True African Art.com is an online gallery store based near New York City that features 425 original African paintings by 40 African artists. Thier motto is, “Loyal to Artists…Loyal to You” and they actively keep in touch with many of the artists who sold their artwork to them in Kenya, East Africa.

Gahinga Yamokoski, the owner and founder of True African Art, was kind enough to share some of her experiences about working with African artists and the role palyed by True African Art in bringing thier paintings to a bigger “gallery”. We featured True African Art a few months ago here, for a brief overview of thier work with African Artists in Kenya. This feature focuses on thier work in always striving to keep in touch with thier Artists from thier base in New York: 

Some time after we arrived back in New York from meeting with the artists in Kenya, we initially started calling them just to let them know that the website was up running live and that they could go there to see their paintings. They were so glad to hear from us and many asked about the video interviews we had done with them. “They are up too!” we exclaimed. “Everything is there now.”

And so it was. Texts and e-mails came in like a flood the next few days with the artists giving their feedback and thanks for our patronage to their artwork.

So we called them again, specifically to get more details on this some of our first feedback to the newly launched site. The artists loved the site and were appreciative of the fact that we would take the time to follow up with them. And they gave us some great ideas on promoting their work. Little did we know that these initial communications would spawn a whole new area of our website, let alone better solidify our relationships with the artists in the process.

Our conversation elaborated and the artists, we found, had much more to share than what we had obtained on our initial visits with them. The information and history they had were very unique and valuable, compared to any general, commonly shared write ups that were already out there on the Internet, or anywhere else for that matter.

The artists thus entrusted their personal and unique stories to our interpretation. Here’s a few excerpts from what we transcribed in full on True African Art.com:

Daniel Njoroge, well known wildlife artist, on the art of art:

….A well spoken man with empathy and intelligence, Njoroge holds true that making Black African paintings is a discipline and should not be thought of by an artist to make a profit only. To be precise, he says instead, “Today’s artists should ask themselves, what am I leaving behind to future generations in the message I am depicting in this painting?” Daniel Njoroge is an avid wildlife conservationist, a role that puts his statement in context, for who knows what his paintings will say when sadly, one of the species he paints may one day become extinct from human cruelty.

Sarah Shiundu, on being a woman African painter:

“I realized that men were dominating the art world here in Africa. And I said to myself, ‘I am going to stand on the platform with them!’ I have found equality through it.”

Elisha Ongere, on his humble beginnings:

When I went to Gallery Watatu, through the late Ruth Schaffner, I got surprised because what I was seeing here were odd things. They were abstract. I really liked them, but when I saw their value I asked myself ‘why is that value attached to this abstract?’ It was not the art I was used to. That curiosity made me go back. I wanted to know why this type of art is expensive. Because what I was doing by then was refined art, realism. I produced portraits, etc…Here at Gallery Watatu I had never seen anything that was like that… So I took a week, I studied there, I talked to Ruth…I went back to my house and started examining my materials and produced my first abstract works. Now when I went back to Gallery Watatu, those works sold immediately. In those days Ruth was still there. I remember when I went back again, while I was displaying my works of art to her, someone just came and said, ‘We want those works. Give us those works immediately!’ And they were both taken the same day! That inspired me. By then Ruth was doing good work at Gallery Watatu. Every artist was happy. She kept getting us good money as artists. And that is something that can inspire you, if your work pays you. That was one good thing about meeting Ruth.

Wycliffe Chagwi, on the Kenyan art market.

“Every day I get people calling me for paintings” Chagwi says. “I get to practice like never before, but the life as an artist is a lonely one.” He says that in Kenya, citizens of the country “don’t appreciate African artists. I wind up selling my art to visitors of my country and collectors from various parts of the world. It’s a separated audience. They are not unified and come in from scattered locations, not necessarily from Kenya, where one might think my main audience would be.”

And Martin Bulinya, on artistic expression in general:

“Art is an interest on some level to most people, but maybe some of us see things more deeper than others…Any form of art is a talent distributed to us as humans once we discover it within ourselves.”

What you read here, and what you can read in full on True African Art.com is truly a largely undiscovered territory of personal statements and unrecorded content about African art directly from the African artist. With the fascination of the continent most outsiders experience on their first visit, the stories and personal touch the artists share on the website truly reminds the viewer about a part of the African community they experienced. And for the African living away from home, the art and the commentary about it brings a little piece of Mama’s memory to the soul.

That’s why the artists shared with us, so that their history can be formalized and be a complement to their artwork.

“Loyal to Artists….Loyal to You.” That statement means a lot to our artists because we have treated them with respect. We stick by it. And it means a lot to us as a business. We want our clients to receive from our customer service an extraordinary experience and a painting or two that speaks to them for a lifetime.

As a Kenyan living in America, I am a child of two worlds: “Glocal” I like to call it, GLObal and loCAL at the same time. What I do for my homeland has an impact. How I choose to treat others affects how others treat me and how I feel everyday here in this still new and beautiful land of the USA I find myself in.

I hope that you get a sense of our mission when you visit True African Art.com. It’s more than a business; it’s a platform for an artist trying to reflect the most significant part of what it is that means the most to them. You will want to hear what they have to say about their artwork and the culture, beauty, and struggles it resonates. So please, go ahead…Enjoy art, enjoy Africa!

Related Feature: True African Art.com – The Website

Gathinja Yamokoski, a Kenyan citizen and artist, has lived in the USA since 2002 and owns True African Art.com.

There are a plethora of websites and blogs that promote technology, music, literature and other thematic areas, many of which do a great job covering Africa comprehensively.

Top quality websites that veer away from the stereotypical “traditional” African art and that promote, improve understanding and celebration of African arts in their entirety are thin on the ground.

We, therefore, decided to bring you what we think are the top 10 sites of note that any connoisseur of African art should not do without. Some are established sites run by Art scholars, entrepreneurs and others are relatively new and are the fruits of bloggers. What these sites all have in common, to varying degrees, is a passion for promoting the arts, especially visual contemporary arts both in Africa and to some extent in the African diaspora.

ASAI’s (Africa South Art Initiative) objective is “promoting and supporting the development of a critical discourse on the visual arts in Africa”. ASAI’s importance mainly derives from its drive to reconnect South African Art with both “African” art within South Africa (ie from those classified as “black” during apartheid and “African” Art from the rest of the continent. For those looking for a forum for debate and cultural activism ASAI will serve your needs.

AACHRONYM is a commendable blog run by the art historian, S.Okwunodu. His blog focuses on world wide African art and how it interacts with areas such as new media. AACHRONYM deals with a variety of socio-political issues, notably the cultural appropriation of art, the protection of intellectual properties of artists and the repatriation of stolen art.

African Digital Art (ADA) is run by Jepchumba, herself a digital artist amongst other things. ADA is described as “an online collective, a creative space, where digital artist enthusiasts and professionals can seek inspiration, showcase their artistry and connect with emerging artists”. ADA, we believe is the only fully fledged web 2.0 site amongst our top ten, with a quirky if not the biggest collection of African Digital Artists in a single web space.

ArtSpeakAfrica is run by Bisi Silva and mainly focuses on the Nigerian visual art scene. This site is the most comprehensive personal blog on the list. ArtSpeakAfrica gets up close and personal and is peppered with interesting stories about Nigeria and beyond. For a comprehensive blog that rarely misses an exhibition, expo or event in Africa’s most populous country, look no further than ArtSpeakAfrica.

African Colours, managed by Maggie Otieno, is an established site that was re-launched recently. The breadth of coverage of art news and events, passionate promotion of artists (over 300 to date) makes it a true guide to contemporary African Art. The arts forms showcased include design, fine art, mixed media, photography and sculptures and their coverage extends to the most obscure corners of Africa. It is regularly updated with a strong and vivid use of imagery.

Nka Journal is arguably the most authoritative source of information for African artists, curators and art historians in general. The editors, Chika Okeke-Agulu (Assistant Professor in the Department of Art and Archaeology and the Center for African American Studies, Princeton University), Salah M Hassan (Professor of African and African Diaspora art history, Cornell University) and Okwui Enwezor (Dean of Academic Affairs and Senior Vice President at San Francisco Art Institute) have as a group contributed enormously to contemporary African art. As one would expect from a group of scholars, the intellectual rigour deployed in discussing and analysing African art is unparalleled.

Creative African Network makes it into the top ten mainly because of its strong links with other networks such as the “Creative Caribbean Network” and the social networking site www.creativeafricanetworks.com . This site is sponsored by PUMA and, therefore, has the potential to fully utilise PUMA’s brand to introduce African fine art to new markets. Fine art is one strand of what is on offer on this site, design, fashion, film, architecture, photography, performance arts and dance are some of the others. The site has many features which include a cultural directory, an exchange page, events, biennials and many more.

The Contemporary Image Collective (CiC) is a North African based not-for profit initiative formed to “create a platform for production, exhibition, dissemination, research, education and exchange”. An important dynamic to CIC is it’s collaboration with artists on an international level to enhance exchange of ideas.

ArtThrob is an award winning South African based visual arts publication founded by Sue Williamson in 1997. Their site has comprehensive information on mainly South African art news, events and reviews. For tons of information and images on a large collection of contemporary South African artwork, look no further than ArtThrob.

The October Gallery makes it into the top ten for one very good reason. It provides the avid contemporary arts fan with a chance to view elite African artists in an international context. The Gallery has been instrumental in bringing to worldwide attention many of the world’s leading international artists, including El Anatsui, Rachid Koraïchi, Romuald Hazoumé, Nnenna Okore, Laila Shawa and Kenji Yoshida.

There may be other sites of equal quality to the ones mentioned above in the top ten. If you know of any, please feel free to add to the list by providing us with details (ie URLs) of the site(s) in the comments section below.

Contributors to the List: Gor Soudan and Nii Thompson

Part 2 of our series on African Art for the Home explores the use of “African Arts Projects” as a rich source for contemporary African Art décor. Folk art is particularly affordable, and doesn’t come with an eye-watering price ticket. Across the continent, arts projects support the talent of African people, often creating jobs and generating vital income where none would otherwise be available. (The cheerful, ‘naïve’ art of the Zimbabwe Arts Project and the prints, lithographs and paintings made by Botswanan San people at the Kuru Art Project are great examples; others exist in most African countries). Not all arts project are traditional, and most are infused with a contemporary vision; contemporary artworks in the true sense, including sculptures and works in other media by skilled artists, are widely available online. In African arts there is a thin line between ‘arts’ and ‘crafts’. You will find attractive pieces even amongst the mass-produced goods designed especially for the tourist trade. Many craft pieces, including those made by rural co-operatives and development projects, are highly decorative. The ethos is ‘fair trade’. Craft projects produce a huge variety of delightful objects, ranging from beads (the Kazuri Project in Kenya is well known) for fabulous ceramics and basketwork.

See Related Posts:

African Art for the Home – Part 1

African Art for the Home – Part 3

African Art for the Home – Part 4

African Art for the Home – Part 5

Mama’s favourite wrapper

Artworks can define a home, offering the ultimate finishing touch to a décor scheme. But somewhere down the line art became associated with a big price tag. Fortunately, there are ways to bring art into your home without going bankrupt. After all, art of various kinds has been a part of human lives and dwelling places since time immemorial and needn’t break the bank. You can splash out to achieve a post-colonial chic look, but you can also achieve this décor style without breaking the bank. African arts, with their stylish, timeless designs, offer many items and ideas to inspire you.
We will explore “African Art for the Home” in a 5 part series over the next few weeks.

Part 1 – Artists’ Work, Part 2 – African Arts Projects, Part 3 – African Textiles, Part 4 – ‘Township’ Art, Part 5 – Coordinating the Post-Colonial Chic Look

Artists’ Artworks (Part 1)

zongojammin - Mark Buku

You can own original artworks without investing your life savings. Prints are always a good choice, giving you the option of owning works by established artists at a fraction of the price of a painting. The technique of printmaking typically results in limited edition, numbered artworks in series of fifty or a hundred, depending on the longevity of the print plate. The lower the number (when the plate is still in optimum condition) the better the investment. Also very affordable are high quality art photos. The subject matter is endless, from African landscapes and wildlife to cityscapes and peoples and you’re bound to find something to meet your décor requirements.

Big name artists aren’t the only option either; in fact post-colonial chic is about style, not big money and conspicuous consumption. Historical woodcuts and prints of African scenes, flora and fauna can be striking too. If you have the opportunity, student exhibitions offer the chance to pick up contemporary artworks at reasonable prices, and if the student makes it, you’ve supported their career and made a good investment. The important thing is to like what you buy.

Nigerian born, Chidi A. Okoye graduated with a distinction in sculpture (Higher National Diploma) from the Institute of Management and Technology in Enugu, Nigeria, in 1988. For the next six years he taught sculpture and drawing at Federal Polytechnic Oko Anambra State Nigeria. During this period, he created an outstanding collection, not only sculpting, but painting and writing as well.

Okoye believes that his art offers him a chance of relating to his environment, complementing the beauty of nature with man-made forms and images, which spring from his ancestral culture. He combines the strength, uniqueness and dynamism of his heritage with a technically skilled understanding of the power of forms, feeling and materials to create works, which continue to thrill audiences.

The wide appeal of his works seems to lie in its identifiably African approach to colors and lines, but with an ability to turn his distinctive style to a wide rage of subjects. Okoye’s paintings and sculpture have been praised for their capacity to raise awareness of important socio-political issues without resorting to militancy.
Apart from being the artist of numerous sold-out limited editions Chidi’s works have won the admiration of local and international collectors.
Among His long list of solo and group exhibitions includes his most recent international group exhibition “ The Nelson Mandela Unity Series, World Economic Forum, January 26th 2005 in Davos, Switzerland.

“His paintings are noble, vivid, honest and poetic…” Diversity News, Seattle WA, USA”

“…A sculptor whose creative instincts are clearly channeled towards a reflection of both his contemporary and cultural heritage.” Daily Times, Nigeria”

MyWeku.com: Your work has been described as having “the capacity to raise awareness of important issues without resorting to militancy” Is this a true characterization of your work?

C.O: I will think that is about right because my art is my ministry. It is important to deliver the message as subtle as possible. It is my prayer that God will enable my work to be used as physical and spiritual health of humanity

MyWeku.com: Your paintings have often been characterized by vivd bright colours and movement. Are you partial to this style and why?

C.O: vivid colors are just it. The strength, dynamism of rich primary colors are incomparable. It is as nourishing as organic food. As movement is important to healthy living so it is to the body of my work. I love movement.

MyWeku.com: A sculptor whose creative instincts are clearly channeled towards a reflection of both his contemporary and cultural heritage.” Daily Times, Nigeria. It is rare for artists to display accomplishment in more than one medium? Will you say you prefer painting to sculpturing or vice versa?

C.O: I chose sculpture but found painting. I want to be fare to both of them I will forever love sculpture as my first love. I have never in my wildest imagination dreamt of painting at this age. I have always seen myself painting when I couldn’t handle the challenges and physical demands of sculpture. Like every other thing unlike God is subject to change. My story changes in January 1995 in Vancouver BC, being my first winter experience. It was an awful memory and a testament that something good do come out of a horrible situations if we persist.
A long story short; my fingers while working with clay were arrested and rendered lifeless by frost bite. To be frank with you I never knew these words neither had i heard of them before this time. I felt the world as I knew it had come to an end. I cried like a baby. With tears streaming down my face I tried to reclaim my fingers by doing the only thing that came to mind that ended up being the worst thing to do in the situation; Dipping my fingers in hot water.

“my fingers while working with clay were arrested and rendered lifeless by frost bite. To be frank with you I never knew these words neither had i heard of them. I felt the world as I knew it had come to an end. I cried like a baby”

After this ordeal I longed for African sun, craved for the warmth of the tropics and joyful faces to light up my soul. The following day I moved from the garage studio to my small bedroom and did a “healing dance” how can I possibly tell you the one I prefer. Let me think about that it, if I may.

MyWeku.com: You are also a poet. Is this an area you plan on exploring more creatively?

C.O: Sure, I am looking for a publisher for my second book, but this time a coffee table books on collection poems and paintings, I have two books ready and currently working on a book on my abstract works. It is all about sharing wonderful gifts I have been given. I am praying and believing God for a right publisher for my work.

MyWeku.com: Some of your best work seem to have been influenced by “Mama Africa”. Is there a reason for such glowing tributes to our womenfolk?

C.O: I celebrate women, I think they are the greatest gift of God to man, Every good thing comes with a price and I cannot imagine a world without women. I think that God saved his best for the last.

“I celebrate women, I think they are the greatest gift of God to man, Every good thing comes with a price and I cannot imagine a world without women. I think that God saved his best for the last”

MyWeku.com: My Weku means “My Family”. Our aim is to showcase African and diasporean talent wherever they may be. As an artist born in Africa who has lived in both Canada and the USA do you think art can be used in forging a wider African family?

C.O: Yes I do, I sincerely appreciate your goals and expectations for African families but there is more. Art is global and our God is global. We will use art to expose the truth that has long been hidden in regions and race by greed and supremacy of man. If God sowed a seed of his son for a harvest of family, that should be our focus. It is only one heaven and one hell, one sun and one moon, one color of the blood regardless of the pigment of the skin. I pray that myweku.com will touch families all over the world for good regardless of their colour and race.

MyWeku.com: What do you like to do when you’re not painting?
C.O: I do work on my websites but I love to dance and watch movies as well

MyWeku.com: Do you have any suggestions to help aspiring artists?
C.O: For the aspiring artist I want you to know that in your world the sky is not your limit. You have no limit but being truthful to yourself and others. Whatever you do as your work, sign your name that people can read no matter where its found because outside your circle without your name on it, it is just another lost piece of art. I can’t begin to tell you how many e-mails I get from people wanting to connect to whoever is the artist of their artwork without being able to do so.

MyWeku.com: Anything else you’d like to add?

C.O: I love you

chidiokoye.com