Annie Lee (artist) facts for kids
Annie Frances Lee (born March 3, 1935 – died November 24, 2014) was a famous American artist. She was well-known for showing everyday life for African Americans in her paintings. Her art is special because the people in her pictures don't have faces. Instead, she used their body language to show how they felt and what they were doing. Some of her most popular paintings are Blue Monday and My Cup Runneth Over.
About Annie Lee
Annie Lee was born in Gadsden, Alabama. She grew up in Chicago, Illinois. She loved to paint from a young age and even won her first art contest when she was only 10 years old! However, she didn't start painting as a job until she was 40.
Annie went to Wendell Phillips Academy High School in Chicago. She was so good at art that she got a scholarship to go to Northwestern University. But she decided not to go. Instead, she chose to get married and start a family.
By the time she was 40, Annie had faced many challenges. She had lost two husbands and a son. She had also raised a daughter and a son. Even with these difficulties, she decided to follow her dream of becoming an artist. She went to Loop Junior College and then studied at Mundelein College and the American Academy of Art.
While working as a chief clerk at Northwestern Railroad, Annie studied art at night for eight years! She even earned a Master of Education degree from Loyola University. Her job at the railroad actually inspired one of her most famous paintings, Blue Monday. This painting shows a woman struggling to get out of bed on a Monday morning.
Annie Lee's paintings are easy to spot. Her special style includes showing strong emotions through the characters' actions. Also, the faces of the people in her artwork are always painted without features.
When she was fifty, Annie had her first art show. She also allowed copies (prints) to be made of four of her original paintings. Besides paintings, Annie also created figurines, fashion dolls, home decorations, and even kitchen tiles using her designs.
Annie's art showed her own experiences and what she saw in the communities around her. After showing her work in other galleries for many years, she opened her own place called Annie Lee and Friends Gallery in Glenwood, Illinois. There, she showed her own art and the art of other talented people.
Her work became even more popular when some of her paintings appeared on famous TV shows like The Cosby Show and A Different World. Annie often received invitations to public events, but she preferred to be at gallery shows. She also loved visiting schools to encourage and inspire young students. Later in her life, Annie moved from Chicago to Las Vegas. A play called Six No Uptown was even inspired by one of her paintings with the same name. The play opened in Las Vegas in 2014 and was about a card game called Bid Whist, which was Annie's favorite game.
Helping Others Through Art
For many years, Annie Lee was a big supporter of the Tom Joyner Foundation. She gave her time and her artwork to help the Foundation raise money. This money helped students stay in Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Her painting Higher Education: A Way to Soar celebrates the success of these students. Another painting, White Night, shows the fun and fancy feeling of a special night on the Fantastic Voyage cruise. This annual cruise is a fundraiser for the Foundation, and Annie was often there to show her art.
In 2000, the Tom Joyner Foundation started a special partnership with Annie Lee. They called her an "Artist, Humorist, Humanitarian, Icon." They said that Annie Lee became famous around the world not just as an artist, but also as a smart business person. They noted that her ability to show feelings through her faceless paintings made her one of the most important African American artists in history. The Foundation said, "Annie is as iconic to the world of African American art as Michael Jordan is to basketball." They believed her success came from her skill and her ability to connect with people. Her art showed their history, families, struggles, joy, strengths, and faith. They proudly called her "OUR" Annie Lee.
After Annie Lee passed away, her grandson, Abe Ilo, Sr., started the Annie F. Lee Art Foundation (AFL35) in 2015. The Foundation's goal is to continue Annie's legacy of creativity and helping others. Annie loved to help people. She gave her time, influence, money, food, home, and paintings. Through her amazing artistic talent, Annie changed her own life and the lives of many people she met. The Foundation believes that using art to encourage self-awareness, self-respect, and to create positive change is what Annie Lee was all about.
See also
In Spanish: Annie Lee para niños
