Divining Inspiration
An Interview with artist Adeola Davies-Aiyeloja
Hello again Substack friends,
As I mentioned in my last newsletter, later this month I will be appearing in a “psycho-spiritual” art exhibit titled “Divination” (curated by artist, Heather Lowe) alongside other talented regional artists exploring various aspects of expanded consciousness, metaphysical instruction and the universal mysteries. One of these artists is my friend, Adeola Davies-Aiyeloja, a multi-disciplinary, mixed-media painter and metalsmith living and working in the LA area. I had the pleasure of interviewing Adeola a few months ago, here’s what she had to say:
S: Hi Adeola! Tell us a little bit about your origin story: where are you from and how did you discover you were an artist?
Adeola: Hi! I grew up in Lagos, Nigeria where even as a child I was very artistic and inquisitive. I had no commercial art supplies on hand, so I made my own charcoals from wood burned in cooking fires, and deconstructed grass mats to reuse the stalks in artworks. I made art just for the fun and joy of it, rather than thinking of it as a potential career.
S: How did you find your way from Nigeria to Los Angeles?
Adeola: I married my husband, Tajudeen, in a traditional Nigerian ceremony, and then we both moved in the early 1980s to California. I enrolled in local area colleges (LA City College, Los Angeles; CSU Los Angeles; and CSU San Bernardino) and started taking courses in Accounting, Business Administration, and Instructional Technology. But, I was still interested in art, so I was able to put this new business knowledge to good use when my husband and I opened a small accessories boutique in Colton, California. This boutique was very successful so we decided to expand into representing and selling fine arts by African American artists. It was called Tadel’s Ethnic Art Gallery, and it became a destination spot catering to African American patrons seeking Afrocentric art for their homes. It was a great opportunity for me to meet, represent and amplify many of the talented emerging African American artists at that time.
S: Could you please tell us about your own artistic growth? How did you evolve from a young girl making your own charcoal for drawings, to becoming a much sought-after fine artist in the LA art world?
Adeola: I am a very inquisitive person and love learning. I spent years exploring new artistic materials and techniques including painting, printmaking, enameling, and ceramics. But, though my artistic skills were expanding, the economy was not, causing us to have to close our gallery. To stay afloat I pivoted to teaching at a K-12 Inland Empire public school. I taught classes in yearbook design, video production, and computer applications, as well as art journaling, painting, drawing, metalworking, and jewelry-making workshops. Learning and teaching all of these skills added so much depth to my own practice, and allowed me to share the joys of creativity with a new generation of young people.
S: What is the main thing you love about being an artist?
Adeola: Of course I like it when people love my work and want to buy it. It’s nice to get the acknowledgement that my art has an audience, that gives me a big boost. But my main reason for creating artworks is the love of creating. I know that my art might not be for everyone, but I know it is for somebody! That is a mantra I believe in.
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Adeola has won many awards. Her paintings employ vivid, almost florescent colors which form organic and figurative evocations overlaid with energetic, sinuous line work. She calls her style “contemporary expressionism with an African flair” which certainly captures the essence of her ecstatic and visionary artworks. You can find out more about her on her website.
Please join me, Adeola Davies-Aiyeloja and 13 other amazing LA artists at the opening for “Divination” - see details below 👇
When: Saturday July 20th, 5-9pm
Where: Keystone Art Space, 338 S. Avenue 16 Los Angeles, CA 90031
🚗 Ample and Safe Street Parking
👁️ Exhibition on view July 18-July 29
If you are on Facebook, you can find more information about this exhibit here.
All interview images ©Adeola Davies-Aiyeloja 2024
Divination artwork © Heather Lowe, exhibit curator
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