17 Black Artists You Can Purchase Art From Right Now

There’s an observation month for everything and October just happens to be a time to appreciate Black visual artists. Black Fine Art Month was designed to celebrate the work of Black artists and their contributions to the visual arts world. The annual observation was entered into the Congressional record books in 2019 by Illinois Congresswoman Robin Kelly.

According to Zippia, Black artists make up 3.9% of artists employed in arts in the United States. The industry is predominately white and female with the highest employment demand in Irvine, California, which has almost no Black population. The statistics make it clear that choosing to support the work of Black visual artists must be approached intentionally.

Of course, we aren’t going to leave you hanging on trying to find artists to support. Here are 17 Black artists you can purchase art from right now.

Charles Philippe Jean-Pierre

Charles Philippe Jean-Pierre is a Haitian American artist from Chicago. He works as an adjunct fine arts professor at American University. He is also a U.S. State Department Art in Embassies artist whose work is featured in the permanent collection of the U.S. Embassy in Cotonou, Benin, West Africa.

“The stark contradictions of beauty and power, as a theme, are ever-present as a theoretical and methodological struggle within Jean-Pierre’s overall body of work,” his artist statement reads. “His multimedia paintings speak to the nexus of political, social, and economic structures. Much of his work is representative of the synergy, or lack thereof, between societal perceptions and reality.”

Theresa Cates

Theresa Cates is a self-taught visual artist who turned to painting as a form of mental wellness.

“I sit on the floor to paint with my canvas pulled close to me, and while creating each piece, I find myself having to look at it from all directions,” she said. “I know I must feel each piece to convey what’s inside of me. And once I’m finished, a relationship has been established and I have completed what I set out to do. I don’t just want my paintings to be beautiful, I want them to set the atmosphere of wherever they are placed. Faith, joy, color and soul are the core of my paintings. These are what I believe to be the medicines of life.”

Randell Henry

Randell Henry has been an artist member of the Baton Rouge Gallery since 1985. He works as an art professor at Southern University and A&M College. He serves on the board of directors of Baton Rouge Gallery and the DeBose Foundation.

Derrick Bell

Derrick Bell is a Cincinnati-born painter and furniture maker based in Oakland, California.

“My ongoing body of work explores constructions — the human family, spirituality and culture,” he said. “This against more tenuous subjects like inclusion, dignity, consumption, privilege, safety and subjectivity. In addition to the history of Black identity both in the United States and in Western art.”

Fleur De Tiff

Tiff is a New Orleans-born artist in Nashville who is also a pediatric dentist in residence.

“I’ve always loved art ever since I was young,” she said. “As a child, you could find me reading, sketching cartoons as I set in front of the TV, or writing short stories just for the hell of it. I’ve always had a wild imagination. About two years ago, I decided to revisit my love for art and began to teach myself how to draw figures. People actually liked my art and suggested I started selling it.”

Black Artivism

Curated by Nakia Booker, MMXX: The Black Artivism Capsule is a collection of art by Black artists made in 2020.

“In the midst of the deaths of Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, John Lewis, Chadwick Boseman, and Kobe and Gigi Bryant, we also had to witness the world reject the racist experiences of Harry and Meghan, endure the highest unemployment rate in the country’s history, and the Trump administration called for critical race theory, along with diversity and sensitivity training, to have funding removed,” the description reads.

Starvos

Starvos simply describes himself as a painter and illustrator. The seasoned artist offers custom illustrations and more.

“While he is primarily self-taught, he had a brief period of formal training in art at Louisiana State University. He is always looking to let God speak in and through his work. Starvos’ original artwork often reflects his love for theology, African American culture, and New Orleans/Louisiana culture,” his artist statement reads.

Melissa A. Mitchell

Melissa A. Mitchell is the founder of A Better Life by Abeille Creations, which features wearable art and custom designs.

“ABL’s company focus shifted to creating an art collecting experience through apparel,” the website reads. “Each piece created is vibrant, memorable, and full of energy. Year after year, collections are produced in limited quantities and then discontinued to preserve the value of the artistic designs. Melissa uses ABL to educate people about art while transferring hope, confidence, and awareness.”

O'Brian Jones