Art x Adẹ

Painting this piece was one of my rarest and deepest moments of reflective joy. As I worked, it felt as though I was being carried back in time, reliving the innocence and wonder of my childhood. The inspiration came from Psalm 23:2–3: “He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul.” In every brushstroke, I felt the calm of still waters and the embrace of green pastures, a clear reminder that the Shepherd of our souls is always near, guiding, refreshing, and restoring us. This artwork is not just a painting; it is a testimony of God’s abiding presence, a call to rest in His care, and a reflection of the peace that only He can give.

This painting, on a 20" x 16" canvas board, draws inspiration from the Yoruba proverb “Aja tó má sọ̀nù kìí gbọ́ fèrè Ọdẹ” — “A dog destined to be lost no longer heeds the whistle of the hunter.” Painted against the backdrop of a fiery sunset, the hunter watching his dog walking across the savanna separated by a lone tree and the fading sun. The glowing sky, streaked with red and orange, symbolising both warning and inevitability of a destiny unfolding beyond control. The hunter stands firm with his spear, a figure of authority and guidance, yet the dog, already straying, suggests the futility of counsel when fate has taken its course. This work evokes the tension between choice and destiny, obedience and rebellion, guidance and wandering representing a reflection of human experience.