Samella Lewis
Encyclopedia
Samella Sanders Lewis
is an African American
artist
(primarily a printmaker), author, and former educator. Widely exhibited and collected as an artist herself, she is nevertheless perhaps even better known as a historian, critic, and collector of art, especially African-American art. Lewis has completed four degrees, five films, seven books, and a substantial body of artworks which have received great critical respect. Her artistic and wonderful mind showed itself at the early age of four, when she started drawing and painting. She pursued an art degree starting off at Dillard University in 1941, but left Dillard for Hampton Institute in Virginia, earning her masters degree in 1947. She earned her B.A. degree at Hampton University
, then earned her master and doctorate in Fine arts and Art History at the Ohio State University
.
Later she became chair of fine Arts Department at Florida A&M University
in 1952; she was a professor at the State University of New York
and at Scripps College
in Claremont, California. She is the founder of the International Review of African American Art in 1975, also the Museum of African American Arts in 1976.
In the 1960s 1970’s her work reflected humanity and freedom. She produced lithographs, linocuts, and serigraphs.
Recent Awards
1995 UNICEF Award for the Visual Arts
1993 Charles White lifetime Achievement Award
And numerous other awards also
Other Facts
NAACP Member
1964-1965 National Defense Education Act pot-doctoral Fellow at University of Southern California studying Chinese language and Asian Civilization
1962 received Fulbright Fellowship to study Asian culture at First Institute of Chinese Civilization and Tung Mai University in Taiwan.
She is a collector of art, the art collection includes African, Chinese, Asian, South American and many others.
is an African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
artist
Artist
An artist is a person engaged in one or more of any of a broad spectrum of activities related to creating art, practicing the arts and/or demonstrating an art. The common usage in both everyday speech and academic discourse is a practitioner in the visual arts only...
(primarily a printmaker), author, and former educator. Widely exhibited and collected as an artist herself, she is nevertheless perhaps even better known as a historian, critic, and collector of art, especially African-American art. Lewis has completed four degrees, five films, seven books, and a substantial body of artworks which have received great critical respect. Her artistic and wonderful mind showed itself at the early age of four, when she started drawing and painting. She pursued an art degree starting off at Dillard University in 1941, but left Dillard for Hampton Institute in Virginia, earning her masters degree in 1947. She earned her B.A. degree at Hampton University
Hampton University
Hampton University is a historically black university located in Hampton, Virginia, United States. It was founded by black and white leaders of the American Missionary Association after the American Civil War to provide education to freedmen.-History:...
, then earned her master and doctorate in Fine arts and Art History at the Ohio State University
Ohio State University
The Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States...
.
Later she became chair of fine Arts Department at Florida A&M University
Florida A&M University
Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University, commonly known as Florida A&M or FAMU, is a historically black university located in Tallahassee, Florida, United States, the state capital, and is one of eleven member institutions of the State University System of Florida...
in 1952; she was a professor at the State University of New York
State University of New York
The State University of New York, abbreviated SUNY , is a system of public institutions of higher education in New York, United States. It is the largest comprehensive system of universities, colleges, and community colleges in the United States, with a total enrollment of 465,000 students, plus...
and at Scripps College
Scripps College
Scripps College is a progressive liberal arts women's college in Claremont, California, United States. It is a member of the Claremont Colleges. Scripps ranks 3rd for the nation's best women's college, ahead of Barnard College, Mount Holyoke College, and Bryn Mawr College at 23rd on the list for...
in Claremont, California. She is the founder of the International Review of African American Art in 1975, also the Museum of African American Arts in 1976.
In the 1960s 1970’s her work reflected humanity and freedom. She produced lithographs, linocuts, and serigraphs.
Recent Awards
1995 UNICEF Award for the Visual Arts
1993 Charles White lifetime Achievement Award
And numerous other awards also
Other Facts
NAACP Member
1964-1965 National Defense Education Act pot-doctoral Fellow at University of Southern California studying Chinese language and Asian Civilization
1962 received Fulbright Fellowship to study Asian culture at First Institute of Chinese Civilization and Tung Mai University in Taiwan.
She is a collector of art, the art collection includes African, Chinese, Asian, South American and many others.