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Artist

William Ellisworth Artis

Nationality
American
Birth/Death
1914-1977

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Artwork by William Ellisworth Artis
Work of Art
Michael

About

William Artis was born in Washington, North Carolina. He moved to New York with his family as a teenager. Artis was a student of sculptor Augusta Savage. She was a key figure of the Harlem Renaissance. In addition to sculpting, Artis had a long career as an educator. He promoted art education in Southern Black schools in the 1940s.

From Wikipedia

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William Ellisworth Artis (February 2, 1914 – April 3, 1977) was an African American sculptor active from the Harlem Renaissance until his death. His favorite medium was clay for its ability to provide a broad range of expression. He dabbled in oil painting and, during the latter part of his life, began to focus on potting. His art style focused on representations of Black features and "figurative tradition".