Angelo
Roker (born 1929, Nassau, The Bahamas) is a self-taught artist who started out
as a professional sign painter, following in the footsteps of his father,
Lorenzo Roker.
Roker
became a self-taught historian, commercial artist and printer; he played an
active role in the design of the Bahamian flag and was a notable designer of
maps and an innovative fine artist. His
paintings were primarily seascapes and landscapes, using brush and palette
knife.
Starting in
the late 1960's, Roker ran a print shop, museum, gallery, and antique shop on
Harrold Road. Angelo Roker's Art Center and Museum was in
fact the first museum in the Bahamas devoted to fine art. Bahamian art collector Vincent D'Aguilar
recalls purchasing his first artworks from Roker, a dear friend, who he
described as a very enthusiastic promoter of art works, and a great resource
for anyone in the Bahamas with an interest in fine art.
In 1980,
Roker created an artistic map of the Bahamas depicting historical and cultural
highlights, that was printed as a poster and sold throughout the Bahamas to
tourists around the world.
Roker moved to the
U.S. in the early 1990s, after suffering a stroke, but continues to paint
biblical scenes, boats and portraits - albeit now with
his left hand - in his leisure time.