Incredible Black Artists To Know
*** Edmonia Lewis, Sculptor ***
(1844-1907)
Born around 1844 in Greenbush, New York, Edmonia Lewis hailed from African American and Native-American ancestry, becoming the first professional sculptor representing both communities and the only Black female of the era recognized in the American art scene.
After graduating from Oberlin College, Lewis found her way to Boston where she met sculptor and mentor-to-be Edward A. Brackett and abolitionist William Lloyd Garrison. After setting up her own studio, Lewis began creating plaster medallions of famous abolitionists starting in the early 1860s, but it was her 1864 bust of Civil War hero Colonel Robert Shaw, who led the African American 54th Massachusetts Regiment, that brought her national prominence.
**More about Edmonia and her work: https://amer...ia-lewis-2914
*** Henry Ossawa Tanner, Painter ***
(1859–1937)
As a young man, Henry Ossawa Tanner studied at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. In 1891, Tanner moved to Paris, and after several exhibits, gained international acclaim — becoming the first African American painter to receive such attention. "Nicodemus Visiting Jesus" is one of his most famous works. He's also known for the paintings "The Banjo Lesson" and "The Thankful Poor.”
**All About Tanner: https://amer...a-tanner-4742
*** James Van Der Zee, Photographer ***
(1886–1983)
James Van Der Zee developed a passion for photography as a youth and opened up his own Harlem studio in 1916. Van Der Zee became known for his detailed imagery of African American life, and for capturing celebrities such as Florence Mills and Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Following hard financial times, Van Der Zee enjoyed a resurge in his career during his later years.
**See this legend’s photographs: https://www....t-harlem.html
*** Augusta Savage, Sculptor ***
(1892–1962)
Born in Florida in 1892, Augusta Savage began creating art as a child by using the natural clay found in her hometown. After attending Cooper Union in New York City, she made a name for herself as a sculptor during the Harlem Renaissance and was awarded fellowships to study abroad. Savage later served as a director for the Harlem Community Center and created the monumental work The Harp for the 1939 New York World's Fair. She spent most of her later years in Saugerties, New York, before her death from cancer in 1962.
**More about Augusta and see her work: https://amer...a-savage-4269
*** Gordon Parks, Photographer and Director ***
(1912–2006)
Gordon Parks was a self-taught artist who became the first African American photographer for Life and Vogue magazines. He also pursued movie directing and screenwriting, working at the helm of the films The Learning Tree, based on a novel he wrote, and Shaft. Parks has published several memoirs and retrospectives as well, including A Choice of Weapons.
**More about Gordon Parks: https://www....rks/biography
*** Jacob Lawrence, Painter ***
(1917–2000)
Jacob Lawrence was one the most renowned African American artist of his time. Known for producing narrative collections like the Migration Series and War Series, he illustrated the African American experience using vivid colors set against Black and brown figures. He also served as a professor of art at the University of Washington for 15 years.
**Learn more: https://amer...lawrence-2828
*** Jean-Michel Basquiat, Painter ***
(1960–1988)
Jean-Michel Basquiat first attracted attention for his graffiti under the name "SAMO" in New York City. He sold sweatshirts and postcards featuring his artwork on the streets before his painting career took off. He collaborated with Andy Warhol in the mid-1980s, which resulted in a show of their work. Basquiat died on August 12, 1988, in New York City.
**More about this incredible artist: https://www....t-1234579679/
*** Lorna Simpson, Photographer ***
(1960-)
Born in Brooklyn, New York, Lorna Simpson is a photographer known for exploring questions around race, culture, gender, identity, and memory, oftentimes using Black women as the subjects of her art.
After graduating with a BFA in Photography from the School of Visual Arts in New York and an MFA from the University of California, San Diego, Simpson built her career in the mid-1980s with her large-scale conceptual "photo-text" (text superimposed onto portrait images) style. In the '90s, she began incorporating multi-paneled images onto felt taking on themes of public sexual encounters, and became the first Black woman to be featured at the Venice Biennale.
In the new millennium, Simpson turned to video installations to express herself in a new, refreshing way. In addition to her art being featured in galleries and museums all over the world, the Whitney Museum in New York City held a 20-year retrospective of her work in 2007. Since then, Simpson has collaborated with rapper Common to create his 2016 album cover for Black America Again, and the following year worked with Vogue on a series of portraits showcasing professional women and their passion for art.
**See Lorna’s Work: https://lsim...sonstudio.com
*** Kara Walker ***
Painter, silhouettist, print-maker, installation artist, filmmaker, and professor
(1969–)
At the Rhode Island School of Design, Kara Walker began working in the silhouette form. In 1994, her work appeared in a new-talent show at the Drawing Center in New York and she became an instant hit. In 1997, she received a John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation "genius grant." Since then, Walker's work has been exhibited in galleries and museums worldwide.
**All about this talented artist: http://www.k...kerstudio.com
Share Come Make Your Own Art! | Book A Team-Building Event With Us!