Joseph Muthui Juma was born in 1958, in the Nyeri district of Kenya – just west of Mount Kenya. He became interested in art at a very young age and would draw local landscapes and cartoons to amuse his classmates. At the age of 14 an Italian priest saw that he had great potential and encouraged him to pursue a career in painting.
Thematically, most of Juma’s works are similar: The uncomplicated, stylized people in the painting are either happy, or are wearing Juma’s signature oval-shaped mouth as if in awe or surprise (see detail). There are wildly sweeping backgrounds and some sort of activity going on in the foreground where the characters come to life. Juma’s paintings embody a color, simplicity, and vibrancy that make his stylistic paintings the epitome of African art.
From cartoons as a child to showing African life and social interaction in his own unique style, Juma has become one of those artists whose paintings you seem to find in every home in Nairobi. Vastly popular and reasonably priced, he is one of Kenya’s most appreciated and desirable artists.
Last two!
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| Title: Red Matatu Dimensions: 13″ x 9.5″ (33x 24cm) Medium: Acrylic on paper Price: $70 |
Title: Meeting with Rhino Dimensions: 13″ x 9.5″ (33x 24cm) Medium: Acrylic on paper Price: $70 |
If you are interested in any of Joseph Juma’s paintings, you can Make an Offer by using the Contact Page or by emailing me at: todd@insideafricanart.com. Or, better yet, go to the Purchasing Page to make a purchase!
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