Exploring a few African American art prints

African American paintings and art prints are unique in that they are influenced by two different traditions – African cultural heritage and European-based heritage. Just as African American influence paved the way for some of the never before heard musical forms enjoyed all over the world today such as rhythm and blues, pop music, jazz and rap, African American paintings and art prints also bear unique hallmarks.

For instance, one of the print below by Ernest E. Varner entitled Magic drum shows a young lad beating a traditional African drum. The African drum in this painting signifies the African influence in Varner's work. A number of African American paintings and art prints also use similar themes.

Still on Ernest E. Varner, one of his most well known paintings is Good Morning Lord shown above. Here a young angelic lady offers a smart salutation. Closely observe the lady’s hairstyle. It is a common West African hairstyle. This picture also affirms a great deal of African influence in the works of some African American artists.

African heritage also resounds in the works of other African American artists like Keith Mallet. Two art prints from his work are shown below.

Artists like Ernest E. Varner and Keith Mallet have also made paintings where the African influence is less evident or noticeably absent altogether. These are the unique hallmarks talked about earlier - the ability to view African American art prints and paintings that sometimes look African and at other times look...well, very American. Now isn't that great! 

You can also link to more information on art prints in general here.

Oliver John

Posters-ArtPrints-PictureFrames.com

September 2004