The heroic in mankind

Quotes and Black Art | Thursdaysº

Oct 30, 2025

Quotes and Black Art

Your Curated Art Museum

“Come for the art, stay for the quotes.”

“‘I don’t see why she needs to pray. She’s a prayer in herself. She has made me better by letting me love her.’”
— Paul Laurence Dunbar

A Snippet:

Did you know that Paul Laurence Dunbar was somewhat of a business maverick for his time, self-publishing and raising capital in order to print his first book of poems, Oak and Ivy, in 1893 for $125?

Learn more . . .

Paul Laurence Dunbar - The Uncalled

Jafari Joseph

February 8, 2024

Read full story

187. “Circle of knowledge” (2001)

“I am inspired by the heroic in mankind, and am moved to express the vitality, beauty, grace and strength of the human figure in its varied shapes, sizes, abilities and functions. The spirit that motivates it is limitless in its grandeur.”

— Basil Watson

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Did you know?

Did you know that for more than 45 years, Kingston-born Jamaican artist, Basil Barrington Watson has establish himself as one of Jamaica’s leading sculptors?

The son of internationally renowned painter Barrington Watson, it seemed almost destined for Basil Watson to study art.

In fact, in 2016, the Government of Jamaica awarded Basil the Order of Distinction (Commander) in recognition of his contributions in the field of art.

188. “Black Gothic”

“My uncle Mike, he essentially identified my gift at a very young age and encouraged my parents to support it. So my uncle gave me a lot of art instruction. My mother and my father, they gave me a lot of art materials to work with. When I got to high school, I was kind of further ahead than a lot of kids, because I had that instruction at a very early age, and I think that really helped propel me forward into the world of art.”

— Kadir Nelson

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Did you know?

Did you know that Kadir Nelson (b. 1974) is an American artist who created the cover artwork for Drake’s, “Nothing Was The Same” album?

Nelson’s paintings are in the permanent collections of notable institutions and public collections including the Muskegon Museum of Art, The National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, the International Olympic Committee, and the US House of Representatives.

Nelson was the lead “Conceptual Artist” for Steven Spielberg’s Oscar® nominated feature film, ‘Amistad’ and his painting of the late Nelson Mandela was featured on the December 2013 issue of the New Yorker magazine.

189. “Kuba From The Congo”

“People should think about how art makes them feel, and buy based on that.”

— Maurice Evans

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Did you know?

Did you know that Maurice Evans resides in Atlanta, Georgia, is never far from a sketch pad, and lives by the premise, “Create art for art’s sake”—inspiring viewers and artists alike to pursue their artistic and creative passion?

Born in Smyrna, Tennessee, Evans’s father was a military man but also a gifted drummer and singer in a gospel choir. He introduced Maurice to guitar lessons at the age of 4, and these lessons along with his exposure to the music of Al Green, Chaka Khan and Marvin Gaye, inspired his early, creative growth.

Maurice Evans’s mother, a teacher, supported and reinforced his creative ability by allowing him to help design her classroom bulletin boards each year.

In 1986, he was accepted to the Art Institute of Atlanta where he studied Fashion Illustration to intentionally advance his painting and drawing skills, and in 1994, with the support of his family and friends, he had his first successful exhibition at the juried Black Arts Festival in Atlanta.

“What we become depends on what we read.”

(Breathe In . . . Breathe Out)