Olu Ajayi

Olu Ajayi is a Nigerian painter, cartoonist, and art reviewer. He was a past president of the Society of Nigerian Artists, Lagos chapter and is a founding member of Guild of Professional Fine Artists. He is featured on the Who’s who in Nigeria online biography.
Early life.
Olu was born on August 18, 1963, and is a native in Ososo, in Akoko Edo LGA of Edo State. He graduated from the Auchi Polytechnic in 1984 with a HND in Fine Arts. Olu Ajayi illustrated Xanti by Neville Ukoli, and the Aboki Comic Strip of defunct The Sunday Observer Newspapers. He was also the in-house cartoonist of defunct the Nigerian Observer Newspapers.
Career.
Olu Ajayi is one of the early pioneers of water colour paintings in Nigeria. After becoming a member of the Society of Nigerian Artists (SNA), he rose to become the President of the Lagos Chapter between 2008 – 2014 and instituted the October Rain and Art Café events that marks SNA's yearly programmes. He was also the founding member of the Guild of Professional Fine Artists and his works had been commissioned work for several institutions including commercial banks, churches, galleries and blue-chip companies.
His works had been exhibited in Nigeria, Africa and Europe and served as an consultant across local and international art platforms. He has reviewed Funnso Ogunlade's "A Promise of Harvest”, Humphrey Bekaren's "A New Pride”, Abraham Ogbodo's "Painting a New Order", Chinwe Uwatse's "A Blaze of Colour", and "Eccentric Paintings" by the Sunday Times Newspapers, Lagos.
Style.
Olu Ajayi is inspired by the 1980s art scene, Adolph Frederick Reinhardt and Salvador Dalí. He prefers working on the female forms using bold colors representing pseudo human figures caught in candid positions.
Notable work.
Market by the Palace (1999) an oil on canvas painting was his highest grossing exhibited work sold at Arthouse Contemporary Limited in 2008.