Remembering Our Annie Lee Annie Lee (1935 - 2014) Artist, Humorist, Humanitarian, Icon in Black Art passed away last night. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family. Annie Lee established herself internationally not only as an artist, but a respected and business savvy entrepreneur. Her noted ability to convey feelings through the faceless subjects of her paintings has won her a place in history as one of the icons of African American art. Born in Gadsden, Alabama in 1935 and raised in Chicago, Annie grew up learning how to cook, wash, clean and sew. These survival skills, which she learned along with her brother, instilled in her a work ethic that has served her well. In addition to sewing, Annie learned to knit, crochet and draw. She began painting at age ten in elementary school, where she won her first art contest and received a free semester of study at the Art Institute of Chicago. She continued honing her artistic skills resulting in a four-year scholarship to Northwestern University. However, she chose marriage and raising a family over attending school. Having been showcased in galleries around the world, Annie was an internationally recognized painter and an original piece of her work sells for anywhere between $4,000 and $20,000. Her art has been used as decorations for television and movie sets such as A Different World, 227, Coming to America, Boomerang, and Barber Shop. Her business acumen, however, led her to develop a line of figurines and home décor items recreated from her paintings that offer the opportunity for everyone, on any budget, to own a piece of Annie Lee. Annie is as iconic to the world of African American art as Michael Jordan is to basketball. She has rightfully earned her place among the great artists of our race. Her success is not only based on her skill as a painter, but on her ability to touch us at our core. Her art reflects on our history, our families, our struggles, our joy, our strengths, our weaknesses, our pride, our idiosyncrasies and on the faith that sustains us. Artist, Humorist, Humanitarian, Icon - she will always be OUR Annie Lee.
Posted on: Wed, 26 Nov 2014 21:30:58 +0000
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