About the Artist

Timothy UfuomaEfe Orikri, a Michigan-based artist, whose unique philosophy towards life is reflected in his approach to painting, ceramics, and music. With several art workshops,and exhibitions, Orikri, who's also an artistic consultant and mentor, aspires to use his artwork as a means to contribute towards societal change and, to that end, works to formulate projects that will profoundly alter and enhance society.

Orikri was born on November 1965 in Delta State, southern Nigeria. The son of a Baptist minister, he communicates to his audience through a wide spectrum of vibrant colors. through he does not deliver his message from the pulpit like his father, his work resonates the similar themes of hope, harmony and the gift of nature.

Timothy Orikri's style grew out of sincere, lifelong desire to create a secure world in which humanity is restored to God's intended pure state for man at the dawn of creation. That is not surprising since Tim was born in a convent. His early upbringing, which later became an influential factor of his perception of the world paid off stylistically in his artistic ideation. His early school education and later college artistic training in mainstream Euro-American art production techniques is equally contributory to what technical course Tim has followed in expressing his art ideas.

His code switching of representational modes, that is conventional to expressive and vice versa, owes much to learned techniques in college. It is necessary to assert without equivocation, that Tim through his connection to the Abraka Art Department, (Delta State University, Nigeria) a direct product of those who passed through the tutelage of the most active makers of the style of Nigerian art, that Tim's art is a quintessential sample of a current trend in the art tradition. In 1991, Tim Orikri graduated from Delta State University Abraka in southern Nigeria.

Since arriving in the United States in 1995, Orikri's work has been featured at the St. Louis Zoo, the St. Louis Ethical Society, the St. Louis Science, the Jewel Box in St. Louis, Forest Park Community College, the Robert Powell-Gallery & Education Center, St. Louis; the State Capitol Building, Jefferson City, MO; the Bruce Watkins Cultural Center in Kansas City, MO; the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute in Birmingham, AL; the Vaughn Cultural Center, MO; Chesterfield Arts Organization, Chesterfield, MO; Harris Stowe University, St. Louis, MO; Sherrus Gallery of Arts, Northville; Toast Restaurant, Ferndale, MI; Detroit Main Public Library, Detroit, MI; Framations Art Gallery, St. Charles, MO, among others.

Orikri was a featured artist in 1997 at the St. Louis Science Center's traveling exhibition entitled "AFRICA: One Continent, Many Worlds," sponsored by Time Magazine and Ford Motor Company. During this three-month exhibit, Orikri created a one-of-a-kind multimedia mural measuring 7 feet by 24 feet of an "African village scene." In 2001, Tim participated in the Magic House Artist Visiting Series of the month, and created a 9ft x 3ft collaborative piece "Children on Wheels" with children.

Tim also created on site an 8ft x 24ft multimedia mural "Senegal" for Worldways Children's Museum Senegal project St. Louis. In 2003 for the second time, Tim was featured as the artist of the month, in the Magic House Artist Visiting Series, he collaborated with children in creating a 3ft x 15ft mixed media mural "Children of Hope." In 2004-2006, Orikri collaborated with 119 children of different races, religions, and abilities in the production of a multimedia mural entitled, "Pyramid of Peace." By bringing together children of such diverse backgrounds, he wanted to break the stereotypes children often learn from their parents, or society, showing them they each have unique talents of which they can use to help society and others.

From September 5 - December 29, 2006, the Pyramid of Peace mural, a collection of children's peace renditions and some of Tim's paintings were simultaneously on display at the Chesterfield Arts Organizations Gallery as well as at the Sachs Branch Library 16400 Burkhardt Place, Chesterfield, MO.

From November 2007 - June 2008, Orikri simultaneously worked in collaboration with 200 children from Allen Park Middle School, Arno Elementary School, and Maria Montessori School, Michigan, in creating multiple fragmented multimedia murals titled "Compassion: Art & Life" as well as on the "Building a City of Love Project."

Currently Timothy Orikri is seeking participants to join him in his "Compassion through Art & Life project." This collaborative project will provide participants an opportunity to portray their quest for peace and a better world, the need for compassion, and an expression of gratitude for the armed officials that have served the United States in great laudable way, making our world safer. Completed project will be donated to Veterans hospitals.

Several of Timothy Orikri's works are on permanent display at the new H.Y.P.E. Teen Center in the Detroit Main Library, MI; St. Louis Science Center, MO; The Magic House - Children Museum, St. Louis, MO; Worldways Children's Museum, Chesterfield, MO; Pleasant Green Baptist Church, St. Louis, MO; Antioch Baptist Church, St. Louis, MO; St. Louis Cathedral Basilica, St. Louis, MO; other galleries currently displaying works of Timothy Orikri are the Sherrus Gallery of Fine Art, Northville MI; Toast Restaurant, Ferndale, MI; Framations Art Gallery, St. Charles, MO.

Timothy Orikri's paintings belong to one of the best of recent Africa paintings; he has something profound to express and contributes significantly to the growth, relevance and visibility of contemporary world art, as well as enrich society by hismaking a difference through art programs.