Artist's Statement
The central focus of my artwork has been the
exploration of color relationships, specifically the
illusion of transparencies, created by varying colors over
patterns. This produces a variety of colors while enhancing
the underlying designs. These color pencil drawings combine
my interest in abstract pattern and transparency with
geometrical and curvilinear African designs. In addition, my
color choices echo the rainbow imagery of the gay, lesbian
and human rights movements. The rainbow suggests the promise
of uniting people of diverse ethnic, religious, economic and
political backgrounds to make liberty and justice for all a
reality. The inspiration for Amistad Mende 1 and
Amistad Mende 2 came after visiting the reproduction of
the original ship Amistad. This resulted in two drawings
where I abstracted the ship's pattern, combined a pattern
from the Mende tribe in West Africa, the origin of many of
these people, and incorporated the rainbow palette.
Bio
Lula Mae Blocton graduated cum laude from
Indiana University, MFA, and received her BFA from the
University of Michigan. Her paintings and drawings are in
the collections of the Connecticut State University System,
Albright Knox Museum, Prudential Life Insurance Company, The
Schomberg Center for Research in Black Culture, Larry
Aldrich, Aldrich Museum of Contemporary Art and many private
international collections. A selected list of publications
where the artwork is reproduced: Lesbian Art: A Contemporary
History, African American Woman Artists: A Critical
Assessment, The Best of Colored Pencil 5, 3 and 2, Creative
Inspirations, Gumbo Ya Ya: Anthology of Contemporary
African-American Women Artists and many exhibition
catalogs. Her professional activities include being
selected as a delegate for People to People, Citizen
Ambassador Program of Art Educators to Egypt, Israel and
Turkey. Blocton’s travel includes: London, Paris,
Amsterdam, Kenya, Tanzania and the Yucatan Peninsula. Most
recently she explored the Inca civilization of Peru, the
Amazon rainforest, Nazca lines and Machu Picchu.
Web Site:
www.blocton.com
