Roland Ayers facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Roland Ayers
Born	(1932-07-02)July 2, 1932 Philadelphia
Died	May 18, 2014(2014-05-18) (aged 81) Philadelphia
Nationality	American
Education	Philadelphia College of Art
Known for	Painting

Roland Ayers (1932–2014) was an amazing African American artist. He was known for his beautiful watercolor paintings and prints. But he was most famous for his detailed drawings. These drawings often showed people and nature mixed together. They looked like scenes from a dream, drawn with black ink on a plain background. Roland Ayers loved poetry, jazz music, and books. He believed his artwork was like poetry, telling stories through pictures instead of words.

Early Life and Art Education

Roland Ayers was born in Philadelphia on July 2, 1932. He was an only child. When he was just four years old, he started drawing pictures. He would draw on the empty pages inside his parents' books! His parents, Alice and Lorenzo Ayers, gave him paper and art supplies. He would then sit for hours, drawing war planes, jets, and even copying comic strips. His father also taught him to love words and poetry.

In 1944, when Roland was 11, his art was noticed. A newspaper wrote about him. His drawings were part of the first art show at the Rittenhouse Street YMCA in Philadelphia. This was a big deal for a young artist!

After high school, Roland joined the Army. He spent two years in Germany as a cook. When he returned, he went to the Philadelphia College of Art. Today, this school is called the University of the Arts (Philadelphia). There, he created many different types of art. He made drawings with pen and ink, collages, and paintings using gouache and watercolors. He finished college in 1954. After college, he worked as a playground supervisor. He sometimes sold his art, but it was hard to make a living only from his artwork.

Roland Ayers' Art Style and Ideas

Roland Ayers once told a writer that he was an artist who explored "the reality of dreams." His pen-and-ink drawings are often called "magically surreal." This means they are dreamlike and a bit mysterious. His art showed city scenes, people, African sculptures, and nature. He wanted people to notice the sounds of nature in his work. Things like bodies moving, trees swaying, and the sound of the sea.

While his ink drawings looked like dreams, his paintings were more realistic. In the mid-1960s, Ayers traveled to Europe. He visited places like Holland and Greece. He felt that his art was more appreciated there than in the United States.

How Travel Changed His Art

In 1966, something special happened to him in Greece. He had a powerful experience that made him realize how connected humans and nature are. He said, "All is oneness, a blade of grass, you and I, shoes, and ice cream." This idea changed his art. He decided to focus more on his drawings. He didn't return to watercolors until 1972. This experience was like a deep meditation for him. He became a follower of a teacher named Jiddhu Krishnamurti.

Several of Roland Ayers' pen-and-ink drawings are now in the Royal Library of Belgium. This is a very important museum in Belgium. Some of these works include "May Queen" (1971) and "Man-Child" (1970).

In 1972, he visited West Africa. This trip helped him feel even more connected to his African heritage. This connection had grown stronger because of the Black power movement in the 1960s.

Roland Ayers' Art Career

In 1960, Roland Ayers opened an art gallery in Philadelphia. It was called Waverly Gallery and Workshop. He started it with two other Black artists. At that time, he also tried sculpting. His first art competition was in 1958. It was called "Young Water Colorists" at the Philadelphia Art Alliance. In 1963, he won a "Best of the Year" award from the alliance.

Roland Ayers often showed his art at galleries owned by Socrates Perakis. In March 1963, he had his own show at the Towne Gallery. He continued to show his paintings there in April and June. He was one of 16 artists in this gallery, which later became the Socrates Perakis Gallery.

He showed watercolors and drawings at the Socrates Perakis Gallery again in 1968. A year later, his work was part of a big show of Black artists. This important event was held at the Philadelphia Civic Center Museum. It was called "Afro-American Artists 1800-1969." The show featured 250 artworks from artists across the country. Roland Ayers was one of many local artists included.

Major Exhibitions and Projects

The Philadelphia Museum of Art also showed Ayers' watercolors in 1969. In 1971, he exhibited his art at the Carnegie Institute. He showed his work alongside famous artists like Paul Keene and Bob Thompson.

In 1973, Roland Ayers was chosen for a special exhibit. It was called "Blackness USA-1973" at the New York Cultural Center. This show featured 43 of the most talented Black artists in the country. Ayers' drawings "Spring" and "Home" were part of this exhibit.

He also used his art to help others. In 1973, he donated artwork for a fundraiser. It was for a cause called SICKLE-SALETHON. This event helped raise money for sickle cell disease research. It was held at the Studio Museum in Harlem.

In 1974, he was part of an exhibit in Philadelphia. It was called "Nigeria – We Salute You … Black Artists of Philadelphia." His works were shown with other Philadelphia artists. These included Howard N. Watson and Benjamin Britt.

Roland Ayers even exhibited his art in homes, including the Pennsylvania governor's mansion in 1981. This show was put on by the Afro-American Historical and Cultural Society Museum. His work, "Americana II – Jazz," was part of a private collection.

In 1977, he had a show at the Woodmere Art Gallery. This show looked back at 10 years of his pen-and-ink drawings. He said these drawings were like a "ten-year journey of mind/body/soul."

The Afro-American Historical and Cultural Museum had a special show just for Roland Ayers in 1978. It was called "Roland Ayers: A Personal Construct." Newspapers like The Philadelphia Inquirer said his drawings were very popular. The Philadelphia Daily News called him one of the country's most famous artists. His art often showed nature as part of human life. One curator said his works were full of amazing images. Bodies flowed into trees, and faces appeared in leaves.

In 1978, he joined a program called "Visual Artists in Public Service." Artists were hired to teach classes, create murals, and show their art. This program was like the Federal Art Project from the 1930s.

Printmaking and Posters

The year 1987 was very busy for Roland Ayers as a printmaker. He was asked to create a drawing and poster for the first Paul Robeson Festival. Robeson was a famous singer, actor, and activist. Ayers drew Robeson in his many roles. He showed him as a football player at Rutgers University, as the character Othello on stage, and as a peace activist. This drawing was later featured in a 2021 exhibit at the Woodmere Art Museum.

He also designed a poster called "Originating." This poster was given to winners of the American Book Awards. He also made posters for groups like the Joan Kerr Dance Company.

In 1992, Roland Ayers was working at the Free Library of Philadelphia's used bookstore. His Robeson print was part of a library exhibit called "Prints of Black Artists of the Delaware Valley." He returned to the African American Museum in Philadelphia in 2001. His painting "Avenging Angel" was part of a show about the spiritual strength of Black people.

Later Years and Legacy

In 1980, Roland Ayers helped start the Philadelphia Chapter of the National Conference of Artists. This group was created to bring Black artists together.

In 1985, Ayers became the director of the Allens Lane Art Center. He also taught art classes there. He had an exhibit of his own works called "The Elements of Design." This show taught about line, color, form, space, and texture in art. He also taught at his old college, the Philadelphia College of Art. Around the 1990s, Ayers started creating collages.

In 1991, he became the manager of the Free Library of Philadelphia’s used bookstore. Sadly, he had to stop working because he developed Alzheimer’s. He passed away in 2014 due to complications from Alzheimer's.

His artwork was featured in a 2015 exhibition. It was called We Speak: Black Artists in Philadelphia, 1920s-1970s. This show was held at the Woodmere Art Museum. Roland Ayers' unique vision continues to inspire artists and art lovers today.

Collections

• Bibliotheque Royale de Belique (Royal Museum of Belgium)
• Concertgebouw de Doelen, Rotterdam The Netherlands
• Free Library of Philadelphia
• Philadelphia Museum of Art
• Woodmere Art Museum
• Free Library of Philadelphia, Print and Picture Collection

Exhibitions

Awards

• Best of Year Award (1963), Philadelphia Art Alliance
• Excellence in Printmaking (1959, 1960), Fleischer Art Memorial  
• Henry O. Tanner Award, Best of Show (1974), Philadelphia Urban League Guild