Nigeria
Born in: 1961
Painting and sketching
Born in 1961 in Zaria, Kaduna State, Sam Ovraiti is a reputable contemporary artist in Nigeria. He is a very expressive watercolourist and a leading colour master; his work with watercolours and chalk pastel in the 80s made the Nigerian art community accept both materials as appropriate painting media. He holds a Higher National Diploma (HND) and a Master of Fine Arts Degree (MFA) from Auchi Polytechnic and the University of Benin respectively. After his master’s degree program at the University of Benin, Sam Ovraiti lectured at Auchi Polytechnic for 8 years before moving on to become a professional artist, working out of a studio he established in Lagos, Nigeria.
Special awards
Ovraiti has been honoured with several academic awards and national prizes. He was committed as a lecturer and instrumental in the training of young artists in Auchi Polytechnic from 1985 – 1993. He has participated in several solo and group exhibitions in Nigeria and abroad. His paintings are well received all over the world. He is also the director of Sam Ovraiti Services and the founder of Artists Anchor Point (AAP). He lives and works in Lagos as a practising studio artist.