James Little (painter) facts for kids

James Little (born in 1952) is an American artist and art expert. He is famous for his paintings that use clear shapes and bright colors. His art style is called geometric abstraction. He lives and works in New York City.

Early Life and Art Education

James Little was born in 1952 in Memphis, Tennessee. He grew up in the southern United States during a time when places were separated by race. His family is African-American.

He studied art at the Memphis Academy of Art, which is now called Memphis College of Art. In 1973, his artwork was chosen for an exhibition at the Arkansas Arts Center. He earned his first art degree (BFA) in 1974. Later, in 1976, he received his master's degree (MFA) from Syracuse University in Syracuse, New York.

James Little's Art Career

Little looks up to artists like Barnett Newman, Mark Rothko, and Alma Thomas. He says that abstract art gives him freedom. He feels that this type of art lets him decide what he wants to create. He believes that abstract art doesn't give you all the answers right away.

A critic named Karen Wilkin has described Little's art as having a "ravishing physicality." She also noted how his use of shapes and colors can "delight our eyes and stir our emotions."

Early Exhibitions

In 1976, James Little had his first solo art show. It was called Paintings by James Little and took place at the Everson Museum in Syracuse. In 1980, his work was part of a special show. This exhibition, called "Afro-American Abstraction," was held at MoMA PS1 in New York.

Public Art and Major Shows

In 2002, James Little created a large art piece for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority in New York. It is an 85-foot-long artwork at Jamaica Station. It features 33 colorful glass panels, each 17 feet tall. This beautiful design helps people feel good as they travel.

In 2020, some of Little's large black paintings were shown. They were part of an exhibition with the famous artist Louise Nevelson. The show was called Louise Nevelson + James Little.

James Little's art was also chosen for the important 2022 Whitney Biennial. This is a big art show that happens every two years.

Teaching and Galleries

Today, James Little teaches art at the Art Students League of New York. His art is shown in galleries like Louis Stern Fine Arts in West Hollywood and the Kavi Gupta Gallery in Chicago.

In 2005, a book was published about his work. It is called James Little: Reaching for the Sky. The book includes pictures of his art and essays by different writers.

Awards and Recognition

James Little has received several important awards for his art. In 2009, he won an award from the Joan Mitchell Foundation. He has also received a grant from the Pollock-Krasner Foundation. These awards help artists continue their work.

Curating Art Shows

Besides painting, James Little also works as a curator. This means he helps organize and put together art exhibitions. In 2019, he curated a show called New York Centric. This exhibition featured abstract artists from different generations who lived in New York City. Some of the artists included Alma Thomas and Larry Poons.

Selected Solo Exhibitions

• 2021: Chromatic Rhythm - James Little: Paintings on Paper, Sarah Moody Gallery of Art, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama
• 2020: James Little: Dots and Slants, Louis Stern Fine Arts, West Hollywood, CA
• 2018: Slants and White Paintings, June Kelly Gallery, New York
• 2016: Informed by Rhythm: Recent Work by James Little, Louis Stern Fine Arts, West Hollywood, CA
• 2013: "Never Say Never", June Kelly Gallery, New York
• 2007: James Little: Untold Stories, Station Museum of Contemporary Art, Houston, TX
• 1990: "Tondos and Ovals", June Kelly Gallery, New York
• 1976: Paintings by James Little, Everson Museum of Art, Syracuse, NY

Selected Group Exhibitions

• 2022: Whitney Biennial 2022: Quiet as It's Kept, Whitney Museum of American Art, New York
• 2021: The Dirty South: Contemporary Art, Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Richmond, Virginia
• 2019: New York Centric, Art Students League of New York, New York
• 2018: Color/Line/Form, Rosenbaum Contemporary, Boca Raton, Florida
• 2016–2017: Circa 1970, Studio Museum in Harlem, New York
• 2014: Black in the Abstract, Part 2: Hard Edges, Soft Curves, Contemporary Arts Museum Houston, TX
• 2012: Today's Visual Language: Southern Abstraction, A Fresh Look, Mobile Museum of Art, AL
• 2006: The 181st Annual Invitational Exhibition of Contemporary American Art, National Academy of Design, New York
• 2004: Seeds and Roots: Selections from the Permanent Collection, The Studio Museum in Harlem, New York
• 2002: No Greater Love, Abstraction, Jack Tilton/Anna Kustera Gallery, New York
• 1998: Postcards from Black America, De Beyerd, Center for Contemporary Art in Breda, Netherlands