Letitia Huckaby facts for kids

Carita Letitia Huckaby (born 1972) is an American photographer. She creates amazing art by mixing photos with fabrics. Her art often tells stories about her family and important moments in African American history.

Life and Education: How Letitia Huckaby Started Her Art Journey

Before becoming a famous artist, Letitia Huckaby loved ballet. In 1988 and 1989, she joined the Oklahoma Summer Arts Institute. There, she studied modern dance. This is where she first saw photography as an art form. She loved it right away!

Her parents wanted her to study something else. So, she went to the University of Oklahoma. She earned a degree in Journalism in 1994. After college, she worked at a radio station. She also studied photography as a hobby.

Later, she helped the Oklahoma Arts Institute. She saw a photography show by Christopher James. His work, especially "Dying Man," deeply moved her. This made her decide to go back to school. She earned a BFA in art photography in 2001. This degree was from the Art Institute of Boston.

Discovering Her Passion: Documentary Photography

While in Boston, Letitia found her true calling: documentary photography. This means taking pictures to tell real stories. She photographed many interesting things:

• A dance studio that gave free classes to kids.
• A historic jazz club called Wally's.
• Backstage at makeup shows.
• A wedding for Bishop Desmond Tutu.
• Everyday city life through street photography.

She had her first art show and won many awards.

After Boston, she moved back to Texas to be near her family. She worked as a freelance journalist. She photographed babies, sports, and weddings. She married painter Sedrick Huckaby. She also had her first child and lost her father. In 2010, she earned another degree. This was an MFA in photography from the University of North Texas.

Letitia Huckaby's Art Career

In 2013, Letitia Huckaby was chosen for the Texas Biennial. This event shows off the best artists in Texas. Her art has been displayed in many places. These include the Dallas Contemporary and the African-American Museum in Dallas. Her work is also in permanent collections. These are places like the Art Museum of Southeast Texas.

Letitia also creates public art projects. These are art pieces for everyone to see.

• She made a piece along the Trinity River in Fort Worth.
• She created an installation at the Ella Mae Shamblee Branch library.
• She designed glass panels for the Highland Hills Branch Library in Dallas. These panels show silhouettes of community members.

She also helped start Kinfolk House. This is a special art space in a historic home in Fort Worth. In 2022, she was named the Texas Artist of the Year.

Solo Art Shows: Telling Stories Through Photography

Letitia Huckaby has had many solo exhibitions. These are shows where only her art is displayed.

Bayou Baroque (2015)

This show honored nuns in New Orleans. Letitia mixed materials to show historical topics. Her pieces showed Black women with the same importance as old religious paintings. The backgrounds looked like flowered patterns.

Beautiful Blackness (2020)

This show was at the Foto Relevance Gallery in Houston. It explored the history of African American life in the rural American South. Letitia looked at the remains of Freedmen's towns. She also followed the path of the Exodusters.

5 Paperdolls: A Contemporary Tale (2020)

This exhibition was inspired by the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing in 1963. This terrible event killed four children. Letitia's art remembers this sad day.

This Same Dusty Road (2020)

This show explored Letitia's faith and family history in Louisiana. Much of the art came from her memories of family. They lived along Louisiana Highway 19. She looked at her family, especially the women. Her art pieces looked like old masterworks.

And Thy Neighb(our) (2020)

The title of this show comes from a Bible verse. It focuses on ideas like community, home, and identity. These are important ideas for today's world.

Bitter Waters Sweet (2022)

This exhibition looked at the history of Africatown. This is a Black community near Mobile, Alabama. It was founded by people brought to America on the Clotilda. This ship illegally brought enslaved people from Africa in 1860. The ship was later found. Letitia's art explored this history.

Group Art Shows: Collaborating with Other Artists

Letitia Huckaby has also been part of many group exhibitions.

Make Art with Purpose 2020 (MAP2020)

This festival celebrated 100 years of the 19th amendment. This amendment gave American women the right to vote. Nineteen women artists were part of this event. They had shows, gave talks, and led workshops. They explored themes linked to women's rights.

State of the Art 2020

This exhibition featured over 100 artworks by 61 different artists. Letitia Huckaby was one of them. The show explored many topics. These included creating spaces, connections to nature, and ideas of home and family.

Emancipation: The Unfinished Project of Liberation (2023)

This show opened during the 160th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation. Seven artists showed works that responded to a sculpture called The Freedman. This sculpture shows a man who is almost free, but still has chains on his wrists. Letitia's work for this show was her print Ms. Angela and the Baby.

Art Series and Collections

Letitia Huckaby has created many different series of artworks. Some of her collections include:

• Bitter Waters Sweet
• A Tale of Two Greenwoods
• And Thy Neighb(our)
• 5 Paperdolls: A Contemporary Tale
• Beautiful Blackness
• Bayou Baroque
• LA 19
• Quilts