Aba Diallo was born in Dakar, Senegal, a busy, international port on the Atlantic Coast of Africa.  In school he studied philosophy and literature as well as the French language.  After high school, he moved to Goree Island (World Heritage Site), a tourist and historic destination 20 minutes west of downtown Dakar.  There he bagan to work for his uncle who owns an art gallery selling sculptures, paintings, jewelery and other handicrafts made by local artists.  After a year of this type of work he soon took interest in the origins of the art pieces at the boutique.  He became friends with veteran painters on the island and began an apprenticeship, learning many things about the art scene and business on the island.  He started to create his own style of painting using collage and a technique of sewing canvases together to make “patch-work” paintings.  This type of work is truly his passion in life, second only to God, it is a way to express himself and show the way of life he has grown up with, while aupporting himself and his family.