Harvie and Charles Abney, a local art collector couple, have donated 47 paintings, sketches, and statues by traditional and self-taught Southern artists to the High Museum of Art in Atlanta.
The gift included 17 works from Nellie Mae Rowe, an African American artist, noted for her bright, colorful drawings and decorative designs.
According to a museum official, the Abneys’ Rowe drawings would complement the museum’s extensive collection of the artist’s work. Over 200 of Rowe’s sketches and mixed-media works are now owned. They will be inherited by the museum, which plans to mount an exhibition of the artist’s works.
Rowe was an incredible woman, according to Katherine Jentleson, curator of folk and self-taught art at the museum. She described her in an interview as “very self-possessed and self-assured.” Rowe was well aware of her worth.
Without a doubt, this gift emphasizes the international implications and uniqueness of self-taught artists from the south, especially by showcasing their significant contributions. Other artists whose work is included in the gift include Minnie Evans, Howard Finster, and Ronald Lockett.
