Inez Nathaniel-Walker facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Inez Nathaniel-Walker
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| Born |
Inez Stedman
1911 Sumter, South Carolina
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| Died | 1990 (aged 78–79) |
| Nationality | American |
| Known for | folk artist |
Inez Nathaniel-Walker (born Stedman) (1911-1990) was an amazing African-American folk artist. She taught herself how to draw and create art.
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The Life of Inez Nathaniel-Walker
Inez was born in 1911 in Sumter, South Carolina. She grew up in a very poor family. Sadly, she became an orphan when she was very young. She got married when she was only 12 or 13 years old.
Moving to New Places
Later, Inez moved to Philadelphia. This was during a time called the Great Migration. Many African Americans moved from the Southern states to the North. They were looking for better lives and to escape hard farm work.
In 1949, Inez moved again, this time to Port Byron, New York. She found work there in a factory that processed apples.
A New Start in Art
Inez faced a difficult time in her life. She was in prison from 1971 to 1973. While she was there, she started to draw. She used any paper she could find. Drawing helped her feel better and keep her mind busy. She drew many pictures, filling dozens of notebooks. She continued drawing until she was released from prison. After that, she moved back to Port Byron.
Inez Nathaniel-Walker's Art Career
While Inez was in prison, her art caught the eye of Elizabeth Bayley. Mrs. Bayley was one of Inez's teachers there. She saw how talented Inez was. Mrs. Bayley gave Inez drawing paper, notebooks, and pencils.
Her Unique Style
Mrs. Bayley also showed Inez's drawings to an art dealer. This dealer later received many of Inez's sketchbooks. Inez Nathaniel-Walker's drawings are mostly portraits of women. She used colored pens, pencils, and ink. Her art is known for its many beautiful details. The faces in her drawings often look straight ahead or to the side. They have big, expressive eyes. The women in her art often wear clothes that Inez herself owned.
Inez described her own artistic process. She said, "I don't look at nothing to draw by. I can't look at nobody and draw. I just draw by my own mission. I just sit down and start drawing." This shows how natural and personal her art was.
Where Her Art Is Shown
Inez Nathaniel-Walker's artwork has been shown in many important places. These include the Akron Art Institute and the Corcoran Gallery. Her art was also displayed at the Musée Art et Marges in Brussels.
Several of her drawings were part of a very important art show. It was called "Black Folk Art in America: 1930-1980." Today, her work can be found in several famous museum collections. These include the Smithsonian American Art Museum, the American Folk Art Museum, the University of Michigan Museum of Art, and the High Museum.
