"Going Home" Print

Joseph Ogbebor was born May 26, 1968 in Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria. He moved to Canada in the year 2000 and lives in Burlington, ON Canada with his wife and three children. Joseph has been a practitioner of the Arts ever since he graduated. He is best known for his coloured bead works, though he also works in oil, acrylic, charcoal, pastels and pencils. Artist Statement. I create art as a means of self-expression and storytelling to an audience. I am constantly processing in my mind’s eye how best to interpret the concepts that exist in this space that we live in. As soon as an idea creeps in, I try to deconstruct its essence. The next step is to create a form, identity, attitude or style to the soul of what I have, something I call the thing, in itself. To breathe life into it, my medium for this are paper and coloured pencils, with which I make several sketches known as thumbnail sketches. From sketches, my construction assumes full form on canvas. This is achieved by transferring the concept with either oil or acrylic paint onto canvas then finished with coloured beads. I find the A-Z of the process arduous, but liberating. I find myself completely immersed in exploring a universe of pristine beauty. My works are a reflection of my socio-cultural foundation as I journey through life. This is the creative force behind what was, what is, what will be. In my work, I wish that people experience a pleasant trip to and from the many perspectives from which they set forth.