Okoye Chukwuemeka John

I am just a boy VI | 2025 | 47 × 32 inches, oil on canvas

The Beginning

What was your first connection with painting?

Was there a specific moment, artwork, artist, or experience that changed the way you see or create art?

I started taking painting seriously while studying Fine Art. I enjoyed how painting allowed me to express things I could not always explain with words. With time, I started seeing painting as more than just a skill. It became a way for me to talk about people, life and things happening around me.

Choosing Painting as a Life Path

What made you choose painting as a way of life and dedicate

a significant part of your journey to it?

I chose painting because I enjoy it and I believe it gives me the freedom to tell stories in my own way. I can spend time with an idea and keep developing it until I feel I have said what I want to say.

Artistic Language

How would you describe the visual language and main

characteristics of your work?

My work mainly focuses on the Black figure, especially Black boys and men. I am interested in masculinity, vulnerability, identity and the pressure society puts on men. I use the figure, colour, clothing and the surrounding space to tell these stories. I want my paintings to feel human and relatable.

Creative Process

Describe your creative process from the first idea to the

completion of a painting.

Most times, my work starts with an idea, something I have seen or something I have experienced. I may take photographs or work from existing images, but the painting changes as I work.

I normally take my time with a painting. I keep working on it until I feel the painting is saying what I want it to say.

I am just a boy III | 2025 | 40 × 36 inches, oil on canvas

Inspiration and Motivation

What places, experiences, or ideas do you draw inspiration from?

What continues to motivate you to create, even after years of working as an artist?

A lot of my inspiration comes from everyday life and the people around me. I am interested in how boys grow up, how men are expected to behave and how society treats them. I am also inspired by my own experiences and the stories I hear from other people.

Challenges and Growth

What was a significant challenge you faced during your journey as a painter?

How did that experience influence your development as an artist?

One of my biggest challenges has been learning to trust myself and my work. There are times you question whether what you are doing is good enough. But I have learnt to keep working and not rush the process. Every painting teaches me something new.

Looking Back

If you could speak today with the painter you

were at the beginning of your journey, what would you tell them?

I would tell my younger self to be patient and keep painting. I would also tell myself not to compare my journey with other artists.

I would say: keep learning, keep experimenting and trust your own voice.

I am just a boy VI | 2025 | 47 × 32 inches, oil on canvas

Influences and the Conversation Around Painting

Which artist from the past has influenced you the most, and why?

Which contemporary painter do you admire and would

like to introduce to a wider audience?

I am influenced by Anders Zorn because of his understanding of light, colour and the human figure. Richard Schmid has also influenced the way I think about colour and painting from observation.

From Africa, Ben Enwonwu is important to me because of the way he connected African identity with modern painting. Among contemporary artists, I admire Kehinde Wiley, especially the way he puts Black people at the centre of art history and gives them a strong presence.

Looking Forward

What are you still searching for through painting?

What questions, challenges, or new directions would you like to explore in the future?

I want to continue exploring Black boyhood and masculinity, especially the journey from being a boy to becoming a man.

I want to look more at vulnerability, family, brotherhood, pressure and the way society shapes Black boys and men.

I also want to keep growing as a painter and explore these ideas in different communities.

For the Next Generation

What message would you like to share with painters

who are at the beginning of their journey today?

Take your work seriously and don't be in too much of a hurry. Keep learning, keep working and don't be afraid to make mistakes.

Your own experience and the things around you can become something meaningful. Most importantly, trust yourself and keep going.

Instagram: @okoye_emekajohn

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