 |
William Tolliver, born in 1951 in Vicksburg, Mississippi, was the second oldest of fourteen children. Tolliver was a versatile artist who handled figure studies, portraits, human interest situations, landscapes, and semi-abstracts equally well. His mastery of color, harmony, and design is unmatched in the art world. He used every painterly medium and a diversity of styles, all of which are polished and bear the unmistakeable stamp of his personality.
His works are reminiscent rather than messege oriented, often reflecting experiences from his Mississippi childhood. Recurrent themes in Tolliver's art are people working and living -- stevedores, farmers, cotton pickers, women embracing their children, and people playing musical instruments. He portrays his subjects with a pride and dignity that heretofore has been uncommon among modern artists.
|
William Tolliver has been considered by many to be very likely the next great African American artist in the likeness of Romare Bearden and Jacob Lawrence. As a self-taught artist, it is amazing that he has been able to master whatever he attempts.
|
|
