Celebrate Amos Ferguson’s Birthday! Special Offers

by Laurie Ahner

Dear clients and collectors,

This week, we are celebrating the birth of Amos Ferguson, the national treasure of the Bahamas. Amos was born on February 28, 1920, in Exuma, and 2023 will mark his 103rd birthday.

I was lucky to travel to Nassau, The Bahamas, for his birthday this year. I visited Amos’ old home/studio, saw my old/new friends, and enjoyed his vibrant, timeless work at local museums and galleries. Although I sometimes felt melancholic, I was reminded of the incredible privilege of knowing such a remarkable artist with a beautiful soul for the last three decades through his death in 2009. He was my friend and inspiration – and he still is. His captivating works continue to give my clients and me much joy and optimism. I am grateful for your love and support for Amos.

Here, we are showcasing select works with special prices. Please reach us with any questions. We are enthused to find new homes for these works.

It’s hard to believe it’s already the last day of February. Wherever you are, I hope you are staying warm – I wish for your health and well-being.

All the best,
Laurie Ahner, owner/director
314.409.6057 (call/text) or galeriebonheur@gmail.com

Amos Ferguson (1920-2009) was a house painter by profession who began painting in his 40s. Amos stated that God told him to paint His world’s beauty, celebrate the Bible and nature, and show off his native Bahamas. Amos followed God’s commands and painted prolifically for many years.

One day, Amos received a vision from God in a dream. He claimed to,“Paint by Faith, Not by Sight.” Amos did not paint what he saw, but what he dreamed.

His subjects include Biblical scenes, nature motifs, and scenes of everyday Bahamian life, including the festival Junkanoo. His works are bold and bright, comprised of colorful shapes and patterns, making them charming, fun, and uplifting. Amos’s use of color and imagery speaks of his lush tropical surroundings in the Bahamas. He used lush enamel house paint on cardboard, creating a beautiful shiny, and smooth paint skin in his artwork.

Later in his life, Amos garnered much admiration and became a well-known artist in The Bahamas and other countries.

His work was discovered by the New York art world in 1983 and has since toured the United States and several other countries. Today, he is considered a national treasure of The Bahamas, and his works are in many museums and private collections around the world. (Some images are from the Ford Times, December 1983. Photographs by Arnold, S. Hirsch.)

See more art by Amos Ferguson

See more art by Amos Ferguson here.