Nature
Nature subjects from landscapes to animals to seascapes to still life's have a long history in African American art. It seems as though in the public mind our art has to always have a Black person in it to be classified as African American art. However, there are more and more White artists in the South painting Black subjects. Does that make it African American art? We think not. The determining factor should be the artist, not the subject. In the past,while it may have been good in some ways not to distinquish African American painters of nature as such, that is no longer the case.Today we can celebrate the long history African Americans have in paintings these subjects.We pay our deepest respects to artists such as John James Audubon, Robert Scott Duncanson, Joshua Johnson, Edward Mitchell Bannister, and others. We celebrate them as great artists, who just happen to be African Americans. Yet, sometimes even in non-racial paintings like landscapes, subtle hints can be found regarding the identity of the artist. This may be style or objects and things within the painting. As part of our ongoing appreciation of African American art let's look at the painting above. In "A Marvelous Night for a Moondance" we see many styles of painting mixed into this one painting. This technique is often used by Saint and is kind of a 'creolization' of style. Realism, Neo-Impressionism, and even Fantasy are blended seamlessly into this light hearted seascape. The rainbow around the Moon, which we call Moon-bows is a phenomenon of the South Carolina low country, hinting to the location of the scene. Close examination of the painting shows the dolphins, birds, and even the water dancing. As we focus in on the bottom of the painting we can see Afro-centric 'surf angels' in the water. All of these things give clues as to the artists African American background.This is not to say that any distinguishing features are necessary in a nature painting to make it African American art. Let the artist be your determining factor. We hope you will support all Black artists whatever their subject matter.
Paintings included in this category are presented as follows: Landscapes and Seascapes, Impressionistic Lightscapes, Animals, and Still lifes.
We hope you will appreciate these works as just great art but still recognize that they are also African American art. .
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