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Simon Muriithi: Capturing the natural, colourful side of life

Saturday April 01 2017
easy day

Easy Day by Simon Muriithi is a sectioned painting of a person gazing up at a yellow canary with open wings. PHOTO| KARI MUTU

As a figurative painter, Simon Muriithi likes to look on the bright side of life.

“I am no sadist. When I’m not happy, I don’t create any art,” he says.

His abstract oil and acrylic images of ordinary scenes are often comical, whether it is barefoot people with bemused looks or a bizarre zebra with clawed feet and a bird’s head.

He paints using warm, friendly colours and strong textures that add to the sense of happiness. Often, he will incorporate birds, flowers and different animals in his textured paintings, which reflects his strong love of nature.

“Life without animals and nature is not life,” he says.

Easy Day is a sectioned painting of a person gazing up at a yellow canary with open wings. The flowers and sky blue colours suggest enjoyment of nature on a sunny day.

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Muriithi recently showed romantic images with a twist. The lady with a long white dress and well-arranged hair in Valentine Catwalk III, is walking barefoot with a closed-eyes smile. She is holding a violin, and, instead of a rose, Muriithi has inserted a red calla lily that implies a different way of looking at love.

Horses are featured in Muriithi’s works.

He says he likes to watch the races at the Ngong Racecourse in Nairobi. Red Horse for Valentine is a picture of a jockey on a red horse. The rider is clinging tightly to the neck of his horse, which is rearing up on its hind legs while standing in a pond with brightly coloured water plants. The image speaks of a love-hate relationship.

Muriithi, 43, has been drawing since childhood and is mostly self-taught.

His mother supported his interest in the arts when he was young, and through years of experimentation, he has come up with his own style that has seen him paint professionally for over 20 years.

A prolific painter, he can create up to four paintings a month. His works have been shown around the world, and were featured at the Karen Country Club and Royal Nairobi Golf Club in March.

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