African Art, women painting, togetherness Print

"I am Alex Mensah (Lexis),an artist who is versatile in color schemes and very meticulous in the execution of his works "My interest for art was built up while growing up as a child. Seeing my elder brother's drawings and sketches amused me so much that I picked pieces of papers and tried hard to copy some of the compositions that fascinated me most as I wondered how a three dimensional form could be solidly and so realistically represented on a common flat surface. This awesome feeling triggered off my curious instincts as I busied myself with lots of experimental sketches and drawings, trying to grasp the concept of realism especially with still life objects. That is how something which was to be my profession all began. "I love to see the interplay of colors and the aesthetic appeal that comes with it. I enjoy holding the brush / palette knife and expressing my inner most thoughts and feelings through colorful strokes and textures. I am versatile with the medium of expression however I normally use acrylic paint or ‘aciduro’ (a local pigment) on canvas. I am a product of Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and technology (KNUST), graduating with a degree in Art specifically painting.I had my primary and secondary education at Cambridge International School and Prempeh College respectively, all in Kumasi, pursuing art on all levels "My themes span across still life, abstract and realistic representations. That is to say, I paint on any kind of theme which appeals to me regardless of the challenges involved. My philosophy is to paint on whatever thing that motivates me. However, most of my works are based on landscape and musical compositions. Being musically inclined – a guitarist, I use color to depict the various sol-fa's and pitches, and then texture to control the tempo of the song I am painting. I also enjoy the use of vibrant colors with bold textures which always bring life in my works. The favorite thing about my work is its unique nature. Each work has its own unique taste of appeal and sometimes the way I pour out my heart unto the canvas even makes it difficult to let go… i.e., sell it. I get my inspiration from nature. Music also provides a good atmosphere to move with the flow. "I have been in a few exhibitions including a group one at the Alliance Francais in Accra and at the exhibition hall of the Center for National Culture. In Accra I exhibit at Artist Alliance Gallery, The Loom Art Gallery, Berj Art Gallery and Golden Tulip.