Ronald Joseph started his artistic career in Harlem, New York City at the Harlem Community Arts Center, where he was one of the youngest pupils. Joseph’s early oil paintings were influenced by Picasso, Braque and other European artists while most of his contemporaries focused on social realism. By 1943, he was hailed by art historian James Porter as New York’s “foremost Negro abstractionist painter”.
#ronaldjoseph
doesn’t yet hold the esteem attributed to peers like Sam Gilliam and Betty Blayton (although he was included in Something to Look Forward To). Most information on the internet about his work is short bios from auction sites (example). Kolawole lived in Munich in the 1960s before returning to the U.S. His work has been included in a number of museum exhibitions in addition to Something… (which took place at the Morris).
#williamlawrencecomptonkolawole
Bill Hutson, also known as William R. Hutson, (September 6, 1936 – September 21, 2022), was an African-American abstract fine artist, who specialized in painting and collage.
#billhutson
gets a nod from Alex Greenberger who recently wrote in ARTNews about NYC’s obsession with abstract painting and its “return” (“better than ever”) after “years of figurative painting.
#oliverleejackson
An icon in the world of photography and fine art, Mr. Cowans was a member of AfriCOBRA (African Commune of Bad Relevant Artists), the 1968 South Chicago born collective founded by Jeff Donaldson, Jae Jarell, Wadsworth Jarell, Barbare Jones-Hogu, and Gerald Williams.
#adgercowans
Haywood “Bill” Rivers was born in 1922 in North Carolina. He studied at the Art Students League in New York and the École du Musée du Louvre in Paris. His work saw considerable success, winning the Gretchen H. Hutzler Award, the Baltimore Museum Annual Prize, and Julius Rosenwald Fellowship in 1948, as well as the John Hay Whitney Fellowship in 1952. Rivers was a co-founder of Galerie Huit in Paris. The cooperative gallery exhibited many American artists including Paul Keene, Edward Clark, and Herbert Gentry.
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#haywoodbillrivers
A dedicated abstractionist and former art dealer, Peter Bradley reveals the myriad possibilities of acrylic paint, by pouring layers of color onto his canvases.
#peterbradley
is part of the Chop Shop, which is in part inspired by the Spiral Collective (Norman and Richard were members).
#berrisfordbooth
work is at the intersection of found image, three dimensional forms, installation and painting. She is on faculty at Harvard.
#kianjastrobert
was a groundbreaking leader who devoted her life to creating space for artists, art, and arts education. A deeply creative and committed artist and activist, Blayton-Taylor was an influential arts leader in the Harlem art scene—and New York at large.
#bettyblaytontaylor
Painting After Art is Dead 