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Paul Waters

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Paul Waters - Artists - Eric Firestone Gallery

Paul Waters, c. 1970.

B. PHILADELPHIA, PA, 1936

Paul Waters is an African-American artist whose work combines a thoughtful symbolic language with a highly intuitive and playful process. Waters exclusively uses his hands and fingers to apply paint, and a pair of scissors as his “drawing” tool. His canvases are filled with repeated silhouettes made from cut canvas shapes, which reflect his interest in teaching and children’s books, as well as both indigenous traditions and Western painting.

Growing up, Waters attended Saturday classes at Philadelphia’s Fleisher Memorial Art School. It was there that he recalls, “They let me use my fingers instead of brushes.” His creative expression also blossomed out of his fascination with his parents’ collection of original African art and artifacts; from tribes including the Bariba, Ndebele, and the Toma People. His admiration of African art—as well as rock and cave paintings—is reflected throughout his oeuvre. 

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