“Third Generation” by Marcella Hayes Muhammad

24 x 36 inches, oil on canvas, Original– framed

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“Marcella Hayes Muhammad’s Plasticism artwork presents a thought-provoking abstraction featuring a young woman gazing into a mirror, where the reflections of two generations of her family emerge. This poignant piece juxtaposes the image of a free African ancestor with that of a captured slave, symbolizing the complex journey from bondage to freedom in American history. The artwork invites viewers to reflect on their heritage and the enduring impact of familial legacies.”

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Marcella Hayes Muhammad, whose career in fine art stretches from the 1960s to current times, is always testing the bounds of her talents. She is constantly exploring the medium of oils allowing her experiences and research to guide her work. She is known for her attention to detail and vibrant colors. Marcella has developed a technique of using a unique blending of multi dominant elements and rhythmic colors harmonized in as many as four or more colors in action at a time. After many years developing her expertise in realism, Marcella developed a style of abstraction inspired by the cubist style of Pablo Picasso, who in turn was inspired by Georges Braque and painted in a style later described by a critic as being made of “little cubes” thus leading to the term cubism. Marcella paints in her unique style described by a critic as a flow of forms using light and color leading to the term “Plasticism” or Plastic Space. Her main inspirations developed at a young age through her exposure to galleries and art museums around the world as a military dependent.

Marcella attended the College of Arts and Crafts in Oakland California and earned her BFA degree with honors from the University of California at San Bernardino. She extended her education by earning her teaching credentials for elementary and early childhood and retired from a very rewarding career in teaching. Marcella began her second career with her artwork after moving to Georgia in 1995.