The 27 works in The Spirited Canvas represent, in the words of their creator, "the power of healing, the sources of life, the enhancement of all positive life forces, and the protection against the negative."

Zacheus O. Oloruntoba is an 82-year-old Yoruba chieftain and heir to the throne of Ogidi, Nigeria. He is also a practicing tribal shaman, a recognized clairvoyant, a consultant in herbal medicine at Georgetown University, an avid polo player—and an artist whose work has been exhibited by the Museum of Modern Art, reproduced on more than 30 UNICEF greeting cards, and collected by Queen Elizabeth II, David Rockefeller, Mohammed Ali, and Ornette Coleman.

Working with traditional methods and materials, Chief Oloruntoba translates his clairvoyant dreams into what he calls "paintings for power and life and for the protection from sickness and jealousy." The exuberant images of elephants, lions, great birds, Yoruba women, tribal musicians, and village huts have curative powers far beyond the delight they give the viewer. Each contains a healing spirit who has arrived from beyond to grapple with a specific problem or concern--as represented by such titles as Two Protection Birds and Good Luck and Harmony.