Intro photo by Veronica Marché Illustration
As an ’80s baby, black, beautiful illustrations in print and broadcast media were pretty much limited to drummer and guitarist Shana Elmsford from musical cartoon “Jem and the Holograms” on the family farm. Seriously, that’s about it. Unless my parents or grandparents did hardcore diggin’, my siblings and I were out of luck in the animated beauty and media representation department until the mid ’90s and early 2000s when the The Proud Family and The Boondocks showed up on the TV scene.
Nowadays, a brilliant barrage of animators and illustrators are flooding our social media timelines to reinforce black beauty, style, fashion and imagination using innovative art skills — an indescribable, inspirational rush I can’t get enough of. From the United Kingdom to the United States, the following five artists help strengthen the importance of creative art that celebrates black glamour and grace:
Erina Nyonyintono of Creative Curls is a U.K.-based artist who specialises in colourful acrylic portraits that primarily focus on her Ugandan roots. @creativecurls_
Geneva B of Geneva B Art is a self-taught freelancing illustrator from the United States who has a natural talent for color mixing her original artwork. @gdbee
Cassie Manning of Nubian Rock Chick is a self-taught mixed media illustrator from the United Kingdom who draws her artistry from her family, fashion and affinity for natural hair. @nubianrockchickart
Salkis Re of I Love Her Art is a U.S.-based, self-taught artist whose mixed media artwork fuses watercolor, ink, pastel and acrylic mediums that reflect beautiful black girls and young women. @salkisre
Veronica Miller Jamison of Veronica Marché Illustration is a freelance fashion illustrator from the United States whose artwork celebrates women of colour using bold hues while creating a sense of movement and authentic charm. @veronicamarche
Candace Morrow, a.k.a. Cowgirl Candace
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