David Anderson/Visionary

David Anderson

It was the need to communicate that laid the foundation that enabled David Anderson to capture the attention of art lovers across North America, Europe and Africa. Anderson went from being a shy child to having his artistic gift noticed and embraced. According to Anderson, his "God given gift has afforded him opportunities that ordinarily would have never been available to a child growing up on welfare in the inner city of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Anderson's first recognition came through the staff at the local Boy's Club. His work has been included in corporate art collections; he has presented his art to dignitaries such as Wade McGee, U.S. Solicitor General under President Jimmy Carter, and celebrated actor James Earl Jones; and he shared a magazine cover with track star Jesse Owens. Nothing has affected Anderson more than the two trips he was blessed to make to Africa, the first trip a gift from the late Brother Booker Ashe formerly of the House of Peace. In 2003, Anderson was commencement speaker at Roosevelt Scool of the Arts. Anderson has been juried into numerous national art shows, including the National Black Arts Festival, Atlanta , Georgia for a total of six times. Anderson no longer uses the term "self taught" to describe himself. Instead he considers himself "God prepared," or a visionary creating visual statements in a unique sytle deeply rooted in the will of God. Anderson has been described as a "Blues Artist" because of the strength of emotion his compositions evoke; "People have said that they can feel the joy and pain, witness the social injustice and can see history and heritage in them."