Benny Andrews (American, born 1930)
Currently residing in New York City, Benny Andrews grew up in Georgia and was the first member of his family to graduate from High School. As an acclaimed American artist, the subject matter and inspiration for his paintings and prints, comes from African-American culture. He promotes the inclusion of African-American artwork in museums across the country, and his own work is currently included in the collections of many museums such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museum of Modern Art, and the Smithsonian Institute. In addition to his full-time career as an artist, he has served as director of the Visual Arts Program for the National Endowment for the Arts, and has taught at Queen’s College. He often travels back to the South, where he keeps a studio.
Information courtesy of Skinner, Inc., September 2003.