Adebanji Alade

Artist’s Statement
My work is all about people and places.

I strive to bring the force and power of the sketch into every piece I embark on. I am a strong believer in sketching and I believe everything in art starts with a sketch, so, in my works you’ll always feel the power and sense of a captured moment. I work from life and from photo references but the mission is the same-to bring a lively sketchy feel to the completed piece.

I like to focus on people because I love the play of light, moods, emotions, beauty and the variety that each face brings. I also love places because I get inspired by the atmosphere, historical importance, mood and the play of light that a particular place can offer at any point in time.



Method of Working
I work directly from life or from photo references. I paint directly without building up successive layers of paint. I paint shape by shape, a technique I call inside-out, in which the painting is embarked upon from a spot inside the workspace and I spread out, still working shape by shape until the whole piece is complete. I also work from broad shapes to details, a technique I call outside-in, where the painting starts off with broad strokes to cover the ground and then finished off with details on the inside.

I mainly work with oils but I use acrylics, watercolour, pastels, Coloured pencils, charcoal and graphite and I also love to combine these in mixed media works too.