a little bit about
My name is Dr Leonel Etta. I have been drawing since the age of 6.
I discovered my talent in 1967 and have been in love with art ever since.
1967 was the year the Nigerian civil war started. We were living in Lagos (Nigeria), where my father had relocated from Mamfe, Cameroon to Nigeria to study civil engineering way back in 1953.
My formal art formation started in 1973 when I went to St. Gregory’s College, Lagos, under the tutelage of Professor Bruce Onobrakpeya, an iconic pillar of Nigerian contemporary art (http://ovuomaroro.blogspot.com).
I was under his tutelage from Form 1 to Upper Sixth Science (1979). I later worked as a studio assistant in his Papa Ajao layout Lagos Studios. This period was an invaluable experience for me. I was able to assist and experience first hand various techniques invented by Professor Onobrapeya, such as bronzed lino relief, plastocast relief, plastograph, metal foil deep etching and metal foil.
In 1982 I moved to Cameroon where I attend upper sixth of the famous St Joseph’s College, Sasse. After that I went to the University of Yaounde from 1982 to 1985 (I did not graduate). It was here that I got seriously into pointillism. During the “practical” classes of cell biology, we had to draw electron microscope photographs of various parts of the cell. The technique imposed was pointillism.
After gallivanting for almost 3 years at the University of Yaounde, I gained admission to study medicine at the University of Padova (Italy) in 1985. It was here I started developing my technique and style.
Pointilism helped (it still does) me to relax, think and meditate. It helped me preserve my sanity, dignity and self-respect. It helped me discover my innermost secrets or as someone once told me, the kingdom of God in me.
Since then I have participated in and organised many exhibitions, the last of which was in London 2016.
My drawings reflect my thoughts, sentiments, aspirations, my prayers, my fears, my victories. My creations and my creativity come from the deepest of the deepest of my soul. I am not afraid of being naked like the subjects of my creation. What is seen is what I am.
I use the human figure, especially female to express what is inside of me. The female form is the most beautiful creation on Earth ever for it fluidity and dynamic expressions and expressivity, be it thin, fat, short, tall, abundant, youthful or old; the female form is always fascinating and fascinates always.
Leonel Etta