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Samuel Owusu-Antwi

Born on August 25, 1952 in Koforidua, Samuel Owusu-Antwi is an artist who loves using oil on canvas to conjure images of everyday occurrences, but rather than painting the obvious in a simple and straight style, he employs the semi-abstract technique. This adds to the aesthetics and makes his paintings become amenable to different interpretations. This has impressed many art lovers who seek Owusu-Antwi’s paintings for their private collections. Nii Anum Telfar, the curator of an art gallery named after him in Osu, told Graphic Showbiz newspaper (1999) he thought Owusu - Antwi "is one of the latest sensations in the fine art industries." Himself a collector and a vendor of Owusu-Antwi’s works, Telfar told the newspaper the artist’s works were increasing in popularity amongst collectors.

The family background of Antwi shows that his talent is ascribed and has only added a few skills through his formal education. Early in his life he related very well with his grandfather who was a master craftsman. At the age of fourteen, he was able to carve a variety of objects and weave an assortment of baskets. This became the basis of his interest in art during secondary school and further education.

While a student at Odorgonno Secondary School, one of his paintings was selected and put in an exhibition organized by the Arts Council of Ghana for second cycle institutions. He sat for his Advance Level in Art at the Thomas Accra School of Art at the same time that he did other advance level subjects with Acquinas Secondary School. Antwi later obtained a diploma in art from a correspondence course with the London based Institute of Education And Associated Sciences (IEAAS). He taught art at Otublohum Secondary Technical School in Accra, and he later joined a world wide press agency as a graphic studio artist. Antwi also served as Art Director at Elffos Publication after a one year stint in Lagos, Nigeria as a studio artist with Kabe Printers.