African American Art and Artists - by Samella Lewis (Paperback)

About the Book

Lewis has brought "African American Art and Artists" fully up to date in this revised and expanded edition. The book now looks at the works and lives of artists from the 18th century to the present, including new work in traditional media as well as in installation art, mixed media, and digital/computer art.

Book Synopsis

Samella Lewis has brought African American Art and Artists fully up to date in this revised and expanded edition. The book now looks at the works and lives of artists from the eighteenth century to the present, including new work in traditional media as well as in installation art, mixed media, and digital/computer art. Mary Jane Hewitt, an author, curator, and longtime friend of Samella Lewis's, has written an introduction to the new edition. Generously and handsomely illustrated, the book continues to reveal the rich legacy of work by African American artists, whose art is now included in the permanent collections of national and international museums as well as in major private collections.

From the Back Cover

"Beginning with the arts produced in the Colonial period, Dr. Lewis documents and interprets the flow of creative productions of an important segment of the American population. Her book shows that the range of art produced by African American artists covers the entire spectrum of craft productions through painting, sculpture, and printmaking. There is a progressive development of style that not only reflects the trends in particular periods, but reveals an evolving pattern of indigenous qualities that are distinct. The art community in general and the African American community in particular are fortunate to have Dr. Samella Lewis, for she has developed unusual authority in the area of African American art. I know that African American Art and Artists will be of great value educationally and that it will offer a stimulating and rewarding experience to all who have the opportunity to share in its contents."--Jacob Lawrence

Review Quotes

"An absolute must for any art-lover interested in the subject matter. With this publication the professor emerita of art history provides a comprehensive overview of the work of Afro-American artists from the eighteenth century up to the present day. . . . Lewis found the material for her publication in public and private collections from all over the United States."--"Artium"

About the Author

Samella Lewis is Professor Emerita of Art History, Scripps College, and the author of The Art of Elizabeth Catlett (2000) and Caribbean Visions: Contemporary Painting and Sculpture (1995).