Contemporary Color: Celebrating Black Artists
Modern art has moved beyond the world of abstraction or realism. Today’s trends are inspired by evolving forms of collage, surrealism, pop art, and explosive color.
Over the past year the Great Big Canvas curation team has made great strides in expanding our social awareness and, in turn, expanding our Art collection to include captivating imagery from more diverse points of view. This is Part Three of our three-part series to highlight unique perspectives from Black artists coinciding with the celebration of Black History Month.
"Your job is to tell your story. Your story has to come out of your life, your environment, who you are, where you come from." - Faith Ringgold
Modern art has moved beyond the world of abstraction or realism. Today’s trends are inspired by evolving forms of collage, surrealism, pop art, and explosive color. Artists are blending digital and traditional techniques to create incredible pieces that would be impossible just a few decades back. In the final part of our Black History Month series, we’re surfacing Black artists who are experimenting with form and color to create modern, imaginative work:
Erin K Robinson
Erin K. Robinson is an artist and illustrator, based in New York, and creative visionary behind Brooklyndolly Art. Brooklyndolly is inspired by women of color & all their beautiful shades. Erin’s daydreamy style is inspired by the color, texture, and shape of Brooklyn NYC. Along with creating art prints, Erin has illustrated multiple books and magazines. You can stay connected with her work as Brooklyndolly on Instagram.
Alonzo Saunders
Alonzo Saunders spent his childhood and youth working on art, eventually turning it into a permanent career. His work is a study in balanced composition, reveling in color and texture while carefully depicting subjects with an insightful appearance. He’s noted for his distinctive versatility and style, and he believes that the artistic expression and freedom of the African-American soul are portrayed in his creations.
Gia Graham
Gia Graham is a graphic designer and hand lettering artist, born in Barbados and based in Atlanta. As an island girl living in an urban world, her work has evolved to uniquely merge these opposing cultural aesthetics which results in modern design enlivened with lush florals, foliage and a keen eye for color. Above all, Gia loves to design art that has a sense of joy and connection with her audience. Check out our interview with Gia from last fall here.
Darius Quarles
Southern native Darius Quarles is a painter and mural artist whose work splits the difference between the surreal and real. After serving in the US Navy, Darius studied color theory at the American Intercontinental University in Atlanta, GA and decided to pursue his dream. His portrait work shows off his eye for color, skillfully incorporating unusual color schemes to create vivid, memorable work.
Bouffants and Broken Hearts
Based in Philadelphia, PA, Bouffants and Broken Hearts is the explosively colorful brand of artist Kendra Dandy. With a style and voice that is uniquely her own, Kendra’s designs are bright, young, original, and cheerful. Each illustration provokes a conversation and is refreshingly unexpected—from seductively winking fries to leopards strutting bright red pumps—taking the audience on a whimsical and fun journey.
Bold color is a hot trend in both art and home décor this season! Find inspiration on how to style some of these artist’s pieces or share how you’ve incorporated diverse art into your home over on Instagram @greatbigcanvas.
For more in our Black History Month series discover diverse new art in these articles: Traditional Portraiture | Modern Abstracts or Explore All Art by Black Artists.
We believe art wields the power to inspire, energize, and transform people and places. Our team of curators and craftspeople are passionate about providing art that meets your unique vision and style.