About
Aaron F. HENDERSON
Aaron F. Henderson, a native of Birmingham, Alabama, has been an artist all his life. The self-proclaimed narrative artist has always loved to draw and paint. For him, it is the story behind each piece of artwork he has done that motivates him to capture the realism, the emotion, the character and settings. He works mainly in oils and gouache on canvas, linen, and 100% cotton paper using bold, vibrant colors in his artwork that is showcased in exhibits, museums and corporations and homes around the world.
Henderson has distinguished himself with his Spiritual Series, which is a series of more than 50 pieces over the past 5 years based on his student work study job as the audio recorder for the world-renowned choir of Tuskegee University in Tuskegee, Ala. He is always working on a series, which encompass a range of images, including pieces dedicated to the legend of Ganga Zumbi, Afrolantica, which provides a view into his interpretation of paradise. Another series, Music, includes his depiction of the Jazz influence on our culture. The Deacons for Defense and Justice series, highlights the little-known bands of armed self-defense African- American males who protected their communities against violence from the Ku Klux Klan during the Civil Rights Movement.
Henderson prides himself in taking the time to do extensive research, and hopes to inspire viewers through the depth of content in his work. He spends hours in museums, libraries and talking to experts or people who have been involved in the stories he recreates in his paintings. His style has been influenced by such legendary artists as Elizabeth Catlett, William H. Johnson, Charles White and Jacob Lawrence. It is the tumultuous times of the Civil Rights Movement that has framed his view of the world. Growing up in the St. Mark’s Projects, a small community composed of two-bedroom homes, he was a witness to sit-ins and protests. He wanted so much to be a part of the Children’s Crusade when thousands of young kids were arrested and jailed for their actions. He remembers how he used to beg his mother, Eva, – a packager at a local spice company – and his father, Riley, – a salesman – to want to go to jail because so many of his classmates were arrested, but his parents never let him participate. His Wilkerson Elementary School classmates –Cynthia Wesley and Carole Robinson – were among those killed in the September 15, 1963 bombing at the 16th Street Baptist Church – a day that he has never forgotten.
His love of art began to blossom when he began to emulate a cousin who used to create art using paint-by-numbers. Henderson got hooked; encouraged by his father who framed and displayed his painting in their home. Then one day, one of his art teachers Mrs. Patton wrote a letter to his mother, praising Henderson’s work. She invited him – and several other seventh and eighth grade kids – to come by her house during the summer to paint, do ceramics, make jewelry and learn other forms of artwork. During the early years, he painted images that reflected the Civil Rights Movement so much so that his mother tried to get him to paint happier pictures. His mother tried to protect him and his two younger brothers - Willie and Riley - from the harsh realities of racial unrest in the Deep South, but the budding artist couldn’t resist telling the stories of this historic time through his artwork.
Henderson attended the historic Tuskegee Institute, known for Booker T. Washington, the Tuskegee Airmen and so many other successful African-Americans where he got his B.S. in Electrical Engineering. After he graduated, he spent the next twenty years of his life working for such major corporations as Union Carbide and BellSouth (now AT&T). All along the way, he continued to paint. His work was so distinctive that local galleries would display his work. Life changed drastically over 20 years ago when his brother, Riley, sent him a box with a logo and business cards. “What else do you need to go into business for yourself,” Riley asked his brother. Aaron went to work, left his career in engineering and has not looked back since. His dream fulfilled: Becoming a full time artist. Over the years, the popularity of Henderson’s work has grown. His work has been acquired by the permanent collection of the Franklin G. Burroughs – Simeon B. Chapin Art Museum in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, Chattahoochee Valley Art Museum, LaGrange, Georgia and featured in exhibits for companies and organizations such as Coca-Cola, Microsoft, Procter & Gamble, the Executive Leadership Council. Henderson’s work can also be found in numerous private collections around the world.