Gwendolyn Knight facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Gwendolyn Knight
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| Born | May 26, 1913 |
| Died | February 18, 2005 (aged 91) |
| Education | Howard University Harlem Community Arts Center |
| Known for | Painting |
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Notable work
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Works Projects Administration |
| Awards | Women's Caucus for Art Lifetime Achievement Award |
Gwendolyn Clarine Knight (born May 26, 1913 – died February 18, 2005) was an amazing American artist. She was born in Bridgetown, Barbados, which is an island in the West Indies.
Gwendolyn painted throughout her life. But she didn't start showing her art in big exhibits until the 1970s. Her first major show, called "Never Late for Heaven: The Art of Gwen Knight," happened when she was almost 90 years old! This exhibit was held at the Tacoma Art Museum in 2003.
Some of her art teachers included the famous sculptor Augusta Savage. Gwendolyn also learned from Jacob Lawrence, another great artist. She married Jacob in 1941, and they were together until he passed away in 2000. Throughout her career, Gwendolyn received many awards. She also earned two special honorary degrees from the University of Minnesota and Seattle University.
With her husband, Gwendolyn started the Jacob and Gwendolyn Knight Lawrence Foundation in 2000. At first, it helped new artists. After Jacob died, Gwendolyn changed the foundation's focus. She wanted most of their money to help children's programs. Today, the Foundation keeps a website about their work.
Contents
Gwendolyn Knight's Life Story
Early Life and Learning
Gwendolyn Knight was born in 1913 in Barbados. When she was seven, her mother asked close friends to take care of her. Gwendolyn then moved to the United States with them. They first lived in St. Louis, Missouri.
At age 13, Gwendolyn and her foster family moved to Harlem, a famous neighborhood in New York City. She finished high school there in 1930. From 1931 to 1933, she studied fine arts at Howard University. However, the Great Depression made it hard for her family. She had to leave college before she could finish her degree.
Becoming an Adult Artist
After college, Gwendolyn returned to New York City. She got a job helping a mural painter named Charles Alston. This was part of the Works Progress Administration (WPA), a government program that created jobs during the Great Depression.
She kept studying art at the Harlem Community Art Center. There, she was mentored by Augusta Savage, a very important sculptor. Through Augusta, Gwendolyn met many famous artists, poets, and writers. These included Langston Hughes and Romare Bearden, who were part of the exciting Harlem Renaissance.
In 1934, Gwendolyn joined a WPA mural project. This is where she met Jacob Lawrence, who would become her husband. They were both painters. Gwendolyn and Jacob got married in 1941.
In 1946, another artist named Josef Albers invited them to teach at Black Mountain College. This college was starting to include African-American culture in its classes. During the 1950s, Gwendolyn and Jacob lived and worked in New York. In 1964, they traveled to Nigeria.
In 1971, Jacob got a job at the University of Washington’s School of Art. So, the couple moved to Seattle. They became active members of the art community there. In 1976, Gwendolyn had her first solo art show. This exhibit made her work more popular. Soon, national museums started wanting to buy her paintings.
Later Years and Passing Away
Gwendolyn Knight lived a long life. She passed away in Seattle on February 18, 2005. She was 91 years old.
Gwendolyn Knight's Art Work
Gwendolyn Knight's art often told stories. She painted about the lives, culture, and history of African Americans. She created still life paintings, portraits of people, and scenes of city life.
For most of her career, she painted oil portraits of her friends. She also drew figures of dancers. Her landscapes were often done with watercolors and gouache. In the 1990s, her art changed. She started making beautiful etchings and monoprints of animals. Gwendolyn found inspiration in her everyday surroundings. She also loved African dance, sculpture, and theater, which influenced her art.
Art Shows and Exhibitions
Gwendolyn Knight didn't start showing her art publicly until the 1970s. She had several important solo exhibitions:
- Seattle Art Museum (1976)
- Virginia Lacy Jones Gallery, Atlanta University (1988)
- Francine Seders Gallery in Seattle (1994)
- Never Late for Heaven: The Art of Gwen Knight, at the Tacoma Art Museum (2003)
- DC Moore Gallery, New York (2003)
Her work was also part of many group shows. One important group exhibition was in 1967. It was called Portrayal of the Negroes in American Painting at the Forum Gallery.
Awards and Special Honors
Gwendolyn Knight received many awards for her amazing art.
- In 1993, she won the Women's Caucus for Art Lifetime Achievement Award.
- She also received the Caucus Centennial Medallion from the Black Caucus.
- In 1984, she got the Centennial Award of Merit from Arizona State University.
- In 1994, she received the Pioneer Award. This was part of the Twelfth Annual Artists' Salute to Black History Month.
Where to See Her Art
Gwendolyn Knight's art can be found in several important museum collections:
Some of Her Famous Works
Here are some of Gwendolyn Knight's artworks:
- Afternoon of a Faun, 1994
- Pleas and Thank Yous: 100 True Stories, 1991
- Diva, 1994
- Figure Study No. 3, 1975
- Cat III, 1994
- Jacob, 1986
- Self Portrait, 1991
- Portrait of a Girl
- New Orleans, 2002
- The Boudoir, 1945
- The White Dress, 1999
- Still Life 1960
- Dusk, 1960
- Head of a Dancer, 1960
See also
- List of African-American visual artists
- List of Federal Art Project artists
