Arts & Culture
Bahamas Celebrity Artist Presents to Oprah Winfrey
By Robbin Whachell, Editor, The Bahamas Weekly
Jan 4, 2013 - 11:38:40 AM

The Bahamas Celebrity Artist, Jamaal Rolle (seen here) was commissioned by The Bahamas ' government to provide a portrait of Oprah Winfrey in November 2012. Rolle feels this is his best work to date.

Nassau, Bahamas - The Celebrity Artist, Jamaal Rolle may have topped all his previous presentations of the world's who's who, when he presented a look alike portrait to Oprah Winfrey in November of 2012.

Oprah was in The Bahamas supporting her good friend, Sir Sidney Poitier, while The Bahamas was honouring him to kick off their 40th anniversary celebrations. Rolle was commissioned to present a portrait of Poitier for that occasion when the Paradise Island bridge was renamed in Poitier's honour.

"Throughout my professional career Oprah Winfrey has always been an  inspiration to me, ever since I listened to her many orations on life and principles of success," said Rolle. "During the organizing of the Sir Sidney Poitier bridge dedication, I was commissioned to commence a portrait for Oprah Winfrey who I had been in a pursuit to meet for years now."

Rolle considers this piece to be one of his best works to date. A private dinner was organized where he presented it to her as a gift from the Bahamas government. Oprah was  said to be immediately captivated by the portrait saying, “Wow, that is me. You got everything right. Wow, my eyes and everything.”

The artist said he was shocked to hear her reaction as she looked at the drawing with delight. Miss Winfrey took the time to chat with Rolle about the portrait, as she was interested in the mechanics of how he was able to draw her in such detail. "She took my contacts with her as she constantly praised me. It was a surreal experience and a blessing of notoriety that I will always cherish," said Rolle.

Jamaal Rolle's first celebrity encounter was in 1998, and since then he's been very busy. His studio is at the Marina Village at Atlantis on Paradise Island where his father and he operate a business drawing portraits and caricatures.

With all the exposure, along with recommendations from other celebrities, Rolle's steadily-growing list of renowned clientele include:

Children of Michael Jackson

Former First Lady of California - Maria Shriver,

American Idol winner - Jordan Sparks

Award winning Pop  Singers – Justin Bieber, Miley Cyrus, Katie Perry, Sheryl Crow and Natasha Beddingfield,

Award winning singers / groups – Carrie Underwood, Taylor Swift and Lady Antebellum.

Hip Hop and R&B artists – Sean “Diddy Combs,  Cee lo Green, Ludacris, Jason Derulo, Neyo, DJ Khaled,  Rick Ross, Young Jeezy, Fat Joe, Jim Jones, The Game, and Ace Hood

Actors - Johnny Depp, Gabrielle Union, Dave Chappelle, Anthony Anderson, Mike Epps and Alan Arkin.

NBA Basketball stars - Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Magic Johnson, Patrick Ewing, Lebron James, Dwayne Wade, Carmello Anthony and Rajon Rondo,

National Football League stars- Michael Strahan and Ronnie Brown.

Major League Baseball stars Gary Sheffield, CiCi  Sabathia and Mariano Rivera.

Religious Leaders -  Rev Al Sarpton, Bishop Eddie Long, Pastor Mike and DeDe Freeman,  Pastor Myles Munroe, and Bishop Neil Ellis.

Corporations -  FBI, Toyota, Lincoln Financial  Insurance, AllState Insurance, Turner Media and Heineken

More information at:

Jamaal Rolle: The Celebrity Artist Company Ltd.

jamaaltheartist@gmail.com
www.thecelebrityartist.com
www.facebook.com/ thecelebrityartist
www.twitter.com/thecelebartist