William Artis revealed

Jones, 92, lives in New York state. She is a retired distinguished professor from the University at Albany New York and former dean of the School of Social Work at the University of Southern Mississippi. 

She said many people encouraged her to continue her search and write the book.  

About 1995, Columbia University wanted to include Artis in a publication about Black artists, but they could not find enough material about him, so they asked Jones if she would be interested.   

“That was the first article I wrote about him,” Jones said.   

Later, she traveled to Alfred College at Syracuse University and acquired some beginning notes along with tips from the Schomburg Library in New York City that led her to further research.  

“I had so little knowledge from my father or my uncle, it made it very difficult to document his life. William and my father both said they had Native American heritage. I can only guess that there was a strong feeling about the positive aspects of the Native American that made them proud enough to each cite the fact as part of their heritage,” Jones said.  

Although there are no known letters preserved from his years at CSC, Jones said it seems from her research that CSC gave Artis a meaningful place to carry out some of the work he has been noted for.  

“He was interested in students and making sure they could fulfill their life’s dreams. He pointed out that one could teach, and with that as a backbone, be able to continue to work on art. He seemed to have fulfilled that,” she said.   

Artis referred to his early beginning and interest in pottery during a one-man exhibit in Raleigh in 1973, four years before he died. He told the audience he discovered a deposit of clay while on a Boy Scout trek. He molded a human hand from the clay and took it to school the next day which amazed his teachers and classmates.  

In 1933, Artis won the John Hope Award, plus a full-tuition scholarship for a year's study at the Art Student League. He and two other boarders lived with the famous poet and social activist Langston Hughes during the late 1930s and early 1940s.  

One of his most notable commissioned pieces is the bust of Dr. Louis T. Wright, surgeon, and Chairman of the NAACP. Also, his 1946 Head of a Woman marble sculpture is in the Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington D.C.   

In the book, Norman Pendergraft, director of North Carolina Central University’s Art Museum from 1976 to 1996, described Artis as a quiet, congenial man with self-knowledge and understanding, a master artist, and commendable teacher. Pendergraft nominated Artis for an honorary doctorate which was awarded to his brother, Jones’ father, since Artis died before the ceremony.   

“It’s amazing the interest that has been instilled in people who have read this book,” Jones said. “It has been a kind of treasure hunt or scavenger hunt. A lot of serendipity. People popped up to help just when I needed it. That kept me moving.”  

Dr. Sharon Cadiz, educator and author, got in touch with Jones because she knew Artis had studied with Augusta Savage, a well-known sculptor and activist during the Harlem Renaissance. Following that lead, the two women met at the New York Historical Society where they were able to see some of his art and find out more about him.  

“A black ceramicist, Mary Am Ali from Poughkeepsie, New York, is interested in helping carry out the legacy of Artis. She wants to know more about blacks who are sculptors and potters. Also, my grandson has been taking pottery classes and his school is going to do an event during Black History Month to make sure young people learn more about the fine arts,” Jones said. “Another person is building the book into her religious studies on meaningfulness and mindfulness.”  

This growing, informal network is enabling Jones to carry her uncle’s interest in teaching forward.  

In her research, Jones said she found only one newspaper article, after Artis served in the U.S. Army, when he talked openly about racism.   

“He was able to not let race play a role in terms of his commitment to education and to trying to bring about change,” Jones said.  

“This book shows that William Artis’ life and art have made a big contribution and I just want to make sure his contribution regarding art and art education is not overlooked or forgotten. I hope students can use it to go back in history,” Jones said.  

Jones has traveled to Africa several times and has taken students with her. They have seen the location where ships sailed away with enslaved people.  

“I was on the shore and saw the actual place where the boats left with the enslaved,” she said. “So many black families didn't want to talk about family history. It was very painful, plus there was no listing of the names and backgrounds of the enslaved. Thus, the limited information and background.”