Artists You Should Know: Richard Mayhew

Join Crocker Art Museum for the latest iteration of Artist You Should Know, as it explores the life, legacy, and work of Richard Mayhew, one of the last living members of the Spiral Arts Movement, a collective of African American artists he helped form along with fellow art icons Romare Bearden, Charles Alston, Norman Lewis, and Hale Woodruff. Following a presentation on the artist, participants will create moodscapes, as Mayhew calls them, using caran d’ache on paper. Registration closes February 18.

Like many African American artists of his time, Richard Mayhew wasn’t just a painter: He was an activist. In 1963, Mayhew joined the Spiral, a Harlem-based collective, to discuss the role of African American artists in the politics and culture of America. However, unlike his colleagues, Mayhew eschewed African American themes in favor of pursuing transcendence through the spirituality of landscape.⁣ Mayhew was once a jazz musician, but when faced with choosing between a career in music or in painting, he opted for the latter. His talent for musical improvisation carried over into his spontaneous, expressionistic landscape paintings, which he refers to as “moodscapes.”

Running low on supplies or just want to avoid going to the store? Purchase a Supplies-to-Go Bag, conveniently packed and quarantined for at least 72 hours and ready for curbside pick-up at a designated time. Available at registration. Limit one per participant. Want to order your own materials? Click HERE for a supply list. Allow ample time for deliveries to ensure you are ready to go when class begins. Note: All participants will need access to Zoom.

Instructor Daphne Burgess is an African American artist from Sacramento whose work has been shown in galleries and museums, including the Brickhouse Art Gallery, Sojourner Truth African Heritage Museum, Sacramento State University, Crocker Art Museum, and the African American Museum and Library. Her background is layered with art practice, community service, and a commitment to increasing access to creative experiences. Burgess now lives in Alabama and opened a gallery and studio, Gallery 157, in January 2020 with a goal to increase access to art experiences through exhibitions, workshops and collaboration.

Image 1: Richard Mayhew (American, born 1942), Nostalgia (detail), 2016. Oil on canvas, 48 x 60 in. Crocker Art Museum, gift of Loren G. Lipson, M.D., 2017.42.