Mrs. Jane has provided some information about prominent Black artists, past and present.
Jean Michel Basquiat (1960 – 1988) was an American artist who rose to success during the 1980s as part of the Neo-expressionism movement and was known for his street art. At 22, he was one of the youngest to exhibit at the Whitney Biennial in New York. Watch the Porch Stories about Jean Michel Basquiat with Ms. Jane and Mrs. Kane. Then check out some Jean Michel Basquiat paintings and art and coloring sheets. Learn more at basquiat.com and see more works at thebroad.org.
Kehinde Wiley (1977 – present) is a portrait artist known for his modern portraits often referencing works of Old Master paintings. In 2017, he was commissioned to paint a portrait of former President Barack Obama for the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery. Here are some examples of Wiley’s art next to similar Old Master paintings and you can also print some coloring sheets. See more of his art at kehindewiley.com.
Lois Mailou Jones (1905 – 1998) was one of the most notable figures to attain fame for her art while living as a black expatriate in Paris during the 1930s and 1940s, who looked towards Africa and the Caribbean and her experiences in life when painting. Ms. Jones was influenced by the Harlem Renaissance movement and her countless international trips. You can see some of Jones’s art on the Smithsonian Art Museum and National Museum of Women in the Arts websites, as well as print some coloring sheets.
Romare Bearden (1911 – 1988) was an African-American artist, author, and songwriter who worked with many types of media including cartoons, oils, and collages. Bearden’s early work focused on unity and cooperation within the African-American community. After a period during the 1950s when he painted more abstractly, this theme reemerged in his collage works of the 1960s. You can also watch the Porch Stories on Romare Bearden and the Harlem Renaissance. Learn more about Romare Bearden at beardenfoundation.org and see more of his art at the Smithsonian American Art Museum.
Dr. Faith Ringgold (1930 – present) is an American painter, writer, mixed media sculptor, and performance artist, best known for her narrative quilts. Ringgold stated she switched from painting to fabric to get away from the association of painting with Western/European traditions. Similarly, the use of quilt allowed her advocation of the feminist movement as she could simply roll up her quilts to take to the gallery, therefore negating the need for help in moving them. You can watch Faith read her children’s book Tar Beach. See some of Ringgold’s work and learn more about her at faithringgold.com and print some coloring sheets.
William Johnson (1901 – 1970) was an American painter who was born in South Carolina and attended the National Academy of Design in New York City. He later lived in France and Scandinavia, which influenced his powerful folk style, for which he is best known. A substantial collection of his paintings, watercolors, and prints is held by the Smithsonian American Art Museum.