The High Museum of Art in Atlanta has long had a significant collection of work by self-taught artists in the American South, and this week, the institution received a gift of 47 pieces from the local collectors Harvie and Charles (“Chuck”) Abney that will further augment its holdings. The acquisition includes paintings, sculptures, and drawings by Lonnie Holley, Howard Finster, Henry Speller, Ronald Lockett, Minnie Evans, and other artists. It also features one of the most renowned private collections of work by the Atlanta artist Nellie Mae Rowe, who began creating her vibrant scenes late in life.
Rowe was the first artist that the Abneys collected, and her work will be showcased in the High Museum’s upcoming exhibition “Really Free: The Radical Art of Nellie Mae Rowe,” which is due to open in September. That show, the first major presentation of the artist’s work in over two decades, will feature pieces by Rowe in the High’s collection as well as works from the Abneys’ gift and bequest.
Rand Suffolk, director of the High Museum, said in a statement, “Without question, this gift underscores the international importance and distinction of our folk and self-taught collection–in particular, by further highlighting the remarkable contributions of Southern artists.”
Chuck Abney said, “Here in Atlanta, in the late 1970s, we were exposed to the works of African American self-taught artists at the Judith Alexander Gallery. As early collectors, we had access to the best of this art. Our first purchase in 1980 was a Nellie Mae Rowe drawing from the Alexander Gallery, and our last was a Ronald Lockett collage in 2019 from Christie’s Auction House in NYC. A lot of fun happened in between!”
View a selection of works from the gift to the High Museum in the following slideshow.
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Image Credit: High Museum of Art, Atlanta, gift of Harvie and Charles Abney, 2021 Nellie Mae Rowe, Untitled (Nellie’s Teapot), 1978-1982, crayon and colored pencil on paper.
This work, which depicts a robust teapot at its center, exemplifies Rowe’s use of rich hues in her practice.
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Image Credit: Photo by Mike Jensen/High Museum of Art, Atlanta, bequest of Harvie and Charles Abney Minnie Evans, Untitled (Bird perched on berry tree), ca. 1963, oil paint, gold paint, crayon, ink, and pencil on paper.
Evans is known for dreamy, ethereal compositions featuring shapeshifting forms and references to nature.
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Image Credit: Photo by Mike Jensen/High Museum of Art, Atlanta, gift of Harvie and Charles Abney, 2021 Bessie Harvey, Wrapped, Tied and Tangled, ca. 1983, tree roots and plastic eyes.
Through her sculptural practice, Harvey made artworks out of wood and found materials. One of her greatest sources of inspiration was the natural world.
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Image Credit: High Museum of Art, Atlanta, gift of Harvie and Charles Abney Nellie Mae Rowe, Untitled (The Angel and the Devil’s Boot), 1978, crayon, felt tip pen and pencil on cardboard.
This work by Rowe features an array of blooming, intricate patterns surrounding smiling central figures.
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Image Credit: Photo by Mike Jensen/High Museum of Art, Atlanta, bequest of Harvie and Charles Abney Sister Gertrude Morgan, Violet Mountain, 1970s, acrylic paint on paper.
Like many of Sister Gertrude Morgan’s artworks, Violet Mountain was informed by the artist’s deeply religious sensibility. She often painted biblical subject matter and incorporated text into her works.
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Image Credit: High Museum of Art, Atlanta, gift of Harvie and Charles Abney Nellie Mae Rowe, Untitled (Pecking Rooster), 1981, crayon and pencil on paper.
Here, Rowe depicts a tranquil scene with plants and a jaunty rooster. Rowe, who started creating art later in her life, once said, “I feel great being an artist. I didn’t even know that I would ever become one. It is just surprising to me.”
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Image Credit: Photo by Mike Jensen/High Museum of Art, Atlanta, bequest of Harvie and Charles Abney John (J. B.) Murray, Untitled (Nine patch), ca. 1984, marker, acrylic, watercolor, and crayon on paper.
Murray created many works with distinct compartments of forms and colors, as seen in Untitled (Nine patch).
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Image Credit: High Museum of Art, Atlanta, gift of Harvie and Charles Abney, 2021 Nellie Mae Rowe, Untitled (Dandy), 1978–82, crayon and pencil on paper.
In this lively composition, a figure at the right presides over figures, creatures, and an otherworldy tree sprouting pink fruits.
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Image Credit: High Museum of Art, Atlanta, gift of Harvie and Charles Abney, 2021 Nellie Mae Rowe, Untitled (Yellow Girl), 1981, marker on paper.
Rowe decorated this composition with numerous patterns throughout, cultivating a sense of mystery around the location of the meeting depicted.
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Image Credit: Photo by Mike Jensen/High Museum of Art, Atlanta, gift of Harvie and Charles Abney, 2021 Henry Speller, Untitled (Animals), ca. 1986, mixed media on paper.
Speller is perhaps best known for his figurative works and depictions of trains and houses, but here the artist shows an encounter between two outlandish creatures in a barren setting.