Charles Alston

Charles Henry Alston (November 28, 1907 – April 27, 1977) be an American painter, sculptor, illustrator, muralist den teacher hu live ein work insyd de New York City neighborhood of Harlem. Alston be active insyd de Harlem Renaissance; Alston be de first African-American supervisor for de Works Progress Administration's Federal Art Project. Alston design ein paint murals at de Harlem Hospital ein de Golden State Mutual Life Insurance Building. Insyd 1990, Alston's bust of Martin Luther King Jr. becam de first image of an African American display at de White House.

Charles Alston

human

Ein sex anaa gender	male
Country wey e be citizen	United States
Name wey dem give am	Charles, Henry
Family name	Alston
Ein date of birth	28 November 1907
Place dem born am	Charlotte
Date wey edie	27 April 1977
Place wey edie	New York City
Manner of death	natural causes
Cause of death	cancer
Spouse	Myra Adele Logan
Relative	Romare Bearden
Ein occupation	caricaturist, painter, sculptor, visual artist
Field for work	mural
Employer	City University of New York, Harlem Arts Community Center, Art Students League of New York
Educate for	Columbia University, Teachers College, Art Students League of New York, DeWitt Clinton High School, St. Augustine's University
Residence	Harlem, Charlotte
Work period (start)	1932
Work period (end)	1977
Ethnic group	African Americans
Dey archive for	Louis Round Wilson Library
Movement	abstract expressionism, Harlem Renaissance
Member of	Alpha Phi Alpha, American Academy of Arts and Letters, 372nd Infantry Regiment, Spiral
Genre	portrait
Influenced by	Aaron Douglas
Dema official website	http://www.michaelrosenfeldart.com/artists/charles-alston-1907-1977
Copyright status as creator	works protected by copyrights
Artist files at	Philadelphia Museum of Art Library and Archives, Frick Art Research Library, Smithsonian American Art and Portrait Gallery Library, Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture

Personal life

Early life

Dem born Charles Henry Alston for November 28, 1907, insyd Charlotte, North Carolina, to Reverend Primus Priss Alston ein Anna Elizabeth (Miller) Alston, as de youngest of five children. Three survive past infancy: Charles, his older sister Rousmaniere den his older brother Wendell. Dem born his father into slavery insyd 1851 insyd Pittsboro, North Carolina. After de Civil War, he gain an education den graduate from St. Augustine's College insyd Raleigh. He becam a prominent minister ein founder of St. Michael's Episcopal Church, plus an African-American congregation. Dem dey describe​ de senior Alston as a "race man": an African American hu dedicate his skills to de furtherance of de Black race. Reverend Alston meet his wife wen she be a student at his school. Charles be nickname "Spinky" by his father, ein keep de nickname as an adult. Insyd 1910, wen Charles get three years old, ein father die suddenly of a cerebral hemorrhage. Locals describe his father as de "Booker T. Washington of Charlotte".

Insyd 1913, Anna Alston marry Harry Bearden, Romare Bearden's uncle, making Charles ein Romare cousins. De two Bearden families live across de street from each oda; de friendship between Romare ein Charles would last a lifetime.

As a child, Alston be inspire by his older brother Wendell's drawings of trains ein cars, wich de young artist copy. Alston san play plus clay, creating a sculpture of North Carolina. As an adult he reflect for his memories of sculpting plus clay as a child: "I'd get buckets of it ein put it through strainers ein make things out of it. I think dat's de first art experience I remember, making things." Ein mother be a skill embroiderer den take up painting at de age of 75. His father san be good at drawing, having wooed Alston's mother Anna plus small sketches insyd de medians of letters he write her.

Insyd 1915, de Bearden/Alston family move for New York, as many African-American families did during de Great Migration. Alston's step-father, Henry Bearden, leave before his wife ein children in order to get work. Ein secure a job overseeing elevator operations den de newsstand staff at de Bretton Hotel insyd de Upper West Side. De family live insyd Harlem ein be consider middle-class. During de Great Depression, de people of Harlem suffer economically. De "stoic strength" wey dey see within de community be later expresse insyd Charles’ fine art. At Public School 179 insyd Manhattan, de boy's artistic abilities were recognize ein dem dey ask him to draw all of de school posters during his years there.

Insyd 1917, Harry ein Anna Bearden dey get a daughter together, Aida C. Bearden, hu would later marry operatic baritone Lawrence Whisonant.

Higher education

Alston graduate from DeWitt Clinton High School, where dem nominate him for academic excellence ein be de art editor of de school's magazine, The Magpie. He be a member of de Arista - National Honor Society ein san study drawing den anatomy at de Saturday school of de National Academy of Art. Insyd high school ,dem give him e first oil paints den learn about his aunt Bessye Bearden's art salons, wich stars like Duke Ellington ein Langston Hughes dey attend. After graduating insyd 1925, he attend Columbia University, turning down a scholarship to de Yale School of Fine Arts.

Pvt. Alston with his art student and cousin, Romare Bearden (right), discussing one of his paintings, Cotton Workers, in 1944. Both were members of the 372nd Infantry Regiment stationed in New York City.

Alston enter de pre-architectural program but lost interest after realizing wat difficulties many African-American architects get insyd de field. After san taking classes insyd pre-med, he decide dat math, physics den chemistry "be not just my bag", ein he enter de fine arts program. During his time at Columbia, Alston join Alpha Phi Alpha, work for de university's Columbia Daily Spectator, ein draw cartoons for de school's magazine Jester. He san explore Harlem restaurants ein clubs, where his love for jazz ein black music would be foster. Insyd 1929, he graduate den receive de Arthur Wesley Dow fellowship to study at Teachers College, where he obtain his Master's insyd 1931.

Later life

For de years 1942 ein 1943 Alston be station insyd de army at Fort Huachuca insyd Arizona. While working on a mural project at Harlem Hospital, he meet Myra Adele Logan, den an surgical intern at de hospital. Dem get marry to each oda for April 8, 1944. Their home, wich include his studio, dey be on Edgecombe Avenue near Highbridge Park. De couple live close to family; at their frequent gatherings Alston enjoy cooking ein Myra play piano. During de 1940s Alston san take occasional art classes, studying under Alexander Kostellow.

For April 27, 1977, Alston die after a long bout plus cancer, just months after ein wife die from lung cancer. His memorial service be hold at St. Martins Episcopal Church insyd New York City, for May 21, 1977.

Professional career

Alston's illustration of African-American historian Carter G. Woodson for the Office of War Information

While obtaining ein master's degree, Alston be de boys’ work director at de Utopia Children's House, wey dey start by James Lesesne Wells. He san begin teaching at de Harlem Community Art Center, founded by Augusta Savage insyd de basement of wat is now de Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture. Alston's teaching style dey influence by de work of John Dewey, Arthur Wesley Dow, ein Thomas Munro. During dis period, Alston begin to teach de 10-year-old Jacob Lawrence, whom he strongly dey influence. Alston be introduce for African art by de poet Alain Locke. Insyd de late 1920s, Alston join Bearden den oda black artists hu refuse to exhibit insyd William E. Harmon Foundation shows, wich dey feature all-black artists insyd their traveling exhibits. Alston ein his friends think de exhibits be curate for a white audience, a form of segregation wich de men protest. They did not want to be set aside but exhibit for de same level as art peers of every skin color.

Insyd 1938, de Rosenwald Fund dey provide money for Alston to travel for de South, wich be ein first return there since leaving as a child. Ein travel plus Giles Hubert, an inspector for de Farm Security Administration, give him access to certain situations ein he photograph many aspects of rural life. These photographs dey serve as de basis for a series of genre portraits depicting southern black life. Insyd 1940, he complete Tobacco Farmer, de portrait of a young black farmer insyd white overalls den a blue shirt plus a youthful yet serious look upon ein face, sitting in front of de landscape ein buildings he works on den in. Dat same year Alston dey receive a second round of funding from de Rosenwald Fund to travel South, ein he spent extended time at Atlanta University.

During de 1930s ein early 1940s, Alston dey create illustrations for magazines such as Fortune, Mademoiselle, The New Yorker, Melody Maker ein odas. He san design album covers for artists such as Duke Ellington ein Coleman Hawkins, as well as book covers for Eudora Welty den Langston Hughes. Alston becam staff artist at de Office of War Information ein Public Relations insyd 1940, creating drawings of notable African Americans. These images wey dey use insyd over 200 black newspapers across de country by de government to "foster goodwill plus de black citizenry."

Alston leave commercial work to focus for his own artwork, ein insyd 1950 he becam de first African-American instructor at de Art Students League, where he remain for faculty until 1971. Insyd 1950, ein Painting dey exhibit at de Metropolitan Museum of Art, den his artwork be one of de few pieces wey dey purchase by de museum. He landed his first solo exhibition insyd 1953 at de John Heller Gallery, wich dey represent artists such as Roy Lichtenstein. He exhibit there five times from 1953 to 1958.

Insyd 1956, Alston becam de first African-American instructor at de Museum of Modern Art, wey he dey teach for a year before going for Belgium on behalf of MoMA ein de United States Department of State. He coordinate de children's community center at Expo 58. Insyd 1958, dem dey award a grant form ein be elect as a member of de American Academy of Arts and Letters.