Perspective
History
Winston-Salem Delta Fine Arts, Inc. was established in 1972 as an independent, non-profit, 501©(3), tax-exempt corporation by the Winston-Salem graduate chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, a national organization of African American college women founded in 1913 whose principal purposes and aims are to engage in cultural, educational and public service activities.
Since its beginning over 50 years ago, Delta Fine Arts has provided unique cultural and educational programming through a year-round program of exhibitions, classes, workshops, lectures, films, performances, and special projects for youth, adults, and the elderly in the areas of visual arts, music, literature, history and folk arts. The organization has also made purchases and donations to public collections in the state.
Mission
Our mission is to enrich the lives of neighborhood and area residents by stimulating interest, increasing awareness and knowledge throughout the entire community in American Arts and Humanities, with an emphasis on the contributions of African-Americans; to encourage individual creativity; and to provide quality cultural and educational programming.
Preservation
Delta Fine Arts: Donation of Works to Winston-Salem State University
An early mission of Delta Fine Arts was a project to raise money for the purchase of works of art. In 1973 three works were donated to the permanent collection at Winston-Salem State University; these were followed in subsequent years by three additional works. These paintings, sculptures and prints celebrate nationally known African-American artists who were born in North Carolina. They include:
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William Artis (born Washington, NC 1914-1977): Supplication (terracotta sculpture)
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Selma Burke (born Mooresville, NC 1900-1995): Peace 1972 (alabaster sculpture)
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John Biggers (born Gastonia, NC 1924-2001): Laundry Women 1960 (mixed media painting)
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Samuel Joseph Brown (born Wilmington, NC 1907-1994): Aegina, Greece 1974 (oil painting)
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Stephanie Pogue (born Shelby, NC 1944-2002): Patterns 1975 (colored etching)
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Romare Bearden (born Charlotte, NC 1914-1988): Home to Ithaca 1979 (serigraph print
In 1989, Delta Fine Arts commissioned John and James Biggers to paint two large (30 x 15 feet) murals: Origins and Ascension, in the atrium of C.G. O’Kelly Library on the WSSU campus. The murals were completed and unveiled in March 1992, as a seventh gift of art to the university.
