriously about painting or being an artist? These are perfect to start with. It is available in my Etsy shop and it comes with free worldwide shipping.Similar Posts:

It is a New Year……now what?

Nkolika — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 13:36:45 +0000

Acrylic painting of Motmot birds

2.5″ X 3.5″

Click here to buy

It sure does feel good to be back here. 2009 was a tough and pretty turbulent year for me (hope it was better for you?). It was the year I found new joy in my best work of art and also the year I lost the pillar in my life: My father. 2009 also brought some profound changes and with them came great challenges.

Challenges are meant to bring out the best in us and I am glad they are doing just that in my life. After receiving the news of my father’s death, all I wanted to do was paint……paint and paint some more. Grief comes with it an array of feelings and there is no one best way of dealing with it. For me, talking about my feelings helped but what brought tremendous amount of healing was painting. I spent the weeks following his death painting. Something was unlocked somewhere and there was a great outflow of inspiration. I wonder; is that why many of the great masters had very sad and unhappy lives? Why is sadness and grief always closely associated with great inspiration?

My dad was buried on the 20th of November, 2009. I flew back home with my daughter to pay our last respects and to be with my mother. Oft times during our stay in Nigeria, I found myself staring at my daughter (who was 6 months then) and wishing I could be like her. She had no idea what was going on around her; all she was ever bothered about was food, sleep and my presence. She enjoyed the company of her little cousins and the little children around. While she and every other child was having a good time discovering new things and enjoying the change of environment; we the adults were having headaches and worrying over how the burial would go. And added to that we were faced with the added task of re-adjusting to life without our dad. Oh how I wish I could be a child sometimes!!!

So many things seemed to be happening at the same time. Shortly after I came back from home, I had to start packing. This was a major process as everything had to be packed up. My last days in Botswana were memorable ones. My family and I were surrounded by people who were both happy and sad at the same time. Happy that we were moving up the ladder. And sad that they were not the ones leaving. I guess nothing is new under the face of the sun. I wonder, why on earth would someone punish himself by being sad over someone else’s success?

So far 2010 has brought some very pleasant surprises and openings. On the 1st of Jan, I relocated to Poole, Dorset with my family. For me it is a dream come true. For many who do not know or appreciate the difficulties that abound in Africa, you may never understand where I am coming from.

I have always believed in being optimistic and positive. Expecting the best in every situation and trying to make the best out of every situation: be it good or bad. And like most people would tell you: it always pays to be optimistic. Once again, I am happy to proclaim that it pays to BE POSITIVE because you are what you think about and like the saying goes “Be careful what you think about; you might get it” it is true. Nevertheless, I am grateful to God.

Moving from one house to another is one thing but moving from one continent to another is a totally different ball game. I came to UK in the middle of the winter, which has been described as the harshest winter in over 60 years. Places like Scotland had temperatures of -21 at some point. Imagine moving from a furnace into a deep freezer? That is what I did. The temperatures in Maun, Botswana were averaging 35 – 40 degrees before I left. And I found myself hit with temperatures of -2 degrees. Oh it was a big relief. While the whole of Europe and America was complaining about the cold, I was relieved and happy.

So far, so good. Still settling in. I guess it is going to take sometime to fully settle in but it is coming on gradually, Ella is adjusting beautifully too. All I see around me every time I step out of my house are OPPORTUNITIES. Endless strings of opportunities for an artist and anyone aspiring for greater heights in life.

The question I ask myself everyday now is now what??????

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My new favicon

Nkolika — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 09:56:45 +0000

Just added a new favicon to my blog.

A Favicon is a little custom icon that appears next to a website’s URL in the address bar of a web browser. They also show up in your bookmarked sites, on the tabs in tabbed browsers, and as the icon for Internet shortcuts on your desktop or other folders in Windows.

I have been trying for ages to do that but I always got confused along the line. Since I started playing around with Photoshop and getting a grip on it, I decided to give it another shot. I used the tips from Jennifer Apple on how to add a favicon using Photoshop. It was quite straight forward and looked so easy. I had to download the Windows Icon (ICO) file format Photoshop Plugin to export to the .ico file format from Telegraphics and I followed her instructions and viola……….

Since I use firefox I had to clear my cache and also add the html link

to the header and index page templates of my WordPress template before it could show. I have been trying to get it to show in Internet Explorer but no luck yet. Dunno why things are difficult with IE. Initially my blog looked good in other browsers but terribly awkward in IE, now my favicon doesn’t show up. I personally do not use it because I don’t like it, but my hubby’s stuck to it for some reason. I am sure many people love it too. Do you like it? Which web browser do you use?

Favicons make web address look cute (it sure has transformed the look of mine in my browser). There are some web address I hardly remember their names but once I see their favicons I instantly know that that is what I am looking for. I think they are great. It makes websites look more professional. Or what do you think?

This favicon generation site helps you to generate your own favicon for free. All you need todo is upload your picture. Here are some great favicons that can inspire you

I don’t know if I am very happy with it yet, I may still tweek it here and there till I get something I truly love. I am loving Photoshop more and more everyday. So many people seem to use it and they produce magnificent graphics with it. I intend to learn as much as I can about it. I will be sharing it with you as I go on. Slow and steady wins the race.

All the best as you explore.
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My last days in Botswana

Nkolika — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 17:24:04 +0000

I have always looked forward to the day I would talk about my last days in Botswana. I have always dreamed of it. And my heart races with excitement as I write about it now.

My last days there brought out some feelings that I never knew existed. For instance I never knew I would feel bad leaving Botswana for any reason. But when the time came, I realized that I had made some good friends that it hurts to have to leave them. Yet again, that is the beauty of life: Nothing lasts forever and change is the only constant thing. The people we meet today could be gone tomorrow (be it through death or just a separation) and we may never have gotten round to be the best we could have been to them.

Friends?! Who are friends? Are they the people you chat with from time to time? or the people you barely see and hardly share with? or are they the people you share with, be it sadness, pain or success? I love the following description of the different types of friends:

There are friends for a season

There are friends for a reason

There are friends for a lifetime

Definitely, having lived in a new country for about 2 years, I came across people that could be classed in the various categories of friends above. The ones I thought were classed in the last category, ended up somewhere else. Time I believe is the only factor that determines the friends that stay with us for a lifetime.

As a child I grew up knowing that my mum had a friend in Glasgow whom she met about 30 years before I was born when my parents lived in Glasgow. And on my mum’s return to Nigeria they kept in touch exchanging Christmas cards. That old woman never failed to send a card to my mum every year. As the years went by one could see from the handwriting that the card was from a very old person.

At over 90 years she still keeps sending and my mum always smiles anytime she talks about her. That is what lifetime friends is all about. You share your journeys when the going is tough and when you are frail and weak you still smile whenever you are called upon to talk about your friend.

That leaves me to wonder where I would be with the good people I met in Botswana in 10 years time or 30 years time. Now that we are leaving in a world that is so globalized and communication is so easy (be it very impersonal sometimes), there should not be any excuse for not keeping in touch. All the same, I met some really wonderful people there and not so wonderful personalities. There were those whom I shared with, those I laughed with, those who always tried to ask ‘how are you’ and there were those who could not care less.

My last days in Botswana were filled with packing, preparations and dinners. I loved the dinners so much because the food was something else.

We had dinner with Pastor Jerry and Jana Lackey at their beautiful home in Okavango International School. It was wonderful and I enjoyed every moment of it. The dinner with Henry, Remi and Mrs Eigbe at Maun Lodge was very touching. My husband worked with late Dr John Eigbe before he died around July last year. After his death he took over the running of the clinic. Over the period of 3 years he worked closely and tirelessly with Henry (above) and Mrs Eigbe. That is one thing I admire my husband for a lot. It is a rare gift to be able to manage someone else’s thing as though it was yours. And he surely has that gift.

There is nothing like being good at what you do and giving your best no matter the situation you find yourself in. Even if the humans you are doing it for do not appreciate it; you can rest assured that God will reward you immensely for your efforts. And remember that you never know where you would meet again tomorrow.

When the time came to say goodbye, we all had tears in our eyes. I never knew saying goodbye in Botswana would be difficult. I always thought that when the time came, that I would bolt up and leave without even looking back. But I was wrong.

To the Lackeys, Mulombas, Obohs, Ernihes, Mrs Eigbe of Covenant Medical Centre Maun and the wonderful people who made our lives and stay in Maun Botswana a memorable one, I say THANK YOU.

We pray the good Lord will continue to be with you and give you the grace to excel in all you do. We will definitely meet again.

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Been so long!!!!!!

Nkolika — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 10:22:00 +0000

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None Found

My Father has gone to be with the Master Artist

Nkolika — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 11:15:05 +0000

On the 11th of September, 2009 my father; Prof Michael Nwafor Obiako went to be with God the master artist.

He was (is) an accomplished Academic Professor who trained hundreds of doctors in Nigeria, many of whom are scattered around the globe.

He was also a German trained (University of Heidelberg) Consultant Specialist of Otorhinolaryngology (Ear, Nose and Throat) and was very dedicated at his work.

Those he left behind to continue with the struggle on earth include my mother; his wife of 51 years, 2 sons, 4 daughters and 15 grand-children

When I called home that faithful evening to know how everyone was I had no premonition that the call I would get less than a hour later would change my life in more ways than one. The words my brother uttered to me through the phone that faithful night has continued to reverberate in my ears and seems to get louder as the days go by. They were words I dreaded the most, words I knew would be spoken to me one day but deep down inside I never wanted to hear. Words that were permanent……too permanent.

It has been a very traumatic time for me as I try to come to terms with the fact that “Death” has come knocking on my door. I have gone through (still going through) a plethora of feelings. First it was shock and disbelief. Then it was fear. Then anger. Now I feel so overwhelmed with sadness. My consolation lies in what the bible says about the children of God: “We do not mourn like those who have no hope”.

It is one thing to hear of death and see people die. It is a totally different ball game when you loose a loved one………….someone who has been there all your life. I have always known that death is a sure end for each and every one of us. Like most people say “Death is the only thing in life that comes with a 100% guarantee”. But no matter how much literature you know or how much you tell yourself that one day you would lose someone close to your heart. Nothing ever prepares you for the feeling that instantly overwhelms you when it happens.

No earthly pleasures, no kingdoms of this world can benefit me in any way. I prefer death in Christ Jesus to power over the farthest limits of the earth. He who died in place of us is the one object of my quest. He who rose for our sakes is my one desire. Do not talk about Jesus Christ as long as you love this world.

~St Ignatius of Antioch

With my dad in 2007

My dad’s death has opened a whole new chapter in my life and has reinforced all my principles that focus on the brevity of this life and the need to focus not on the things this world calls “important” but on God alone.

Not the goods of the world, but God. Not riches, but God. Not honors, but God. Not distinction, but God. Not dignities, but God. Not advancement, but God. God always and in everything.

~St. Vincent Pallotti

Many people ask me how I have been able to combine art and medicine. Many have often wondered out loud how I was able to get through the rigorous schedule of Medical school and still maintain an art portfolio. I too wonder the same all the time. But one thing I know is that it was not easy but the load was lighter because my parents were strongly behind me. Always encouraging me every step of the way.

My dad always marveled at how I was able to draw a perfect straight line without the aid of a ruler. He always told me he was very poor in art and that he once sat paralyzed and confused in his pre-med biology class when they were given a cockroach to dissect and draw. He told me countless number of times how he asked God for a child who could do better at drawing than he could ever dream of. And Lo and Behold he got me.

My Dad listening and watching with awe and pride during my first solo exhibition

Every painting I created was a masterpiece in his eyes and he would often come into my room, sit and watch me paint. I can never forget the way his face lit up when I showed him the portrait I did of him.

He never missed any event in my life. When I had my first solo exhibition he traveled across 5 states to be there in person. He beamed with so much pride and awe during the exhibition as I took my guests round and explained the inspiration behind each painting. He was just as shocked as they were that his little girl (his youngest child) could paint in a way that would leave everyone awed and have so much stories to tell about each work. There was no end to the stories he told about all that he saw.

My Father and I with the State Governor during my Exhibition

With his departure has come a renewed inspiration and sense of purpose. I have sunken myself into my art. Painting with so much fervor and inspiration. Painting is the one sure way I can let out all that is bottling up inside me. It is my one sure way of “Praying without tiring”. It is my escape route. I know and I pray that I will immortalize Paapa (my favorite name for him) through and with my art in a way that material success and academic excellence could not.

We must pray without tiring, for the salvation of mankind does not depend on material success; nor on sciences that cloud the intellect. Neither does it depend on arms and human industries, but on Jesus alone.

~ St. Frances Xavier Cabrini

With my parents during my Exhibition

There is so much to say and so much to remember him for/by. He has ran his race and has completed it. Indeed he ran it very well. It is left to us to do the same. To run a good race, may we lean not on our own understanding but trust solely on God. As for me:

When peace like a river, attendeth my way

When sorrows like sea billows roll,

Whatever my lot, thou has taught me to say it is well, it is well with my soul.

Though Satan should buffet

Tho’ trials should come

Let this blest assurance control,

That Christ has regarded my helpless state

It is well, It is well with my soul

Prof M N Obiako

1929 – 2009

Adieu Paapa, you shall live on forever in my heart. Adieu Daddy……………Adieu.

May your soul through the mercy of GOD rest in perfect peace. AMEN

N:B This would be my last post for a while. I would be away for sometime in order to attend my father’s burial and funeral ceremonies. I would put up the pictures of the paintings I have been working on once I return. Please do keep checking back.

Thank you and All the very best.

Nkolika

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Free Shipping for all Original ACEO Art

Nkolika — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 17:44:05 +0000

Mother and Child

2.5″ x 3.5″

Acrylic on paper

Click here to buy

I have had a really busy week, continually adjusting to my new role as a mother and trying to find a rhythm or balance with regards to my life as a whole. Being a mother and artist along with having a medical career and maintaining an online presence is a heavy job. Just one of those roles is equal to all of them: Being a mother.

Just like every upcoming aspiring artist, to get my art out there I have to work hard at generating an online presence which goes a long way to putting my art out there and making it visible to the world.

Aside from having a website which is very important as it can serve as an online portfolio; there are also the social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter. There are ways of going about creating a website without spending a fortune. I found these website resources for artists very useful when I went about creating my website. And I still refer to them from time to time.

I opened a Twitter account last year but had no idea how to use it so I left it which was a very big mistake because over time Twitter has exploded and has become a powerful micro blogging platform and a great source of advertisement. I recently started tweeting again and have found it very interesting. Initially I got lost there but I am slowly getting a hang on it.

I love Facebook best because it allows me to give a personal touch to all my activities. I have 2 Facebook pages there and I am using the networked blogs application to publish my blog posts on my facebook wall. This is a perfect way of sharing blog posts and information.

I will throw more light on how best to use Twitter and Facebook to promote your art in subsequent posts because there is so much to talk about.

As the season of Advent is approaching, it is important to start shopping early in order to avoid the Christmas rush and price hikes. I am currently offering FREE SHIPPING on all my Original ACEO art in my Etsy shop. Along with that you can also buy 3 hand painted Christmas cards with matching envelopes for the price of 1. This offer lasts till midnight of September 30th 2009.

Be sure to take advantage of this special offer.

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