Artist Bio

Thomas “Samba” Dashield’s artistic talent emerged at an early age. His mother, Doris Dashield, first recognized his remarkable ability to reproduce images from children’s books. At the age of seven, she enrolled him in painting classes, where his natural gifts began to flourish. Oil painting and pastel drawing became Samba’s earliest forms of creative expression.

Throughout his school years, Samba excelled in scholastic art competitions and was featured in the Burlington County Times as a “Future Bright.” He later attended the Art Institute of Philadelphia, specializing in graphic design with an emphasis on illustration.

After decades working in graphic design and the printing industry, Samba returned to painting and quickly rediscovered the artistic instincts he had developed as a child. His work is distinguished by vibrant, brilliant color and thoughtfully conceived compositions. Strongly influenced by African art, Samba draws particular inspiration from a transformative trip to West Africa, where he received the name “Samba.”

In 1994, Samba discovered the world of doll making after visiting the Annual African American Doll Show in Philadelphia. His work with artist dolls has since become an ongoing artistic journey, centered on developing a distinctive approach to creating doll figures with a realistic look and feel. Through continual experimentation and refinement, Samba’s doll sculptures continue to evolve as he pursues his vision of the ultimate doll figure.