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.
Presented by Domux
Domux
(Art gallery, Switzerland)Garden In A Vase Number 6
Watercolor Still life painting 16×24 inches.
Garden In A Vase Number 6 is finally done. It 's the first big size painting in the collection. It took me three days to finish with a lot of patience, observation and color touch-up. The painting is a mixed-media of watercolors for the flowers, and still life objects. And the greenery scenery is painted with acrylics. This painting is a realistic impressionism painting. I used both techniques were my artistic mind wants to apply it. The greenery scene behind the vase of flowers is fully the work of impressionism with brush strokes in dark green to make the vibrant flowers of the vase to shine. The painting is like an early morning day in spring. But it's simply the beauty of tranquility and rest. A calmness of the mind and of the heart.
Painting In Progress
Bit by bit the vision begins to come alive. I had to work slowly and gently because I was working a lot with contrast and lots of color mixing.
Photo of A Food.
Sandwich helps my creative energy a lot. During this painting Tuna and egg sandwich was the energy food that keeps me active.
ARTIST IN STUDIO
Haystack painting by Claude Monet could sell for more than $30m at Sotheby’s New York
Sotheby’s will sell a rare Monet haystack five years after a similar work broke the artist’s record at auction
The Genius of Renior Documentary by DW Arts and Culture.
Cezanne 's radical approach to the Still life.
Why Still life Art was disrespected and How it endurance by CBS Arts.
Art Documentary - Solving Art Greatest Mysteries with Waldemar.
I used to think that Paul Cezanne works were very ugly especially his still life. Impressionism may have looked ugly to the naked eye. Not until you start to look beyond just visuals of the artwork. When I was painting my second large still life painting from my Garden in a vase collection my mind just start to think about the works of Paul Cezanne especially his still life paintings and how he translate the subject matter through his artistic eyes. I began to express myself more in my new painting.
When I look at his works beyond the visuals I begin to understand why he paints still life the way he did. He was expressing emotions and artistic flair through the shape and colors while re- creating what he saw in his own creative way. Which makes me wonder." What was he thinking, look how he painted that orange in his artwork. I can feel the freedom and movement of his brush."
Right now, I am express myself more through my Still life painting. Especially in this Garden in a vase remaining collection. And I feel more excited and empowered painting with this artistic mindset.
Garden In a Vase Number 7
Painting in progress from the studio. I didn't destroy the painting this time. I created and completed a masterpiece.
I feel like the force of nature have turned me into an impressionist whether I like it or not. I have always desired to be a hyper realistic painter. But anytime I create a new piece my artistic hand just starts to work towards brush expression and colors which will eventually becomes an impressionism painting. I am a visual person. I like something vivid and very detailed. A feast for my eyes I should say. And that's what I've always try to do with my art. Sometimes I do in some part of the painting. But the rest will be an impressionist style. I've tried hard to be a realism painter and I know how. But, my creative hand won't let me. Now, when I'm creating. I just say 'Whatever will be, will be.' And, I feel more accomplish when I create an impressionist painting. My creative heart has chosen my Art destiny. I will no longer fight it.
The painting behind me was going to be my second big still life painting from my Garden in a vase collection. But, I destroyed it. My week was sad and unfulfilled. Just when I was about to finish this painting last weekend I got severely ill. It was so unexpected and I wanted to finish my painting so bad. When I got a little better I return to finish the painting. But, I destroyed it the next day. The painting didn't feel right. I thought I made a huge mistake somewhere in the painting. Something just wasn't right with it. As a painter I thrive on perfection and constant creativity. The will to create an art piece is always so electrifying. But when I can't for any reason I get depressed.
I like posting perfect artworks but posting a sad unfinished work is also part of my Art life.
