A $5 Blues for Beauford Delaney

The Hodges Library at the University of Tennessee Knoxville recently hung an exhibition entitled Beauford Delaney: Light Beyond the Canvas. It complements the Beauford Delaney Papers they hold in their Special Collections archive.

In an article published about the exhibition, a link to a YouTube video about jazz pianist Donald Brown leads to a delightful look at the Beauford-inspired song Brown composed after spending time in the archive:

Les Amis published an article about Brown's time in the archive in March 2025: Jazz Pianist Donald Brown Creates Music Inspired by Beauford

To read other Les Amis articles that present Beauford-inspired contemporary music, click on the links below:

Beauford Delaney and Free Lunch - Part 1

Beauford Delaney and Free Lunch - Part 2

To read the announcement for the July 2025 concert by trumpeter Wadada Leo Smith organized by The Drawing Center as a tribute to Beauford, click HERE.

Something Has Happened to My Color

In a letter Beauford wrote to Henry Miller in 1965, he said:

"Something has happened to my color and the paintings seem to have sunlight and the feeling sometimes of all you wonderful people it has been my privilege to have as friends and architects of the spirit."

Today, I'm posting several images of works Beauford created in 1965 that evoke for me the emotion conveyed in this sentiment.

The Spirit
(1965) Oil on canvas
© Estate of Beauford Delaney,
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Courtesy of Michael Rosenfeld Gallery, LLC, New York, NY

Untitled (Portrait of a Man) (aka Man with Medallion)
(c. 1965) Oil on canvas
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Courtesy of Michael Rosenfeld Gallery, LLC, New York, NY

Untitled (aka Abstract White Light)
(c. 1965) Oil on canvas
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Courtesy of Michael Rosenfeld Gallery, LLC, New York, NY

Portrait of Darthea Speyer
(1965) Oil on canvas
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Courtesy of Michael Rosenfeld Gallery, LLC, New York, NY

Untitled
(1965) Oil on canvas
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Courtesy of Michael Rosenfeld Gallery, LLC, New York, NY

Beauford "in Living Color" and Special Programs at The Drawing Center

Only eight days remain to see the magnificent In the Medium of Life exhibition that spotlights Beauford's works on paper at The Drawing Center.

Today, I'm sharing images of a few of the most vividly colored works in this show.

Untitled (Abstract Circles)
(1956) Pastel on paper
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Courtesy of Michael Rosenfeld Gallery, LLC, New York, NY

Untitled
(1961) Watercolor on paper
© Estate of Beauford Delaney,
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Courtesy of Michael Rosenfeld Gallery, LLC, New York, NY

Untitled
(1963) Gouache on paper
signed, inscribed and dated 'Beauford Delaney July 28, 1963 Paris' (lower left);
signed again 'Beauford Delaney' (on the reverse)
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Courtesy of Michael Rosenfeld Gallery, LLC, New York, NY

Untitled
(1965) Gouache and watercolor on paper
© Estate of Beauford Delaney,
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Courtesy of Michael Rosenfeld Gallery, LLC, New York, NY

Untitled
(1965) Gouache and watercolor on paper
© Estate of Beauford Delaney,
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Courtesy of Michael Rosenfeld Gallery, LLC, New York, NY

To close out the exhibition, The Drawing Center is hosting two special programs:

On September 6 from 4 PM – 6 PM, Nicholas Boggs will read from and sign copies of his new biography of James Baldwin entitled Baldwin: A Love Story, the first section of which is devoted to Beauford. Boggs will be joined by Terrance Hayes, whom The Drawing Center describes as an "acclaimed poet, writer, and visual artist whose work has long been influenced by both Baldwin and Delaney." Hayes will read from Baldwin's writings and his own during this event.

On September 10 from 6:30 PM – 8 PM, To Move in Light: Literary Offerings to Beauford Delaney will be moderated by writer and art critic Jessica Lynne. During this evening, poet Najee Omar, writer and musician Justin Allen, and writer and theologian Joe Tolbert Jr. will "explore elements of Delaney's life and work, offering multiple insights into how his resilient spirit manifested in both his art and the broader context of his life."

In the Medium of Life: The Drawings of Beauford Delaney will be on display through September 14, 2025.

The Drawing Center
35 Wooster Street
New York, NY, 10013
Open Wednesday through Sunday from 12 PM to 6 PM
Closed Monday and Tuesday
Admission is free.