Edmonia Lewis (at the NAWA show at the Vanda Gallery)
#2 of a limited series of 10 prints
8.5” x 11”
$90 framed & matted
Additional prints available. Mat & frame not included.

Creators of many kinds are recognized while incredible artists go unrecognized, have their work undermined, undervalued, and dismissed due to the melanin in their skin. These pieces aim to introduce an important group of rarely recognized artists. These female black fine artists of the 18th & 19th centuries not only sold their work but flourished during decades of our country’s deeply racist and dark underbelly. These women deserved our respect then, and they do now. Edmonia Lewis, Sculptor of stone maintained an impressive career at a time when men were sought for their skill of carving. A woman with her talent came as a surprise to those she carved for. She utilized her background, and comfort with nature to enhance and inform her work. She lived comfortably in an era when women were rarely afforded an opportunity to live their dreams, let alone independently transact. Yet she longed to return to the sanctuary of the forests of her youth. Her studio must have been filled with remnants of fauna and flora beckoning her to return. Memories of her childhood chiseled into stone, locked into her gorgeous creations are now on display for generations to see. Looking deeper, perhaps they'll have a bit of knowledge about the maker.

Shown in Vanda Gallery & National Association of Women Artists Presents Celebrating Women Who Tell Our Stories Juried Exhibition in New Rochelle, NY March 1 - March 27, 2024.