Roland Ayers was one of those local artists who was a friend and mentor to a few people but was largely unknown to many. For years, he ran the Friends of the Free Library of…
Category: Art
It’s been more than a month since I self-published my book “ART WITH HEART: How I Built a Sweet Collection by Buying Cheap at Auction.” The book tells the story of how I amassed a…
The apprehension in my framer’s voice was palpable. I had given her a painting three months before for new framing. I had called often to ask if it was finished, but each time she had…
Connecting with a 19th-century Black history & art collector
Posted in Art, Black history, Books, and Ephemera/Paper/Documents
William Henry Dorsey was not only an artist but a collector. That’s not unusual. What is unusual is that he was both at a time when Black folks were struggling to survive the dehumanization of…
The mystical talents of artist Otto Neals
Posted in Art
Otto Neals was born with talent, but he never stopped pushing himself. He mastered watercolor after years of trying. “Watercolor was very difficult for me. But I loved it so much that I kept going…
Most times, finding a lucky old coin is elusive
Posted in Art, Black history, collectibles, and history
Every now and then at auction, I’d pick up a box of sundry items and find a few coins in the mix. I know nothing about the value of old coins, but I always hoped…
My auction buddy Sly had picked up the painting at an estate sale at a house. Even in the middle of a pandemic, he can’t seem to stay home and stop buying stuff to add…
Back in 1960, a young New York couple bought a small Jacob Lawrence painting at a charity art auction. Apparently unbeknownst to them, it was No. 16 of 30 paintings (or panels) in his series…
Penchant for flowers shows in designs of Hubert Le Gall
Posted in Art, Decorating, furniture, and Home
I was attracted to the unconventionality of the vase and flowers. Both wore a brilliant color of gold, and the flowers looked so real as their blossoms hung limply on the stems. How different. The…
Children’s books illustrated by African American artist John Wilson
Posted in Art, Black history, and Books
I knew exactly what I was looking for as I flipped through the carts of children’s books lined up in a hallway outside the abandoned school library. I wondered if there were any books with…