Oritsetsonaye Donna Bennet, a visual artist skilled across multiple styles of visual painting and various mediums as well carves her own corner of experience and expertise. She is dedicated to her craft as an artist and expressionist. All creatives follow different paths, there is Michelangelo, the wonder kid and patron saint of immediate gratification and there is Paul Cezanne, exemplary artistry borne of discipline, sacrifice and years of dedication. Donna creates for the long term, and her oeuvre backs it up resoundingly.

Born to a family steeped in Nigerian history, Donna’s parents were frequent collaborators with Fela Anikulapo Kuti. Her mum, Grace Oduro designed some of Fela’s album covers. “I recently saw one of her album design covers: ‘Open and Close,’ at the Design Museum in London.” She recalled, “And my father Babatunde Alex Oduro is a television and film director.” Donna’s voice hits a higher register, she is proud of her parents. “He was also the director of the ‘Black President.’ A film he shot in the 70’s with Fela Aníkúlápó Kútì. The film was based on the life of the legendary Afrobeat legend. So, yeah! They are deeply creative people.”

Donna started painting as early as she can remember, “ I was born with a paintbrush in my hands. Funny! I still have drawings I did when I was 5 years old.” Donna said. Being raised in a creative family helped reaffirm her talents, she could explore art without having to worry about parents who might not see the value in it. Donna eventually went to Yaba Polytechnic and studied Fine Art/Graphic Design.

While her mother liked to paint as a hobby, Donna preferred to sell her paintings. “My mum would take me to Yaba, and we would go to these shops that would just buy the painting to sell to other people.” After University, Donna got a job as a graphic designer– all her life she had learnt how to express herself through painting, but graphic design takes a different approach to visual language– it aims to communicate explicitly. The prospects of exploring a new artistic style excited her, “I kind of enjoyed it,” Donna said, “It involves colors, typography, all the things that I love, so I kind of just fell into that path.”

Oritsetsonaye Donna – Shapes in Colours

While working as a graphic artist, Donna exercised a level of passion and dedication through her attention to detail. Her works had to appear a certain way, the colours or designs have to be printed on a specific material and she would be unsatisfied till her requests were fulfilled. “My managers then told me I should look into getting the material myself, and I was like, why not?” she said, “Yes, I am a woman. I like to shop and this was just exciting for me, generally.” From graphic design, Oritsetsonaye Donna branched into procurement and this began a new journey as a practicing professional but she never stopped painting and working on art.

Donna’s website is stock-filled with her works. From these, you can tell how her artistry evolved from the abstractism in “Dancing in Colors”, to tinges of cubism in “Shapes in Colours”  and impressionism within pieces like “Last Catch”. She portrays the poor and rich living in the same cityscape with “Haves and Have Nots.” She has sketches too, some of the more life-like works are drabbily drawn in black pencil, and scanned for digital use. Others are colored, abstracted ideas pushed forward to allude to certain concepts that catch her fancy.

Oritsetsonaye Donna, ever warm and kind gushes on and on about her artistic inspirations. Her appreciation for artistic excellence portrays her as one who enjoys art as much as she loves to paint. “I am very impressed by Paul Gauguin and Eric Jordan.” She said, “Also, Bruce Obomeyoma Onobrakpeya, he’s a renowned Nigerian printmaker, painter, and sculptor. Then Kelvin Okafor, a hyper-realistic artist– his works are just so vivid and visceral.” Donna wears her influences on her sleeves, one of her works “Marina at Night” is a surrealist attempt that reminds one of Van Gogh’s starry night. There you can see the towering corporate buildings in Marina kiss a stormy, starless sky.

Marina at night – Oritsetsonaye Donna

“I am inspired by colors and movement. I see faces in everything I see, on the floor, on the walls. Everywhere.” Donna laughs, she has accepted her journey as a painter and seems to find calm and succor within it. “My process is very different. Some artworks take 8 hours, some can take months” Donna shares, she continues “For some ideas, I know I wont be able to rest till I realize them so I just work on it non stop till it’s complete. That’s why I have my easel and my materials in my bedroom.”

Oritsetsonaye Donna Bennet left the country in 2022 for the UK to pursue a degree in creative arts. But she remains passionate about the art community back home. “There is an ongoing enlightenment in Nigeria as regards creative arts, it is a major cultural shift. Anybody who studied creative arts at Yabatech was considered a rascal but now things have changed.” Donna believes the sheer reach of artists from Nigeria is unprecedented, “Look, Nike Art Gallery should be mentioned. She has helped so many people in their careers.“

Even with her studies, Donna is looking to engage people living in assisted care with curated exhibitions and events that will help channel inner joy and satisfaction. Donna remains dedicated to expressing herself and bringing positivity to the world through art.

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