MOA FINE ART

CULTURE - SPIRITUALITY - HUMANITY - NATURE

I have always loved art. I started drawing and painting when I was about 6 years old, catching the attention of many of my elementary school teachers. I continued to develop my talent during my high school studies, including informally apprenticing with my art instructors during this time. After high school I studied at Auchi Poly, one of the most recognized colleges for art in my home country, Nigeria. Here I was able to deepen my understanding of fine art. I eventually left college to come to this dream country and I have continued to paint & draw since my arrival here in the United States.

I love to work with various media. I am especially fond of ‘mixing things up’ and working outside of my comfort zone. It keeps my work exciting and it challenges me creatively. As an artist, I know I need to be different and I have never been afraid to push the envelope. I do not want my artwork to have limitations, to be categorized as ‘typical’ African art or limited to any other category. I want to create artwork that is universal and can be appreciated by all. I am proud to have my artwork prominently displayed in many reputable business offices as well as private residences of art collectors around the United States and abroad. My goal as an artist is simple – I want to be the best at what I do.

There came a point in my life when I knew that I had to pursue my artwork on a full time basis. In 2001 I started my business, ODUWA ARTS, and set out to follow my dream of sharing my artwork with the world. In establishing this company, my intention was also to find & promote other artists whose work I enjoyed and believed in. This remains one of my goals and with time & continued dedication it will be realized. With the current state of the economy, however, I felt it was wise to shift my attention to remain focused on my personal passion…creating innovative and intriguing art. My business model also needed to reflect this shift: ODUWA ARTS has evolved to reflect me, Marvin Obasogie Aimiuwu (MOA). ODUWA ARTS has become MOA FINE ART.

When I first decided to pursue art on a full time basis, I wanted to create an art piece that would convince people that I was serious about my art. I created an original, multifaceted sculptural piece of art and called it OMEDA RESTORATION, inspired by a 14th century Bini bronze sculpture titled “Omeda”. Over time, I have come to appreciate the batik dye process. I decided that I wanted to try my hands at it and approach the process in a very different way. I did my research, practiced and experimented with the technique to make it my own. Whenever I encountered a problem, I found a way to imaginatively work around it. My batik would definitely be different. I incorporated my own original motifs, custom designs and used rich, bold, vivid colors. Thus began my BATIK DESIGN MIXED MEDIA collection of works.

Many of my works of art include frames that I have custom designed, individually hand carving & handcrafting frames for each art piece. The artwork and its complementary custom frame become a one-of-a-kind, all inclusive custom creation in the truest sense. I love recycling and using reclaimed materials for these custom art pieces and frames. I am inspired by ‘found’ items every day and my frames are a testament to this. I have integrated reclaimed wood fencing, metal hardware & scrap metal, for example, into several of my frame designs. As a result of the positive response to my original handcrafted frames, I began producing a series of exclusive hand carved ORIGINAL WOODEN SCULPTURES.

Art is not my only passion; I love helping & inspiring others. MOA FINE ART contributes a portion of all sales to charitable organizations including the American Red Cross, the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation and the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

MOA 2012