Najee Dorsey

Mildred Thompson and the Case for Seeing Black Artistic Trajectories Whole Kelli Morgan, Ph.D. (untitled abstract on canvas 1956, initialed and dated verso, available via BAIA)   To collect an artist “in depth” is to do more than own an artwork—it is to steward a life’s intellectual and aesthetic evolution. Deep collecting makes it possible to trace how an artist learns, experiments, fails, refines, and ultimately arrives at what we call a signature style. It reveals the artist not as a single iconic image, but as a thinker moving through time. In the context of Black art history, this kind of collecting is not merely an academic preference; it is a corrective to the ways major institutions have historically treated Black artists as episodic, supplemental, or symbolic. Typically acquiring one representative work, if any, rather than building collections that demonstrate range, complexity, and growth. Predominantly white institutions have long made the case that depth is essential to understanding ca

20 Artists to Discover at the BAIA Fine Art Print Fair by Dear Glory with Moriah Alise Dear BAIA Fam, If you’ve ever wondered why printmaking is such a powerful entry point into collecting serious contemporary art, we have something special for you. This recent video by Moriah Alise, “20 Artists to Discover at the Fine Art Print Fair,” delves into the craftsmanship, history, and long‑term value of prints and works on paper. This isn’t a trend list—it’s a collector‑focused conversation about discovery, process, material, and building a thoughtful collection over time. In the episode you’ll learn: How a print fair differs from other art fairs and why prints are not secondary to painting or sculpture. How collectors (both new and seasoned) use works on paper to build and deepen their collections. What to look for when discovering artists at an art fair, from printmaking techniques like relief printing and monoprints to linocuts and drawing. Insights into arti

Fine Art Prints in a Contracting Market: Opportunity for the Next Generation of Collectors Join renowned artist Najee Dorsey on Saturday, February 7 at 11 a.m. at the Houston Museum of African American Culture as part of the BAIA Fine Art Print Fair. A 25+ year practicing artist and founder of Black Art In America and it's nationally traveling Fine Art Print Fair, Dorsey explores how printmaking techniques function within an established contemporary art practice and how they have enriched and diversified his own work over time. In this engaging conversation, he examines the distinctions between traditional printmaking and photomontage based fine art prints, the growing acceptance of digital based works within institutions and private collections over the past decade, and why today’s collectors of contemporary fine art prints may be positioned for even greater long-term market growth than previous generations. This program offers valuable insight for artists, collectors, and anyone interested in the evolvin

Connection to Freedom: Works by Mason ArchieJanuary 31 - March 28  Mason Archie is a distinguished American oil painter whose work stands at the intersection of masterful traditional realism and profound historical storytelling. Born in Dayton, Ohio, and now based in Indianapolis, Indiana, Archie’s artistic journey spans more than four decades and reflects a rare devotion to craft, cultural memory, and the enduring power of painting. After a successful career in commercial art, Archie made a pivotal decision in 2005 to pursue fine art full time. He committed himself to the discipline of traditional oil painting, drawing inspiration from the old masters and grounding his practice in meticulous technique, superior materials, and a reverence for realism. This commitment quickly set his work apart, earning him national recognition for paintings that are as technically accomplished as they are emotionally and historically resonant. Archie’s work has been exhibited at some of the nation’s most respected cul

BAIA Fine Art Print Fair Expands to San Francisco and Seattle Through Partnership with Art Market Productions Following the success of BAIA’s independent print fairs, Black Art In America (BAIA) is pleased to announce our partnership with Art Market Productions (AMP), bringing the nation’s largest African American fine art print fair into AMP’s San Francisco, Seattle, New York, and Atlanta portfolio of art fairs.. The expansion launches at the 14th edition of the San Francisco Art Fair, April 16–19, 2026, the Bay Area’s longest-running art fair, featuring more than 80 local, national, and international galleries. This step marks a significant evolution for BAIA, embedding its focused print fair model within an established international collection of art fairs and expanding its reach among collectors, institutions, and cultural decision-makers worldwide. BAIA’s presentation will include fine art prints and original works on paper from over 50 artists—spanning legacy masters and contemporary trai

Ohr-O’Keefe Museum of Art to Present From Stono to Now: The Fire This Time — Black Resistance in American Art, 1739–Present Stolen King by Kevin Williams The Ohr-O’Keefe Museum of Art will present the traveling exhibition From Stono to Now: The Fire This Time — Black Resistance in American Art, 1739 to Present from March 21 through June 27, 2026, continuing the exhibition’s national tour following presentations at The ArtsXchange, Atlanta and most recently the Houston Museum of African American Culture. Curated by Black Art In America Gallery, the exhibition examines nearly three centuries of Black resistance through the lens of contemporary and modern visual art. Drawing its conceptual foundation from the Stono Rebellion, one of the earliest and most significant organized uprisings of enslaved Africans in colonial America, the exhibition traces a continuum of resistance from 1739 to the present day. “Black resistance is not a moment—it is a continuum,” says Najee Dorsey. “This exhibitio

American Folk Art Museum honoring artist Vanessa German during 65th anniversary gala  Vanessa German will receive the Audrey B. Heckler Visionary Award. Established in 2008, the award honors an individual, institution, or project that has made a unique and distinctive contribution to the field of self-taught and vernacular art.  German is a leading citizen artist working in sculpture, performance, and communal ritual to cultivate spiritual models for transforming human experience. Establishing her own self-taught approach and distinctive artistic language, German's influential practice employs mineral crystals, beads, glass, found objects, and other sourced material to create expressive figurative sculptures that resound through the physical and metaphysical worlds. Her unique sculptural vocabulary transmits healing energy, affirming the power of love as an infinite human technology.Considered inextricable from her identity as an activist, German’s autodidactic artmaking has its lineage in indigenous a

Black Art In America Celebrates Strong West Coast Debut at the San Francisco Art Fair Black Art In America (BAIA) made a powerful entrance into the West Coast market, reporting strong sales and meaningful institutional and collector engagement during its debut presentation at the San Francisco Art Fair. Sales were led by Tracy Mims, who placed seven works, including one of the fair’s highest-selling pieces for the gallery—“Can’t Steal My Joy,” an original woodblock that resonated deeply with collectors. Najee Dorsey followed with five works sold, continuing strong demand for his photomontage-based practice. A significant moment for legacy representation came with the placement of a historic work by James Wells. His 1932 piece, “Head of a Woman,” was acquired by a local collecting family, underscoring the fair’s cross-generational appeal. Additional momentum came from Michael Ellison, with a noticeable resurgence of interest in his work signaling renewed collector engagement and sustained de

SFAI Names Jessica Gaynelle Moss as Artist Relations Director The Santa Fe Art Institute has appointed Jessica Gaynelle Moss as Artist Relations Director, joining the leadership team under Executive Director Toccarra Thomas at a pivotal moment of institutional growth. Founded in 1985, SFAI has engaged over 5,000 artists and 30,000 community members through programming that positions contemporary art as a tool for dialogue and social impact. Moss’s appointment signals a deeper investment in artist-centered practice and long-term support models. An artist, curator, and advisor, Moss brings a strong track record in building residency ecosystems and advancing community-based work. Her experience includes collaborations with institutions such as The National Museum of African American History and Culture and The Heinz Endowments, along with leadership in residency initiatives nationwide. She is the founding director of The Roll Up CLT and serves as Managing Director of Sibyls Shrine, a national network supporti

The Woodson African American Museum Selected for Smithsonian's America 250 Commemoration America at 250 by Najee Dorsey The Woodson African American Museum of Florida has been selected as one of only three Florida organizations to present Many Voices...One Nation  - Our Community, a signature exhibition of the Smithsonian's America 250 commemoration. Developed in collaboration with Florida Humanities, Smithsonian Museum on Main Street, and the Smithsonian National Museum of American History, the exhibition commemorates the nation's semiquincentennial by exploring the stories that have shaped America. The Woodson's presentation is supported by Florida Humanities, with additional funding from the Foundation for a Healthy St. Petersburg, the City of St. Petersburg, Duke Energy, Orlando Health, the Parallel Foundation, and Legendary Lens Multimedia. The exhibition celebrates the diverse people who built our nation, from those who were here first, to those who came seeking opportunity, and those brought here by