Photo I took (and edited :) of Louisiana artist Clementine Hunter’s “studio” in her humble home on Melrose Plantation in Natchitoches Parish.
Clementine Hunter (pronounced Clementeen) (late December 1886 or early January 1887 – January 1, 1988) was a self-taught African-American folk artist from the Cane River region of Louisiana, who lived and worked on Melrose Plantation. She is the first African-American artist to have a solo exhibition at the present-day New Orleans Museum of Art.
Hunter was born into a Louisiana Creole family at Hidden Hill. She started working as a farm laborer when she was young. She never learned to read or write. She began painting when she was in her 50s, using brushes and paints left by an artist who visited Melrose Plantation, where she then lived and worked.
Hunter’s artwork depicted plantation life in the early 20th century, documenting a bygone era. She sold her first paintings for as little as 25 cents. By the end of her life, Hunter’s work was being exhibited in museums and sold by dealers for thousands of dollars.
Hunter was granted an honorary Doctor of Fine Arts degree by Northwestern State University of Louisiana in 1986.