Via https://blackamericaweb.com/2015/06/08/former-nba-player-dunk-champ-desmond-mason-on-transition-from-basketball-to-artist/

Famous and not so well-known African-American artists have remarkably shared portrayals of contemporary and historic individuals and occasions, cultural point of views, and the experiences and struggles of minorities through their art work. This post highlights the essential work of Black artists who helped to bring African-American experiences into the elite art world. The art catches modern and historical experiences. Some art catches race and gender relations. Black Arts as a motion speaks directly to the requirements and goals of Black America. The Black artist speaks with the cultural and spiritual needs of Black people in their artistry.

The professionals of Black arts are motivated by a desire to confront white power structures and assert an African American cultural identity. Black arts aim to serve the neighborhood and artists.

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Former NBA player and 2001 Slam Dunk contest winner Desmond Mason joined guest host Mo Ivory on NewsOne Now to talk about how he transitioned from the NBA into a critically acclaimed artist.

Mason, who retired from the league at the age of 32, said he told his agent, “I’ll retire at age 32 regardless of the situation.” From that moment forward, he became “aggressive” in the world of art.

“Everybody was wondering why I retired so young and I still had plenty of time to play and I did it on my terms, but anybody that really knows me, they knew that basketball never defined me, sports never defined me and I was a little bit different — so I moved on to my next challenge,” he said.

Mason told Ivory that he still considers himself a “rookie in the art game” and aspires to take his craft to NBA level status as an internationally recognized artist.

Mason said he used basketball as a “platform” to get people to attend his art exhibitions, believing his art would “speak for itself.”

“I got to the point where I started having exhibitions and people were paying five, six, seven, eight thousand, nine thousand, ten thousand dollars for a painting and then I knew then it wasn’t just because I played basketball. No one is going to continuously pay that money for something because I play basketball.”

Mason highlighted actor George Clooney, Rich Heise, an early investor in Groupon, and other business heavyweights as being collectors of his art work. The former Seattle Supersonics shooting guard recently sold a painting to Chicago businessman David Gupta for $60,000.

Mason has a series of art shows coming up in Las Vegas and Dallas. For more information about his paintings and upcoming shows, visit www.dmasonart.com.

Watch NewsOne Now guest host, Mo Ivory, and former NBA player Desmond Mason discuss his transition from pro sports to the art world in the video clip above.

(Photo PR Web)

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Black artists stress racial pride, an appreciation of African heritage, and a dedication to produce works that show the culture and experiences of black individuals. In each age, occasions of the day galvanize black artists to produce, arrange, and transform the world.

Via https://play.podtrac.com/APM-HistoricallyBlack/play.publicradio.org/rss/d/podcast/apmreports/historicallyblack/2016/09/26/historicallyblack2_128.mp3

This short article highlights the critical work of Black artists who assisted to bring African-American experiences into the elite art world. Black Arts as a movement speaks straight to the requirements and aspirations of Black America. The Black artist speaks to the cultural and spiritual requirements of Black individuals in their artistry.

The specialists of Black arts are motivated by a desire to challenge white power structures and assert an African American cultural identity. Black arts intend to serve the community and artists.

The Million Man March of 1995 is recreated through the conversation between a young woman and her father, who attended it. He talks about how the event changed his life, and she recalls what it meant to see a poster of the march hanging on the wall of her father’s den since she was a girl.

Black artists stress racial pride, an appreciation of African heritage, and a commitment to produce works that reflect the culture and experiences of black individuals. In each era, events of the day galvanize black artists to create, organize, and change the world.

Via https://play.podtrac.com/APM-HistoricallyBlack/play.publicradio.org/rss/d/podcast/apmreports/historicallyblack/2016/10/03/historicallyblack3_128.mp3

This post highlights the pivotal work of Black artists who helped to bring African-American experiences into the elite art world. Black Arts as a movement speaks directly to the needs and goals of Black America. The Black artist speaks to the cultural and spiritual requirements of Black people in their artistry.

The specialists of Black arts are inspired by a desire to face white power structures and assert an African American cultural identity. Black arts intend to serve the neighborhood and artists.

Members of an extended Tennessee family talk about their great, great grandfather, a slave owned by his white, biological father. After emancipation, their ancestor managed to buy a farm. Family members reflect on the strength it took to survive slavery and to prosper in the years that followed.

Black artists emphasize racial pride, a gratitude of African heritage, and a commitment to produce works that reflect the culture and experiences of black individuals. In each age, events of the day galvanize black artists to develop, organize, and change the world.