Tombo Wharf
Meaning of the painting: Tombo Wharf is located in Tombo. It is a coastal fishing town located on the southern coast of the Western Area Rural District of Sierra Leone. The town is approximately 30 miles (49 km) east of Freetown.
The major industry in Tombo is fishing. Other industries in the town include coal mining and farming. Tombo is a major trade and transport hub for fishing boat .
The town was founded by the Sherbro people in the early sixteenth century, years before the colonial era. It is believed that the name “Tombo” is originated from the Sherbro word “thomboc”. During the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, the settlement of Tombo was controlled by the Caulkers, a British slave trade family.
During the colonial era, Tombo was almost entirely Sherbro. Many of the Sherbros in the town during the colonial era took the British last name “Caulker”. From colonial days to the present, many descendants of the Sherbro slave trade in Tombo still carry the last name “Caulker”.
During the late colonial era, some Temne and Limba from Freetown moved to Tombo as traders and fishermen.
Size of the Paintings: 43 In by 12 in
Material Used: Mixed Media on Canvas
Artist Bio
Felix Rhodes
Felix Rhodes is a Sierra Leonean based graphic designer, illustrator, painter & sculptor. He is well known for his very colourful and vibrant abstract expressionist work. With a life long ability to create art & a BFA in arts, he is focused on depicting everyday lives of people, animals, the environment and social issues. He works with different mediums including oil & acrylic paints, charcoal, pastels & wire and found objects on different surfaces.
He also paints wall murals. He also combines different mediums to create unique pieces to bring attention to the connectivity of nature and man-made objects with attention to sustainability & environmental protection. With also having interests in design innovations, he utilizes his trainings & skills in craft & sculpture building to design & build innovative solutions for various problems & needs Felix was born in Freetown, Sierra Leone and earned his BFA & AAS in Art & Graphic Design at Minnesota State University & Bergen Community College, NJ.
