Today we’d like to introduce you to Anthony Burks, Sr.
Hi Anthony, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today.
I started my journey young. Influenced by my mother’s enthusiasm for coloring in coloring books. She blended the colors with detail. Later in my high school years. I was taught a similar technique by my art teacher with colored pencils. Color theory was taught to me through the process of the blending of the pencils. Understanding basics like using blue and purple is a better choice than black because it helps the image pop versus muddying up the image.
I eventually started experimenting and practicing my technique by drawing animals and people, paying attention to the details of feathers, fur, and hair, and realizing what brought life to the subject matter at hand. Colored pencils have allowed me to create the details of my subjects. Over the years, I adopted other media including charcoal, and graphite for details and used pastels, watercolor, and acrylic to enhance the backgrounds.
In 1992, my wife and I used our graphic design backgrounds and my sign-making experience to start a company called ATB Fine Art Group Inc. It allowed us to create, teach, and sell our art and later curated exhibitions on behalf of other professional artists. Through this journey, we were able to acquire collectors, have my work put into permanent public and private collections, used in public art installations as well as have work licensed to be used in television productions.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
There have been many challenges. Two that come to mind include clients who rave that they want your work but often renege or have you waiting. Many people do not realize that this is how many artists earn a living. The mortgage company does not care about broken promises.
Also, when success does come around, many do not realize that that is not the final journey. We artists are only as good as our next great opportunity. So, we need them to keep referring us for the next big thing.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am a native Floridian, known for being a conceptual fine and commercial artist. I work in numerous forms of media including charcoal, pen & ink, pastels, watercolor, and colored pencil. As an Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale graduate, I have won awards and contests including Best of Show in several different art shows.
I have worked and collaborated with numerous companies and organizations over the years through my 30-year company with my wife, Trina Slade-Burks, ATB Fine Art Group Inc. (ATB). I have been blessed to have my works in public and private art collections, received a fellowship and many grants for my works, and had my work used for licensing projects. Though I have been known for my colored pencil works for much of my art career, over the last 8 years my profile portraits in charcoal have been conversation pieces.
Many people also know me for my wildlife drawings. This is unusual because Black artists are not known for creating animals. I have been told by many prominent art galleries over the years that Black people do not buy animal works. However, I have proven that theory untrue because I do have many people of color who have collected my birds, lions, and rhino pieces.
I also am known for my tree series I started 25 years ago called Rooted Ground. The series started with a colorful background with a tree and deep roots. The tree represents the being, and the roots represent the soul.
Without the roots, the tree would not survive. Without the being soul, it would not exist. The series evolved because I was getting bored. I started adding people and animals to the bottom of the roots. The meaning then became about the tree being the storykeeper of the beings who were born, mated, fed, and died under the tree. Rooted Ground has been the biggest legacy of all my works over the years.
I have made it a point of not copying other artists’ works. To simply stay in my lane.
In terms of your work and the industry, what are some of the changes you are expecting to see over the next five to ten years?
I do not follow trends. I hope that the collectors start shifting back to traditional art.
Not NFTs or AI images. I understand technology is not going anywhere; however, I do hope that it does not change the direction of a true artist’s passion to continue to create what moves them and not chase a temporary trend.
Pricing:
- $2,500
- $20,000
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/ampburks
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ampburks
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ampburksartist
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthony-burks-sr-a57a46/
- Other: https://www.ethnicmermaids.com/
