About
Self-taught in East Oakland. Shown at the de Young Museum.
Roosevelt Washington grew up in East Oakland, California. Nobody handed him a path into art. A friendly rivalry and years of practice made him the artist he is today.
About
Roosevelt Washington grew up in East Oakland, California. Nobody handed him a path into art. A friendly rivalry and years of practice made him the artist he is today.
Roosevelt found his medium by accident. One day he forgot his pastels and had only pastel pencils with him. He drew anyway. The fine point let him build skin, light and feeling layer by layer. Today he works across oil, pastels, charcoal and pencil, choosing the medium that fits each piece.
He later moved to Virginia to be near family. Working overtime, he saved enough to build a studio of his own. Everything that leaves it is done by his hand. A single piece can take weeks: hundreds of fine strokes to get the weight of a sleeping child, the warmth of skin, the way light rests on a hand.
He keeps his distance from art trends on purpose. Each piece is his own, so it stays original and holds its value for the people who collect it.
In the studio, Virginia
Roosevelt's best-known works show Black men holding babies. He draws them because the world rarely shows that picture, and because he knows it is true. A woman once asked him why he chose that subject. When she saw the finished piece, she called it beautiful.
One of the largest juried shows on the West Coast. The moment he knew the work could travel far beyond his own studio.
“Most people are waiting for someone to tell them what to see. I want to help them see for themselves.”
Next
Roosevelt believes creativity can be taught, not just technique. Classes and workshops are coming. Join the list to hear first.
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