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Liberian Art in ActionA conversation with Liberian artists Tubman Tweh and Sam HwisedehChevron recentlyselected two localartists to design muralsfor the interior walls oftheir office in Monrovia,Liberia. Their vibrantwork and career choiceto become artists is bothimpressive and unique.From left to right – Sam Hwisedeh, Richard Weaver (Chevron Liberia Limited Supply Chain Manager), andTubman TwehTell us a little about yourselfMr. Tweh.I was born in Sinoe County, JudsonDistrict in 1966. I am Sapo by tribeand speak Sapo fluently. When I wastwo years old, my father passedaway, forcing my mother to raiseme alone. We moved to Monroviawhen I was ten. My uncle, WilliamSayde, who now lives in the U.S.,saw that my mother was raising mealone with no father and decided tohelp me. He enrolled me in NewportJunior High School, and I startedsketching. I graduated from nightschool because money was tight.When did you first discoveryour gift for drawing?When I was about 15 years old,my uncle took me to the Ministryof Information, where they wereconducting an art session. Whenpresidents and leaders came to visitLiberia from other countries, theMinistry of Information would dobillboards and placards to welcomethem. So I started at the Ministryby practicing to do billboards andsketches for them, and they startedgiving me jobs from there.Did you do any othersignificant paintings?Mrs. Inez Cooper took me to herrestaurant, La Pointe, located in theMamba Point, where I did a still lifeof fruits behind the buffet table inthe main dining room.What is your backgroundMr. Hwisedeh?My name is Sam Hwisedeh, and Iam a Liberian artist. I was born inMontserrado County in 1974, and Iam the second son of nine children— six boys and three girls. When IBy Sam HwisedehBy Tubman Twehwas younger, I found myself doingmy friend’s assignments in art class,and once I entered high school, I dida lot of the specimen sketches forfriends in biology class.18 | Chevron Liberia Limited