Lois Mailou Jones: A Life in Vibrant Color

Loïs Mailou Jones, Mère du Senegal, 1985. Acrylic. Courtesy of the Loïs Mailou Jones Pierre-Noël Trust.

The Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens is presenting a rich array of work by pioneering and accomplished 20th-century artist, Loïs Mailou Jones. This exhibition, on display through January 4, 2013, spans 70 years of Jones’ painting career and includes more than 60 works of art, from the late Harlem Renaissance to her contemporary fusion of African, Caribbean, American, and African American iconography.
 
Jones (1905-1998) was born in Boston and attended the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. After graduating, Jones began her career as a textile designer during a time when racial prejudices and gender discrimination encompassed American culture. Because textile designers remained anonymous, she decided to pursue a career in fine arts. Jones integrated the encounters and influences she had throughout her lifetime into her art. Producing figurative and narrative paintings, that explore both personal and social themes.

In addition to being a prominent artist, Jones was also a noted educator of the arts, teaching painting and related subjects for 47 years at Howard University. Jones’ work and passion for the arts inspired her students and several generations of African American artists. Jones received recognition in her lifetime through exhibitions and representations in important museum collections. Her work remains a substantial and remarkable contribution to the world of American art.

Loïs Mailou Jones: A Life in Vibrant Color is organized by the Mint Museum of Art, Charlotte, NC, in collaboration with the Loïs Mailou Jones Pierre-Noël Trust, and toured by International Arts & Artists, Washington, DC. The exhibition is funded in part by the National Endowment for the Arts.

More paintings on the next page: