Emma Amos was an influential artist whose paintings, prints, and textiles celebrated her creative community of women, particularly women of color. This practice of picturing her social circle reached its peak in the monumental portrait series The Gift (1990–94), recently acquired by the Cleveland Museum of Art. Made as a birthday present for her daughter, India, this suite of 48 watercolor portraits, painted from life, depicts women artists, writers, and curators who range in age, race, and degrees of renown. Complementing the exhibition The Gift: Emma Amos with Friends, join Gabriella Shypula, Leigh and Mary Carter Director’s Research Fellow, as she explores the context in which Amos made The Gift, the vibrant community it documents, and its legacies.
