Artist of the Month: Kemi Odeyemi ‘20

Anjali Bose ‘20

Kemi Odeyemi ‘20 is October’s Artist of the Month for her exemplary skills in photography. With some experience prior to high school, she discovered her passion when she came to Episcopal Academy. “So I took Foundations of Art the second semester of my freshman year and I really liked the photography section. Sophomore year, I decided to take honors photography I and II, and junior year I took III, and this year I’m taking honors IV,” Odeyemi began. “With foundations of art, it was my first time actually taking a class dedicated to photography. I’d done some small things on my phone before, but with our photography rotation I definitely discovered it was something I loved.” 

According to Michael Leslie, Upper School art teacher, who taught every photography class Odeyemi has taken, Odeyemi’s talent was evident from the beginning. Leslie states, “Right from the beginning she really went above and beyond. She grabbed different things, for instance, she grabbed this rather large can for her pinhole camera. It was a difficult choice for that type of camera but she really muscled through it and it worked awesomely.” Leslie continues, “The photo she took came out so sharp and clear and no one could believe she’d taken it with a pinhole camera. I think it really showcases how Kemi’s always willing to put in the extra work and detail to achieve something so well. She really takes the time to measure out everything and it shows in the brilliance of her work.” 

“This year we’re working with film, which we learned to develop in III, which I’ve really been enjoying. There’s a lot of really cool ways to innovate in photography and I think that’s what draws me to it,” Odeyemi states. “I like how quick it is, quicker than other arts, and I love editing photos. I use photoshop mostly but I also really like VSCO filters.” 

“Kemi’s incredibly thoughtful,” Leslie comments. “She really stops to think about each piece. She starts a lot of projects on her own, out of the classroom. I think a lot of students like to keep the photography designated to just in the class, but she’ll really bring it with her wherever she goes. Kemi puts a little more time into it. There is a quality and a polish to everything she does.”

Outside of the classes, she takes in school, Odeyemi also exhibits her photography skills in Scholium and the yearbook, proving to be not only a great artist, but an excellent leader as well. “I’m one of the photography editors for Scholium. Trisha (the other editor) and I always like to incorporate things we’re learning in photography,” Odeyemi explains. “The most important thing for News for me is finding an image that’s clear and focused. A really good lens is necessary. Also, the background is key. It’s very important to make sure nothing too busy is going on. There needs to be a focal point to any photo without other distractions.”

Leslie says, “Kemi is incredibly reliable as well. If I ever need anything, play headshots et cetera, she’s always one of the first to volunteer.” He continues, “She’s also a great helper with getting together sports teams for photos and organizing that. Kemi’s incredibly helpful. She’s also very helpful to the other students in the class. She has no problem giving a guiding hand. I’m hoping she’ll help with photographing the Women of EA conference that’s coming up.” 

A friend of Odeyemi, Lauren Bassett ‘20, expresses, “Kemi is one of the most amazing people I know. On the soccer team and in class I’ve gotten to know her. She’s always been so supportive and kind.” She continues, “Kemi’s really great, she always brings such positivity into everything she does and I’m so proud of her.”

Recently Odeyemi’s work has been selected by Jones Soda Co. as part of their nationwide label contest. “Last year I gave the Jones Soda assignment. They’re a small soda company that prints black and white photos on the label and drinkers will send in photos for selection. Part of the assignment for my honors class was to make a black and white photo, and I offered extra credit to anyone who actually sent it, just as an aside,” Leslie explains.

“I was so shocked when I found out they chose my photo! It’s of a cardboard dog made by Cat Spellman, in front of a window sill,” Odeyemi happily states. 

“It was one of the best images in the class and I loved it as soon as I saw it. She won Dora Khayatt with it and she won here too. I was so excited for her,” comments Leslie. “She’s a kind girl, always assisting everyone when they need it. She’s very quiet, but I’ve seen her grow in confidence in her work. In the beginning, I don’t think she would’ve ever dared to take portraits of her classmates for plays or sports. But yeah, she’s very quiet and thoughtful. I think she uses the camera as her little shield and she becomes a little bolder.”

Odeyemi explains her plan for the future as a photographer, “I definitely want to get involved in my future college’s newspaper as a photographer, and I definitely plan to keep doing it for fun.”