African Colors Fly at Katonah Library

Every year Jonah Yamokoski travels to Africa with his native born Kenyan wife, Gathinja, to visit family.

But this past year, the couple embarked with a broader goal in mind — to bring the lesser known art of Africa back to America. They returned with more than 400 pieces of African paintings and have since launched True African Art.com from their South Salem home. 

From that collection, 22 works by 17 African artists are now on display at the Katonah Library through Feb. 29, as part of an exhibition on African art.

The painters mostly derive their inspiration from rural living—people, animals and landscapes. In their brush strokes, the daubs of color celebrate life's everyday simple joys. In turn, the uniqueness of these artworks lies in their ability to amalgamate multiple textures—liquid paint, paper, canvas, board and objects and ethnic ornaments.

For example, Wycliff Ndwiga's wildlife series, featuring the "Three Elephants" and the "Family of Lions," gives a snapshot of the African safari.

On the human side, "The Warrior's Stance" by Sarah Shiundu, depicts two tribal elders in a deliberative pose. Not really about war, the portrait bears a resemblance to the elongated figures of Swiss sculptor Alberto Giacometti. A native of a small town southwest of Nairobi, she draws inspiration from Kenyan nomadic themes.  

"Usually they paint about stuff they don't see in the cities," Jonah Yamokoski  said, "with the exception of one—Elisha Ongere." He seeks inspiration from the urban space, with its staple of gritty politics, inner-city poverty and issues associated with modern living.

The goal is to give these artists an "international exposure," Yamokoski said. But facilitating a measure of recognition wasn't their sole goal. Another motivating factor was to help them sell their artwork, his wife said, "so they could make a living out of what they most enjoy doing."

Works in the collection sell for anywhere between $10 and $750 - with most going for under $100.  

We hope it opens more windows of opportunity to people here in the area and her fellow artists from Africa, Gathinja Yamokoski said. Her own "Butterfly Child" is a 16 X 20 inch acyclic on canvas, a splash of vibrant pink and brown, with a handful of solids like beads and small seashells thrown in.

A reception at the library is set for Feb. 13 from 2 to 4 p.m.

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