David Austin rose garden #3 (2021) Painting by Sunshine Amos

I’m Sunshine Happiness Amos. I’m from Nigeria west Africa but currently lives in Togo another west African country which is a small beautiful tropical heaven. I also lived some of my childhood in Ghana, Accra. I grew up in a lot of rich west African culture, lifestyle and foods. I’m a self- thought artist from a draftsman to an impressionist and watercolor painter.

As an African I thought I should be painting African works of art. After I discovered my dream as a painter. I visited a lot of art galleries and saw African paintings which were mostly figurative of the people, lifestyle and culture. I used five years of my art journey trying to be an African artist painting African art. No matter what I did I was failing. I couldn’t paint figurative properly and I was bad at portrait after learning how to do them for years. I started to reach out to some established Nigerian Artist for help to point me in the right direction. They were happy to help but I wasn’t improving. Until an Art curator from an Art gallery asked to see my portfolio. Then he said to me.

” Sunshine, I can’t feel your Art. It’s like you’re trying to be like somebody. Please don’t do that. There are no Police in the Art World. Do whatever you want. Create whatever you want. You have something that will touch the lives of people through your art. But you haven’t found it yet.”

Then I asked him with frustration. “But how will I know?”

Then he said ” When you know you know. With your artistic flare and passion. I guess maybe three years from now”

This was in 2017. I didn’t like what he said. I was desperate. I just wanted him to put my paintings in his gallery. But what do I know. I went home crying.

Three years later in 2020 during the world COVID 19 lockdown. I found my voice in Art and my calling. The funniest thing is that it has been there all along. My love for gardens and flowers. European Antiques and Dutch style still life paintings. I started with painting gardens I found from garden photographers, gardeners and garden home owners from Europe and America. Every painting I made made me feel happy and accomplished. I felt I created a paradise with my paint brush. The feeling was overwhelming. I started posting it on Facebook and Instagram and people were engaging with it happily and telling me how it touches their hearts. This is it! My calling. 

• Nationality: NIGERIA
• Date of birth : 1994
• Artistic domains:
• Groups: Contemporary Nigerian Artists