West Africa
\'Point of No Return\'
Reaching an arm behind her, a young mother steadies the child she carries on her back. She wears traditional batik attire, although she has migrated to the city. Emmanuel Atiamo Yeboa poses a dilemma affecting Ghanaians as their country becomes more urbanized.
Threadwork, \'Love and Image\'
Colorful hearts shape the silhouettes of lovers drawn to one another under the influence of their love. Randy Abeka Abbam celebrates the power of love through his unique art work. He delineates the images by patiently gluing cotton threads on a card stock base.
\'Water Carriers\'
Silhouetted in the late afternoon sun, women return to the village balancing water jars on their heads. Emmanuel Atiamo Yeboa deftly evokes their weariness as they carry the heavy jars, yet captures their beauty and slender grace in colorful batik cloth.
\'Obatanpa\' Good Mother
\"I believe that every woman is good, \" says Emmanuel Atiamo Yeboa. \"A good mother always attends to and give the utmost care to her children when they are in need of something. She loves and feels for them whenever they are in pain.
Threadwork, \'I Fear None But God\'
Swirling lines highlight an Adinkra symbol that emerges from a brilliant checkerboard of shapes. Randy Abeka Abbam creates the image by patiently gluing cotton thread to a card stock base. Ghanaian Adinkra symbols communicate popular wisdom to the people.
Threadwork, \'African Sword of Honor\'
Evoking shimmering blue steel, sweeping curves symbolize sharp blades. Randy Abeka Abbam portrays the Adinkra symbol known as Akofena, which means \"Sword of Honor.\" The imagery comes from crossed swords used for generations on the heraldic shields of Ghana.
Threadwork, \'Calabash Festival\'
Women with tightly-braided hairdos clutch colorful calabashes in this enchanting work by Randy Abeka Abbam. In eastern Ghana, calabash gourds are used as drums during festivals and funerals. Abbam creates the bright image by patiently gluing cotton thread to a card stock base.
\'Mother\'s Pride\'
The pride of every African woman is to have a child, \" Emmanuel Atiamo Yeboa says. Cradled in loving arms, a baby basks in his mother\'s love. Yeboa works in oils on calico, adding cutouts of batik cloth for their gowns, framing it with tweneboa wood.
\'Gye Nyame\'
Ghana\'s famed \"Gye Nyame\" symbol emerges in this work by Emmanuel Yeboa, its rotating form meaning \"I fear none except God.\" Vertical and horizontal patches of color invade the sharp outlines, each variation exalting the beauty of batik design.
\'Gye Nyame and Sankofa\'
Traditional Adinkra symbols of Ghana inspire this captivating painting by Emmanuel Atiamo Yeboa. The upper image represents sankofa, meaning \"go back to your roots, \" a message conveyed through the form of a bird with its head tilted backwards.