Meet the Artist

WHO IS ABIOLA?

Hi! I am Abiola (Abi/Aby) and I am an Italian artist of Nigerian origins now living in Houston TX. I attended Baylor University on a full basketball scholarship where I received a bachelor's degree in Spanish. After graduating, the real adventure began. I started my career as a professional basketball player in Israel, Spain, Hungary, Italy and finally in England, where I decided to go back to school to pursue a masters degree in International Business Management .

WHY ART?

Art has been in my life ever since I can remember. Painting is my way to vent and free myself from any disappointments, broken hearted or bad emotions I may have. It’s my way to identify and express myself and my cultural ambiguity. My art represents what I see as beautiful in being black.

I hope my work will convey these different emotions. I am a person full of simple complexity, and that’s how I feel about my work. As simple as the subjects are, I see different levels in each and every one of them.

When I create a piece I create a new story, a new exit route from a reality we might not completely belong to.

"I am vulnerable, hiding behind my canvas, escaping without ever having to leave. Each paint stroke strips off a part of me...I show you all of me without showing any of me..." 

WHAT’S BEHIND ABY’S ART ?

I like to focus my work on the diverse aspects of black culture and capturing the beauty of  people that look like me. Being a third culture kid, proved to be difficult to fit in and art has always been the one place I could fully express the diversity that makes me who I am today. "Her artwork is exciting, bold and expressive. In addition to her fascination towards the human form, emotions, body language and especially eye expressions"