Sam Ovraiti
Sam Ovraiti | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1961 Zaria, Kaduna State |
| Education | University of Benin, Edo State, Nigeria |
| Known for | Painting and Art |
| Awards | SNA Master Artist Award 2018 |
Sam Ovraiti (born 1961) is a Nigerian painter.[1][2] He is the artistic director of the Harmattan Workshop, a gathering of artists founded by Dr. Bruce Onobrakpeya, a Nigerian printmaker.[1][3] In 2018, he was awarded the Society of Nigerian Artists' Master Artist Award.[4][5]
Early life and education
In 1961, Sam was born in Zaria, Kaduna State.[1][2][4][5] He started his education in Warri, Delta State.[6] In 1983, he obtained a Higher National Diploma from the Federal Polytechnic, Auchi.[6] He proceeded to the University of Benin, where he obtained a Master’s degree in Fine Arts.[1][5]
Academic career
Sam began his career as a teaching staff member at Auchi Polytechnic, where he taught painting and drawing from 1985 to 1993.[5] His work in these media helped establish watercolour and chalk pastel as accepted media within Nigeria’s art community.[7] In 1993, he left teaching and moved to Lagos to practise art full-time, before he shifted his focus toward oils, acrylics, and mixed media, while he still continued to explore colour as his central subject.[5][6] He went on to build a collaboration with Bruce Onobrakpeya, and he was appointed artistic director of the Harmattan Workshop, which is held annually in Agbarha-Otor, Delta State.[8][9] He has served as a member of the jury for national art competitions.[10][11]
Exhibition and recognition
Sam has taken part in solo and group exhibitions in Nigeria and abroad, and most of his paintings are being held in collections.[1][5] His work has been part of the collections for the National Council for Art and Craft.[5] His work has also been featured at the National Museum in Lagos.[1][4] In April 2019, Alexis Gallery in Lagos hosted a retrospective exhibition marking his 36 years of practice, titled Sam Ovraiti, Retrospective: Exposition of 36 Years Romance with the Language of Colors, which featured forty of his oil and pastel paintings.[5] He has also exhibited as part of the Harmattan Workshop's annual group exhibitions at Alexis Galleries in Victoria Island, Lagos.[12] In 2018, he received the Society of Nigerian Artists' Master Artist Award.[5][4]
Awards
| Award Name | Year |
|---|---|
|
2018 |
|
2017 |
|
2024 |
|
1983 |
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Sam Ovraiti - Art & Prints for Sale". Artsy. Retrieved 2026-08-19.
- 1 2 "Sam Ovraiti Paintings & Artwork for Sale | Sam Ovraiti Art Value Price Guide". www.invaluable.com. Retrieved 2026-08-19.
- ↑ "Harmattan Workshop - Bruce Onobrakpeya Foundation". Bruce Onobrakpeya Foundation. Archived from the original on 2026-01-18. Retrieved 2026-08-19.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Sam Ovraiti". OpenArtExchange. Retrieved 2026-08-19.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Nwafor (2019-04-07). "I use my painting to turn on light on people – Sam Ovraiti". Vanguard News. Retrieved 2026-08-19.
- 1 2 3 "Sam Ovraiti – Hourglass Gallery". Retrieved 2026-08-19.
- ↑ "Sam Ovraiti". Art635 Virtual Museum. Retrieved 2026-08-19.
- ↑ Anthony (2017-01-22). "BOF rewards arts journalists, holds 19th harmattan workshop". The Guardian Nigeria News - Nigeria and World News. Retrieved 2026-08-19.
- ↑ Kan, Toni (2024-01-14). "26th Harmattan Workshop beckons artists to bask in creativity". The Lagos Review. Retrieved 2026-08-19.
- ↑ Amos, Kobor (2019-10-06). "Art goes Southeast for Ofala, Life in My City Art Festivals". The Guardian Nigeria News - Nigeria and World News. Retrieved 2026-08-19.
- ↑ Anthony (2019-11-24). "Life in my city and the other side". The Guardian Nigeria News - Nigeria and World News. Retrieved 2026-08-19.
- ↑ Nwafor (2019-12-16). "Gathering of the masters@Harmattan Workshop Exhibition". Vanguard News. Retrieved 2026-08-19.