Cultural Heritage is a unique cultural center on the outskirts of Arusha, Tanzania. They have curio shops, a jewellery boutique, a Tanzanite and precious stone counter, a restaurant, bargain center and outstanding commercial art gallery.

The Fine Art and Antiques collection is the only one of its kind in the world, ranging from African antiques to contemporary and wildlife painting and sculpture and photography. You will be dazzled by our assembly of art and artifacts. The Gallery is a breath taking feat of engineering and artful display that will leave you awe-struck.

The Gallery was opened in 2010 after many years of imaging and five years of construction. The unique exterior was designed by our very own Director while the interior is the brainchild of Studio Infinity, a firm of architects from Nairobi.

The Gallery’s exterior is inspired by a drum, shield and spear; well known African objects charged with traditional meanings. The spear represents survival and strength and us a symbol of masculinity, pride and prestige. The shield signifies safety and shelter and represents bravery and identity. The drum is a symbol of maternity and community as well as a means of communication and celebration.

Together these resonate with the gallery’s role in the community – to represents, communication and celebrate Africa’s cultural heritage.

To view a stunning collection of African Ethnographics, A collectors haven!!! Please follow this link African Art Online

Enjoy!!!
Tania Bale
African Art Online.Com

Hi, Hip-Hip Hooray it’s African Art On-line’s 3rd Birthday.

It’s been so much fun and has really exceeded our expectations.

We wanted to say a very big thank you to you for supporting us.
It really means so much to the Artists to have a platform where they
can showcase their work.

We started out with 30 paintings on our site, now we have over 500 unique pieces.
It just gets bigger and better.
We have artists from East Africa, Southern Africa, West Africa.
Modern Art, Contemporary Art, Digital Art, Hand crafted art, Traditional Art, the list goes on.

Africa is such a diverse culture, so many interesting people.
Which is why we see such a wonderful range of Art from Africa.

So to celebrate our 3rd Birthday, we’ve put together some awesome deals.

Click on the link to view, maybe your favorite piece is
On Sale Now!

Thank you again for your support.

Kind regards
Tania Bale
African Art Online.

NAME: Thompson Namukaba

BORN: 1981

COUNTRY: ZAMBIA

ARTIST STATEMENT:

Personally, I believe nature has it, even for every answer we might be looking for.

I owe my Artistic background to a typical rural of the African terrain. My works tell the story of Africa and Africans though with a universal language my subjects range from traditional Zambian life, landscapes and wild animals.

As a younger boy growing up in a natural environment. Enjoying every bit of nature in its horrid peace, where fear and pleasure take sides to nurture courage in boys. Clay was my closest ally in learning and interpreting life around, as I molded clay into things of beauty, first for myself, then for others. For me that was life. Using my childhood loneliness hours on end at my preferred spot along the banks of Kawezyi river, for that quality clay soil, too overwhelmed to notice the passing of time. Alone I’d be, yet not lonely my company was with lifeless creatures of clay moulds and that type of bird music you’d hear in tree tops of quiet rivers.

It’s in Africa where the sun heats without reserve, and that’s how I dried my clay moulds. To me they had life. Nature is what inspires me most. I have also had a chance to learn from professional Artists like David Shepherd, and I was privileged to chat with him when he was in Zambia in 2010. I like his dubs of amber to give prominence in trees and the way he reflects dead glass with lemon yellow shadowed with ochre. He is my mentor.

All that past to me, was ‘play.’ Then it became work.

With time I grew in my Art life to Drawing and Painting. I do graphic designing and illustrations too. Clay is partly history now overtaken by the brush on canvas and paper not to mention computer graphics as I work my way seriously to engage in cartoon animation. But still, to me influence lies in the wild of Africa. That’s why my works are about nature.

To view a beautiful collection of Thompson’s original works, please head over to African Art Online

Kind regards
Tania Bale
African Art Online.Com

George Ochuka Obonyo
Fine Artist, Designer, Illusrator, Animator.

Born on December 31st 1975 as fifth in a family of nine (four boys and five girls), in Migori District of South Nyanza, Obonyo joined Railways Nursery School, Eldoret in 1980. He did his Primary Certificate at Uasin Gishu Primary School also in Eldoret and proceeded to Miwani Secondary School where he completed a High School Certificate in 1993. Obonyo’s love for art dates way back to his nursery school days.

The zeal grew with time as he continued to get moral support from both peers and teachers in primary school. By the time he was in standard seven it had gone deeply into his blood to the chagrin of his parents who believed(then) that drawing would deter his school work and render him a failure academically but Obonyo’s ambition to be a great artist kept burning.
He joined Buru Buru Institute of Fine Art (Nairobi) in 1997 and graduated three years later with credit and a merit award for being the best student in drawing and painting. His studies at Buru Buru Institute of Fine Art was made possible through the scholarship of Father Joseph Taylor who was a great inspiration to him.
The Principal of the college Mr. Butama nurtured each artists talent according to his/her own style and taste. It was then that Obonyo discovered his unique style.
Obonyo’s first exhibition was at Mizizi Arts Centre in 1998 where he made his first sale. He then started consigning his work to Gallery Watatu and later opted to exhibit privately on selected calendar occasions at the village market.
Besides oil on canvas he also does mosaic, collage and water colours. His bright colours, he says depicts life in Africa as ”bright and vibrant” – despite the calamities.
The physical and socio-cultural enviroment which he goes through when painting his topics especially in the countryside vividly makes his works appear unique.
His main focus is on myths, legends and abstractions on petty issues that escape the human eye daily although very important.
He intends to hold several solo exhibitions at the international scene in future.
His more realistic works (mainly wildlife) can be found at Utamaduni Crafts Centre, Bogani Road, Karen, Nairobi.
Obonyo is also an established freelance Visualizer and Designer affiliated to various Advertisung agencies and Publishing firms in Kenya.
He has worked on several books as an illustrator and participated quite a number of advertising campaigns.
He was one among the first 12 artists in East Africa to be sponsored by UNESCO in the 2004 Africa Animated! training workshop in Zanzibar and Nairobi. The aim of which was to encourage the production and development of children animated cartoons by Africans for Africa. He participated in Posta-Stamp Design Competition (2004) and won the first prize in the open/ professional category where his artwork was featured in 2005’s issue of the new postage stamps. In 2006, He participated in the Kenya Design Excellence Awards; Fine Art (Professional) Category and again won the first prize and special mention at the awards ceremony.
Apart from illustrating and painting, Obonyo is a self-taught Graphic Designer, Cartographer and Animator.
He was one of the participants in the recent International Tinga Tinga Tales Animations Project (Kenya)
under Tiger Aspect(UK) which was one of the biggest animations production in the region.
At the moment, he is an enlisted stamp designer with Postal Corporation of Kenya and keenly intent on venturing his art in the international market.
George Says “He is proud and content to be represented by Tania Bale and African Art Online.”

All the best to you George.

Kind regards
Tania Bale
African Art Online

Biography
of
Anthony Bumhira

Anthony was born on the 16^th of October 1985 in Zimbabwe.  He attended schools within and

around Harare. In 2003 Anthony enrolled with the National gallery’s Arts school the B.A.T

Visual Arts Studios for a two year course. In 2005 he was honored with a third year

honors class. That same year he was selected to be an artist in residence at the same institution for two years. In 2008, he was invited to have a solo exhibition which was his  first one man show at the National Gallery of  Zimbabwe. Currently he is studying graphics at a private college in Harare.

Anthony is  a semi-abstract painter.  He enjoys working on large scale, all of Anthony’s paintings come from the sketches which he makes whenever he gets an idea for a painting. Mostly using bright yellows and brighter reds. When painting he concentrates on space and light.

Nothing is more satisfying in my life than making a painting.

Solo Exhibitions

•         Modern View ,National Gallery of Zimbabwe, Harare-2008

•         Blessings of Summer, Art Café, Avondale, Harare-2009

•         Red Canvas, Ambassador Hotel, Harare-2009

•         Celebrating Landscape, Art Café, Avondale, Harare-2010

Group Exhibitions

2010

•         Artists in The Stream, a young artists exhibition, Gallery Delta, Harare

•         Summer Exhibition, Gallery Delta, Harare

•         19^th Annual Charity Exhibition, Verandah Gallery, Harare

•         Miniature Exhibition, Verandah Gallery, Harare

2009

•         The Land exhibition, Gallery Delta Harare

•         Unity exhibition, Gallery Delta Harare

•         18^TH Annual Charity exhibition, Verandah Gallery Harare

2008

•         Cottco exhibition, National Gallery of Zimbabwe in Harare

•         Modern View ( One man show ) − National Gallery of Zimbabwe Harare

•         17^th Annual Charity exhibition, Verandah Gallery Harare

•         Portfolio exhibition, Verandah Gallery Harare

2007

•         Peace Through Unity and Diversity exhibition, Gallery Delta

•         16^th Annual Charity exhibition, Verandah Gallery Harare

•         Continuity and Change, Two men show, National Gallery of Zimbabwe in    Harare

•          Expressions of Zim exhibition, Avignon France

•          Hartman House exhibition, Hartman House school Harare

•          St Georges exhibition, St Georges College Harare

•          Calls from Africa exhibition, Cape Town, South Africa

2006

•         Valentine exhibition, National Gallery of Zimbabwe in Harare

•         Small Works exhibition, Gallery Delta Harare

•         Don Quixote exhibition, Gallery Delta Harare

•         HIFA ( Hand in Hand ) exhibition, National Gallery of Zimbabwe in Harare

•         Pioneer Trust at Studio 52 exhibition, Masvingo

•         Art for Hope exhibition, Harare International school Harare

•         Zim Artist exhibition, Czech Republic

•         Christmas exhibition, National Gallery of Zimbabwe in Harare

•         Young Artist exhibition, Gallery Delta Harare

•         Rembrandt An African Response exhibition, Gallery Delta Harare

•         Visionaries exhibition, National Gallery of Zimbabwe Harare

•         Summer exhibition, Gallery Delta Harare

•         Zim Artist exhibition, Norway

•         American Community exhibition, Borrowdale Brook Harare

•         Portfolio exhibition, Verandah Gallery Harare

•         15^th Annual Charity exhibition, Verandah Gallery Harare

•         St Georges exhibition, St Georges college Harare

•         Africa Colours Exhibition, National Gallery of Zimbabwe Harare

2005

•         14^th Annual Charity exhibition, Verandah Gallery Harare

•         Portfolio exhibition, Verandah Gallery Harare

•         Hartman House exhibition, Hartman House school Harare

•         COMMESA Art exhibition, Lusaka Zambia

•         Art for Hope exhibition, Harare International school Harare

•         Young Masters exhibition, National Gallery of Zimbabwe in Harare

•         Persistence of Vision exhibition, National Gallery of Zimbabwe in Mutare

•         Through the Lens exhibition, National Gallery of Zimbabwe in Harare

2004

•         Final Year exhibition,  National Gallery of Zimbabwe in Harare

•         13^th Annual Charity exhibition, Verandah Gallery Harare

•         Art for Hope Charity exhibition, U.S Embassy Harare

•         Young Artist  exhibition, Gallery Delta Harare

2003

•         H.I.V and Paintings, Chitungwiza  Arts and Crafts centre.

Commissions

•         Southern Region Trading Company Logo – 2008

•         Painting used for C.B.Z cheque book -  2008

•          Office paintings for Southern Region Trading Company, Harare – 2007

•         Small paintings  National Gallery of Zimbabwe – 2005

•         Mural paintings Africare Rusape  – 2004

Awards

•         Award of Merit, Summer exhibition, Gallery Delta Harare – 2010

•         Award of distinction, Africare HIV and AIDS exhibition, National Gallery of Zimbabwe – 2008

Workshop

•          Gwanza photography workshop National Gallery of Zimbabwe – 2004

•         Africare HIV and AIDS workshop ( Harare ) 2003

Permanent Collections

•          Painting – Picture Album, A permanent collection of  the National Gallery of   Zimbabwe.

To view a fine collection of Anthony Bumhira’s work please click here

Kind Regards
Tania Bale
African Art Online

Ricardo is a student attending Pasadena City College, USA.
His professor assigned them to read a blog regarding African Art,

Ricardo says
“Well I found that your blog is the most interesting one so I picked it to do
my assignment on.

I was wondering if you could answer a few questions regarding your role with African Art. I hope it
does not take too much time of your schedule.

1. How did you become involved with African art.
2. Did you receive a degree from a school for African art or is it just a hobby?
3. Are you currently working on any papers or shows or exhibitions or conferences regarding African art?
4. How long have you been in the field?
5. Where do you get your info you post on the blog? like do you have sources or you do your own research?”

We where very honored and glad to help answer Ricardo’s questions.

Attached is the final version of his essay, which he received an A.

Well done Ricardo.

Ricardo Martinez

Kris Schomaker

Art 2 250

November 1, 2010

Humanitarianism Through Art

Stepping foot on any part of Africa is like stepping into an art gallery. There is art to be taken in with every blink and every breath. With a little imagination and creativity anyone can share this art gallery with the world. Such is the case with modern information technology and more precisely the Internet and art. There is virtually no place that the Internet isn’t or at the very least, can’t inform on. Today’s diaries are no longer being written on paper and for the writers eyes only—they are being written in the form of blogs or web logs. Blogs are reverse chronological posts on a website about any one topic or many. Individuals use this method to put out diverse pieces of information for anyone with an Internet connection to find. One such person is Tania Bale of blog.AfricanArtOnline.com. Her contribution to the Dark Continent is to promote its art to the world and to help those whose hands help paint, mold, carve or otherwise define their culture.

Tania Bale is a New Zealand citizen who became interested in African art during her trips to Tanzania, a country on the western part of Africa. Her in-laws live there and naturally family visits led her to the continent. Once there she says she “[fell] in love with the arts and the culture”. It is not surprising that the outsider would fall in love with Tanzania when the motto on her in-laws Meserani Snake Park is “arrive as stranger, leave as friend”. Mrs. Bale’s reason for beginning her blog was to promote her favorite style of African art, the Tanzanian native form Tingatinga art, aptly named so after the original master, Eduardo Saidi Tingatinga. Tingatinga art is best known for the use of vibrant colors of bicycle paint on masonite, a type of hardboard. This type of art often has animal as well as human subjects depicted with colors not natural to it. Mr. Tingatinga’s art can be considered cartoonish but the pieces are considerably more complex. Mrs. Bale’s adamant passion of Tingatinga art is helping her pursue an ambassadorship to the art form for New Zealand.

Tania Bales efforts to promote Tingatinga art are also leading her, I believe, to a more humanitarian role than ambassador. Though not specifically stated by her that she is on a mission, her actions definitely define her as a type of humanitarian through art. As stated previously the motive for her blog was to promote Tingatinga’s art form, but now she promotes and sells various forms of African art. She does this because native artists don’t have the resources to promote their own art to the world, Mrs. Bale states “It can be extremely difficult for the artists in Africa to showcase their work, so with our help, we now help the artists provide for themselves and their families. It’s a great feeling.” In Tanzania local artist depend on the word of mouth from tourism, and even then only if they buy local art. By promoting other artist’s art she is ensuring that they become known and sought after and in return they receive income for their art. Mrs. Bale also donates ten percent of all proceeds to Maasai Land community services as well as the Meserani Snake Park which is not only a sanctuary for snakes but also a clinic for the local snake bite victims as well as other ill patients.

African Art Online blog’s timeline begins on March 2008 with at least one post per month after that. The first post addresses the love for Tingatinga’s art by giving a brief summary of the man himself and how the art survived through a few disciples of his. She often introduces new artists along with their art for the readers to view and have a better understanding of why his/her art is how it is. Following the post from the original date one can take a look inside her mind and see what motivates the blogger. Not only is art a motivation for her but also the people and culture which can be seen as art itself. Elspeth Huxley said it best, “Africa is a cruel country; it takes your heart and grinds it into powdered stone – and no one minds”, I can only assume this is how she feels about Tanzania. It has taken her by the heart and she doesn’t mind. The artists and the people of Tanzania are her motivation, one that makes her want to help them in any way she can. The area in Tanzania where she spends most of her time while in Africa is home to the Maasai people. In one of her posts she relays the London Marathon event in which six Maasai warriors ran the marathon in order to raise money for water wells and lines to carry potable water for their people. Empathetic posts like this and about the help the Meserani Snake Park provides, along with diary-like personal posts are found throughout the blog; all of which address the need to be human and allow others to share in that emotion.

American psychologist Abraham Maslow theorized in his “Theory of Human Motivation”, that in order for a person to become self-actualized—meaning to fulfill such needs as being creative and moral—a person had to fulfill the needs in the lower parts of his hierarchy of needs. The lowest echelon of his hierarchy could only be satisfied by the physiological needs of breathing, eating and having water to drink. Africa is a land in which fulfilling those basic physiological needs can sometimes feel and be impossible. And though nourishment is sometimes not met as it is here in America, the resilient people of Africa do get to be artistic and creative and moral sometimes at the cost of the middle echelons of basic human needs. Though the blog does not touch on political injustices or subjects, one can infer that Mrs. Tania Bale is very in touch with the realities of the continent. There is no doubt that blogs such as hers are launched in response to the needs of the people and for the desire to be one to make a difference. The hearts that have been turned into powdered stone have not only just felt emotions, they have grown arms and fingers and decided to make difference even if it is with a simple gesture of bringing art to the world by the way of a blog.

Tania Bale
African Art Online

African Art Online is running a SweepStake on FaceBook.

It’s really easy to enter the draw.

All you do is head over to our fanpage
Push the Like button
Enter your details,
Share with some friends, the more people you share with the more chances you have to win.
That’s it!

You do not have to purchase a thing.

Entries close 20 October 2010.

Get in quick, remember the more you share the more chances you will have of winning $100 worth of original African Art.

Love to see you there.

Here’s our link again on FaceBook

Good Luck

Happy Times

All the best
Tania Bale
African Art Online

Have you often wondered why the Elephant has a long trunk, or why a Tortoise has a broken shell… a brand new pre-school series, Tinga Tinga Tales will soon reveal all.

Each film will be told in a traditional storytelling way of how the animal came to be.

52 x 11 minute episodes due to be released in February 2010, on the television network Cbeebies UK. Produced on location in Kenya by Tiger Aspect Productions in conjunction with Homeboyz Entertainment, the show draws upon the inspiring talent of local artists and musicians and is expertly computer-animated using beautiful, hand-painted imagery.

50 African animators, illustrators, artists, designers, editors, audio technicians, production staff and musicians will bring a show together called Tinga Tinga Tales.

African Tinagtinga Art is primarily produced and sold from East Africa. The artist often paints bright, vibrant folk like animated animals. Tinga Tinga artwork originated from African artist Eduardo Saidi Tingatinga in 1960 in Tanzania. Eduardo Saidi Tingatinga was a self taught painter, with only 4 years of primary school education. He was just starting to receive recognition for his square board-paintings, when his life was cut short in 1972, Eduardo was mistaken for a fleeing thief and fatally shot by the police. Before he died he started to attracted young followers wanting to imitate his style.

That’s when the Tingtinga Arts Co-Operative Society was formed. (TACS) The Tingatinga Arts Co-operative Society in Dar es Salaam was the visual inspiration for Tinga Tinga Tales. Members of TACS have taught many artists who have gone on to become recognized masters in their field. Some painters have moved to other parts of Tanzania and even abroad. No matter where these artists reside they remain linked to each other and to their homeland by family, friendship and, of course, their beautiful artwork. Traditional Tingatinga Art is painted using bright enamel bicycle paint, making these paintings extremely hardy to last a life time. Tingatinga Art is extremely popular with tourists becoming commonly known as “Airport Art”

Children will be fascinated of how the animals came to be. Tinga Tinga Tales is an education filled with laughter and joy.

P.S Also suitable for the mature.

All the best
Tania Bale
African Art Online.Com

With the internet growing at a rapid pace, it is certainly very difficult to tell what is for real and what is fake.

Most reputable genuine African Art dealers will have all the information you require.

However, if you are in doubt here are a few questions you can ask to make sure you are purchasing original African Art.

If the artists name is not listed with the description then ask the dealer. Then you can google the name that has been provided to see what comes up.

Ask where the artist comes from? This can also provide extra information when you do your re- search on google or your preferred search engine.

Now let me explain why this is very important.

African Art Online.Com is receiving many emails from people in China, telling us they can duplicate or paint any picture of our choice.

Okay well that is fair enough if you would like to get yourself a lovely picture painted from China. What is not fair is people advertising genuine African Art that has been painted in China.

The paintings that are being produced in China are high quality and very beautiful. But it is not from Africa, nor is it painted buy an African Artist.

We have many artists at African Art Online that don’t necessarily live in Africa, but they sure are true blue African Artists. Some of them have just been lucky enough to have been able to attend Art school in various countries.

When your art arrives check the post code on it, hopefully it has not been shipped from China. That would be very disappointing.

Anyway be careful, ask as many questions as possible, also check the phone numbers provided and see what country code this is.

Good luck finding your authentic piece of African Art. You can be sure to find it at African Art Online.

Kind regards
Tania Bale
Managing Director
African Art Online