Odum draws from multiple African traditions, bringing together visual references from the Maasai of Kenya and Tanzania, the Ndebele of South Africa, and the Akan of Ghana and Ivory Coast. Elements of adornment, hairstyle, and form reflect strength, lineage, and cultural continuity, merging into a single, composite presence. Named after the Twi word for “oak,” Odum speaks to resilience, stability, and enduring memory.
 
This work is created on natural tree bark with live edges, intentionally preserved to evoke the feeling of an heirloom—an object shaped by time, carrying history, memory, and permanence beyond the image itself.
 
(Oil on live tree bark - walnut basswood)
 
All paintings are signed, and include a Certificate of Authenticity.