Artist Spotlight: Bill Traylor, African American Folk Art Pioneer

Bill Traylor is one of the most important American artists of the twentieth century. A Black man born into slavery in Alabama, Traylor observed the nation undergo tremendous change as it shifted from the Civil War to Emancipation, Reconstruction, Jim Crow segregation, the Great Migration, and the emergence of African American urban culture in the South. But what distinguishes Traylor is that he also felt every pain and triumph of this period. A self-taught artist who began drawing and painting in his 80s, Traylor exemplifies that it’s never too late to start; you can teach yourself everything needed to create a lasting artistic legacy, and success hinges on getting eyes on your work. 

In honor of Black History Month, we are thrilled to dive into the life and work of a man who left an unmistakable footprint on American art. At Kicky, we help artists, no matter where you may be in life or your art career, gain a platform and create connections to craft the art career and legacy every artist dreams of. Let’s explore the life and work of Bill Taylor. 

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The Life of Bill Traylor

Bill Traylor was born around April 1, 1853, on a Dallas County plantation to enslaved people during a time of immense change, and he eventually experienced Emancipation. 

In the mid-1920s, after working as a sharecropper, Traylor moved to Montgomery, Alabama, where he lived until his passing on October 23, 1949. 

In Alabama’s segregated capital, Traylor didn’t begin painting and drawing until 1939, just ten years before he passed, but during this time, he was resilient and inventive, using any materials he could find as canvases for his art.  

Traylor had found work in Montgomery but struggled to make ends meet, eventually finding himself homeless with declining strength. At this point, he started sitting in the neighborhood around Monroe Street, drawing during the day, and staying with local business owners in the evening. 

Sitting out here, Charles Shannon, a young artist, first noticed Traylor and his emerging talent. Shannon repeatedly stopped by to watch him work and would marvel at his preternatural artistic progression. This connection was instrumental in his success.

Like Bill Traylor started late in life, it’s never too late to start pursuing your passion. Still, it’s important to keep in mind that success often depends on the connections you make and obtaining a platform to get eyes on your work, which is what we empower artists to achieve on Kicky! 

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The Work of Bill Traylor

The earliest Bill Traylor drawings date back to 1939. Traylor was an incredible visionary, and from 1939 to 1942, Traylor produced almost 1,500 pieces working on Montgomery sidewalks, primarily in pencil or colored pencil. 

Charles Shannon was a part of The New South, a coalition of white artists, and they recognized Traylor’s talent, preserved his work, documented him and his work, and helped him cement his legacy. 

As was typical of artists of the African American Folk Art movement, Bill Traylor was entirely self-taught and drew and painted primarily on discarded pieces of paperboard up until his death. 

His work reflected his experiences: his traumatic and rural past was heavily impacted by racism, as well as the evolving African American urban culture developing around  him. 

During Traylor’s lifetime, racist terrorism peaked between 1877 and 1950. His pictures were a unique visual representation of his daily existence and featured depictions of storytelling, singing, healing, and survival. 

His imagery contained a universe of emotion, hidden meanings, and lessons beneath the surface. Traylor became a master of crafting moldable narratives, experimenting with allegory and abstraction, and fitting endless meaning in deceptively simple images. 

Although Traylor started producing art and discovered his creative voice without guidance, he was devoted to his craft and developed a distinct methodology. He was a careful editor, choosing subjects with clear intention and omitting details the same way. 

When he started, his work was a revolutionary act. He was among the first generation of African Americans to become citizens. But human rights for Black Americans was still a point of contention, and personal expression examining racism was considered dangerous.

The hidden meanings in his work reflect that Traylor understood the stark difference between the white and Black worlds and that a single place can mean vastly different things to different people depending on their experiences. 

This duality is still as relevant as ever and is a fundamental component of the American Experience today. Ultimately, Bill Traylor’s work was a validating testament of his agency.

No other artist so perfectly captured the complex, violent, and unjust interim between slavery and civil rights, and Traylor remains one of the few documented artists born into the brutal system of American Slavery.

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“Bill Traylor is Alabama’s most important artist. In fact, an exhibition called ‘Between Worlds–The Art of Bill Traylor’ was presented at the Smithsonian American Art Museum, along with a 444-page hardcover catalog. This exhibition was the culmination of five years of preparation, and no other Alabama artist has ever been honored this way.”

- Marcia Weber, Owner and Curator at Marcia Weber Art Objects

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Do You Want to Kickstart Your Art Career? Join Kicky Today for the Network and Platform You Need!

Bill Traylor may have started his art career late in life, but he was incredibly prolific and quickly gained a reputation thanks, largely, to the connections he made and the platform that they afforded him. Similarly, we know you already have the talent, so join Kicky to get eyes on your work, join a creative hub of like-minded artists committed to elevating each other, and gain the platform you need to launch your dream art career.

Are you ready to start paying your rent with your art? Kickstart your art career and visit our Artist Application page to create an artist profile today.

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