94

Tom Feelings

(1933-2003)

Untitled (Woman in profile).

Mixed media on cream wove paper, circa 1970s.
Signed in pencil, lower left.
18 1/2 x 16 in. (47 x 40.6 cm.), Frame: 22 3/4 x 18 1/4 in. (57.8 x 46.4 cm.)

  • Provenance:
    The collection of Ambassador Shirley E. Barnes, Washington, DC.

    Shirley Elizabeth Barnes is a distinguished American diplomat and retired career Foreign Service officer known for her service as United States Ambassador to Madagascar from 1998 to 2001 and her lifelong commitment to education, economic empowerment, and the prevention of human trafficking for women and girls in Africa.

    Born on April 5, 1938, in St. Augustine, Florida, Barnes moved with her family to New York at age five and later settled in Harlem's Sugar Hill neighborhood. Her father worked as a waiter for the Seaboard Airlines Railroad, and her mother was a teacher, pianist, and dressmaker. Barnes earned a Bachelor of Business Administration from Baruch College in 1956, became fluent in French during her studies, and later completed a Master of Business Administration from Columbia University in 1970. Barnes began her professional involvement with Africa through the Crossroads Africa program in Togo in 1958, followed by positions with the Ford Foundation in the Congo from 1961 to 1965 and the African American Institute's Women's African Program from 1965 to 1969, focusing on education, gender equity, and development amid regional challenges. After working in private advertising for over a decade, she entered the U.S. Foreign Service in 1983, holding administrative roles at embassies in Cairo), Dakar, East Berlin during German reunification, and as Consul General in Strasbourg. Nominated by President Bill Clinton and confirmed by the Senate, Barnes served as Ambassador to Madagascar until July 28, 2001. She received an honorary Doctor of Laws from Knox College in 2006 in recognition of her international service and humanitarian efforts. Following her retirement, she founded The Barnes Findley Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to economic development, educational and job training initiatives, and anti-trafficking programs for African women and children.

    Barnes has been a dedicated patron of the arts and an avid collector of both African American and African art. She was a board director of the Cinque Gallery, the non-profit artist-run gallery founded by Romare Bearden, Ernest Crichlow and Norman Lewis in 1979.
  • Notes:
    Tom Feelings was an artist, illustrator, and author whose work explored themes of African and African American identity and history. His portraits often focus on the African diaspora, depicting people of all ages with a quiet intensity and deep reverence.

    Unlike traditional portraiture that might emphasize status or individual achievement, Feelings' work is rooted in communal experience and shared heritage. His portraits frequently celebrate ordinary people whose stories and faces reflect the ongoing narrative of Black life across time and place. Throughout his career, Feelings used portraiture not just to document faces, but to challenge perceptions and inspire pride, especially for young readers and students encountering his work in books and classrooms.
  • Condition:
    Please contact the Specialist for the auction to request a condition report.

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April 2, 2026 12:00 PM EDT
New York, NY, US

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