“I am alive, and I am Black! Therefore, I am motivated to paint the human elements and conditions that affect humanity. Truth has motivated me to paint along with a desire to express myself. Because I am life, I am compelled to paint the realities of life.
Arthello Beck, Jr., 1970
Arthello Beck, Jr. was an American artist who often painted scenes of places he had visited using a variety of mediums, including oils, watercolors, and charcoal.
Beck was born in Dallas, Texas, and attended Lincoln High School where he received his only formal art training. Beck is considered one of the leading Black artists in the Southwest. In 1971, he opened Arthello’s Art Gallery at 1922 South Beckley in Dallas, which is still being operated and managed by his wife. The gallery became a centerpiece of the Dallas art scene in the 1970s and 80s, and was instrumental to the careers of many black artists. In 2007, SDCC’s art gallery was named after Beck to honor his work and legacy.
He is possibly best known for his works from the 1960s dealing with the Civil Rights Movement, although Beck commonly featured other subjects, including children, religion, and human interaction, particularly in the African-American community. Beck was also a member of the National Conference of Artists and the Southwest Alliance of African American Artists, and was one of the founders of the Southwest Black Artists Guild. (Source)
Learn more about Arthello Beck, Jr.:
- Photos: Arthello Beck Jr.’s “Humanization” Exhibit at the African American Museum of Dallas
- Video: “Humanization – The Artistic Eye of Arthello Beck, Jr.” Artist Talk
- Video: 2022 MLK Black History Month Celebration: Unsung Artist, Arthello Beck, Jr.
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