# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
“Broom Jumpers,” by Bisa Butler 2019 (quilted and appliquéd cotton, wool and chiffon

# data[].attributes.body
Bisa Butler is an American interdisciplinary artist known for her quilts of famous Black historical figures, as well as unnamed people she finds in photos. She grew up in New Jersey with 3 siblings, her mother, from New Orleans, and her father, from Ghana. Although she graduated from a degree in painting in college, the medium of painting never spoke to her. She found her true calling after taking a fiber arts class.  She said, "As a child, I was always watching my mother and grandmother sew, and they taught me. After that class, I made a quilt for my grandmother on her deathbed, and I have been quilting ever since." Pictured is "Broom Jumpers", which which depicts a young couple jumping over a broom as part of a wedding ceremony during the time of slavery. The work also incorporates West African fabrics to imagine the lost history of this couple. She says, "My subjects are African Americans from ordinary walks of life who may have sat for a formal family portrait or may have been documented by a passing photographer,” Butler explains. “Like the builders of the White House, they have no names or captions to tell us who they were."

I chose this piece because I really love the vibrancy of the fabrics used in the piece. Quilting as an art medium is very interesting to me because you can paint in patterns, not just colors. I like the way that Butler often paints subjects who have no name or history, it is a way of remembering those of which we have no memory.

-Audrey

# data[].attributes.body
“The Eclipse” is from Alma Thomas’s series of art “Space Paintings”. The series collected at least 15 art works relating to space and rockets, the series was inspired the historic milestone of Apollo 11 landing on the moon. The solar eclipse is when moon blocks the sunlights, from this painting we can see the sun is partially obscured by the moon.

The color pattern of this painting is really beautiful. The warm colors represented the sun, and the cold colors represent the moon. The use of color that represent the moon and the sun is very creative. The acrylic on canvas created a special texture that leaves space between is unique. The imagination of Alma Thomas is really impressive.
-Cindy

# data[].attributes.body
Moe Brooker was an abstract African Artist, he mostly uses vivid colors and texture lines to make his painting. Born on January 1, 1940, in Philadelphia, PA, Brooker was a community leader and a political activist. His painting mostly symbolized jazz and African music. At a young age, he couldn't draw people or things at all, unlike the other kids in his elementary classes, so he started experimenting with patterns and shapes, and that develops his style of paintings. He wasn't taught colors in his art classes, so he decided to make his own palette and hue.

-Anna C.

# data[].attributes.body
Edmonia Lewis is an American sculptor, was born on July 4, 1844, in Upstate New York.

Her early outstanding works allowed her to make a trip to Rome that became incredibly important for her career.

“I was practically driven to Rome in order to obtain the opportunities for art culture, and to find a social atmosphere where I was not constantly reminded of my color. The land of liberty had no room for a colored sculptor”.

In Rome, she practiced neoclassical style in her sculpture.

She ended up spending most of her career in Italy, enjoying much greater respect than in the States while being a colored woman and was loved by fellow sculptors.

# data[].attributes.body
This painting really shows emotion and the depth really shows through the glow. Henry Ossawa was an African American man and the first to gain international acclaim. He moved to Paris in 1891 to attend and study at Académie Julian and gained fame in France.

# data[].attributes.body
I like this piece because of how vibrant the colors are and how the colors are blacked so you get harsh shadows. I also like how Jordan Casteel paints pictures of people all over new york such as this guy on the subway. -Sydney

# data[].attributes.body
Allen Freelon was an African American artist and activist who was born in 1895. Best known for his impressionist style paintings during the Harlem Renaissance, I absolutely adore his paintings and the vibrant colors and shapes he uses. It makes the paintings he makes seem almost abstract, yet you can still clearly make out what he is trying to convey.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
Boats and boating--Equipment and supplies

# data[].attributes.body
Kehinde Wiley is one of my favorite artists in general when it comes to style. Something you always notice is his lush backgrounds, often utilizing plants and flowers. It really makes his artwork so recognizable and beautiful. He also features African Americans in the traditional places of paintings of kings and historically white subjects. I remember seeing his art for the first time at NCMA and thinking it was so cool looking and I never forgot it. This piece in particular is a favorite because of how beautifully the women is painted along with the nature around her. One of his most famous pieces that you guys might know about is his piece depicting former president Barack Obama.

# data[].attributes.body
(Note: you can go with either facts about the artist or talk about a piece the artist has done for the little explanation bit here! You should include an image of the artist's work regardless what route you take for the explanation piece. Try to leave comments on the posts of other members. They should either talk about the artist or their art. I will leave an example comment on this post.)

Facts ex: Picasso co-founded the art movement, Cubism. He made his first painting at the age of 9 which was called "La picador", which was of a man riding a bull. Picasso also did poems and playwrights, and thought his poems would be more well known than his paintings.

talking about the art piece ex: I chose the piece "Sleeping Girl" (1935) because I thought it was really impressive how he used contrast to create the features of the girl. Like using the blue against the yellow to create the nose.

If you have any questions ask any one of the officers (Katerina, Bhakti, Mila) and we will try to help you out!! Have fun fellas :))