On September 7, 1917, Atlantic City, New Jersey became the birthplace of soon-to-be artist Jacob Lawrence. Lawrence lived in AC until he was a teenager, before he and his family moved to New York City. Shortly after, he took an interest in art and joined arts & crafts classes in Harlem. It became obvious Lawrence was talented from a young age, with instructors often commenting on his potential.
Lawrence dropped out of school when he was 16 years old and worked in a laundry and printing plant; however, he never let go of his art talent and often attended classes at the Harlem Art Workshop taught by popular African-American artist Charles Alston. It was Alston who urged Lawrence to pursue the field and attend the Harlem Community Art Center.
Art Pays Off
The New Jersey-native soon received a scholarship to the American Artists School, and landed a paid position with the Works Progress Administration. Lawrence continued to work with Alston during this time, and was introduced to fellow Harlem Renaissance artist Henry Bannarn at the Alston-Bannarn Workshop.
Soon after, Jacob pursued a relationship with Gwendolyn Knight, a fellow student from his time at the Harlem Community Art Center. The pair married on July 24, 1941; but in the middle of World War II, in October of 1943, Lawrence enlisted in the United States Coast Guard and served with the first racially integrated crew on the USCGC Sea Cloud. Even throughout his time with the Coast Guard, Lawrence never put down his brush.
Paying it Forward
After the war, Lawrence remained in New York until 1970; afterwards he and his wife moved to Seattle, Washington after Jacob was offered a position as an art professor at the University of Washington. Right before his death in June of 2000, Lawrence and his wife founded the Jacob and Gwendolyn Lawrence Foundation to support the early careers of young professional artists.
Lawrence enjoyed a renowned career as a painter. The gritty and colorful elements of Harlem during the Great Depression inspired him to re-create such scenes on canvas. Lawrence became known for painting his portrayal of African-American life; his scenes mostly reflected life in Harlem, but Lawrence never forgot his New Jersey roots, painting scenes from the shore and boardwalk. His artwork is vibrant and moving, and various works have justly found their homes in museums across the country.
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