Lilian Thomas Burwell facts for kids

Lilian Thomas Burwell, born in 1927, is an American artist. She is known for her unique sculptures and paintings. Her art often mixes these two forms together. Lilian uses abstract shapes and colors to show her feelings about nature.

Early Life and Learning

Lilian Thomas Burwell was born in Washington, D.C., on June 7, 1927. She grew up in a very creative family. Her father was a photographer. Her mother was an artist and also made crafts. Both of her parents taught art. Lilian's aunt, Hilda Rue Wilkinson Brown, was also a famous painter.

Lilian went to special art schools. She studied at the High School of Music and Art in New York City. She also attended Dunbar High School in Washington, D.C. After high school, she continued her art education. She finished her studies at Pratt Institute in 1946. Later, she earned a bachelor's degree from DC Teachers College. In 1975, she received a master's degree from Catholic University.

Her Artistic Journey

In the mid-1960s, Lilian Thomas Burwell studied a style called abstract expressionism. She learned from the famous artist Benjamin Abramowitz. She worked in this style until the early 1980s. After her mother passed away, Lilian's art changed. She started making sculptures from hand-carved wood. Her paintings also began to look more like sculptures.

Connections in the Art World

Lilian has been an important part of the art communities in Washington, D.C. She is also well-known in the African-American art world. She was good friends with other artists. These friends included Felrath Hines, Alma Thomas, and Sylvia Snowden.

Exhibitions and Shows

Burwell's art has been shown in many places. She has had over 20 exhibitions in the United States and other countries. Some famous places that showed her work include:

• The Smithsonian Institution's Anacostia Community Museum
• The Chicago Museum of Science and Industry
• The National Museum of Women in the Arts
• The Baltimore Museum of Art
• The Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library

In 1997, the Hampton University Museum held a special show. It looked back at 30 years of her artwork. They also published a book about her journey. The book was called From Painting to Painting as Sculpture: the Journey of Lilian Thomas Burwell.

Teaching and Curating

Lilian Thomas Burwell also had a long career as a curator. A curator is someone who organizes art exhibitions. She worked in this field for 15 years. She was the first director of the Alma Thomas Memorial Gallery. This gallery was in Shaw and was for the D.C. Department of Education. She also directed the Sumner Museum and Archives.

Lilian designed art lessons for schools in D.C. She taught art at Pratt Institute in New York City. She was the head of the visual arts department at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts. As recently as 2012, she taught art at Anne Arundel Community College. In 2015, she organized an exhibition called "The Art of a People: Finding a Way Out of No Way." This show was at the Banneker-Douglass Museum.

Besides her art and teaching, Burwell also worked in graphic design for 30 years. She was a specialist in publications and exhibits for the U.S. Department of Commerce.