Norman Wilfred Lewis.
Carnivale del Sol, 1962 Oil on canvas. 50 x 64 in.
I’ve recently rediscovered the Abstract Expressionist work of the African-American painter Norman W. Lewis. A lifelong resident of Harlem, he was mentored by the sculptor and teacher Augusta Savage, who provided him with open studio space at her Harlem Art Center.
Among his contemporaries was Jackson Pollock with whom he participated in WPA art projects. In 1934, he became a member of the 306 Group, a collective of artists and writers that included Charles Alston, Romare Bearden, Ralph Ellison, and Jacob Lawrence. You can find some of his work at the Bill Hodges Gallery and on ArtNet.