Clementine Hunter

Clementine Hunter (December 1886 – January 1, 1988) was a self-taught African-American artist from the Cane River region in Louisiana. She was born on Hidden Hill Plantation in October 1886 (although she claimed to have been born in December 1887).

She is best known for her folk art depicting plantation life in Louisiana from the 1920s through the 1980s. Hunter painted hundreds of scenes from her memory and experiences, capturing the daily lives of African-American workers on the plantation.

Hunter primarily used discarded wooden planks, cardboard, and burlap sacks as canvases for her paintings. She also used homemade brushes from hog bristles attached to sticks.

Today, Clementine Hunter's paintings can be found in many museums and private collections, including the Smithsonian Institution and the American Folk Art Museum. The majority of her work is housed at the Clementine Hunter African House at Melrose Plantation in Louisiana.

Clementine Hunter broke barriers as one of the first African-American women to receive national acclaim as a self-taught artist. Her artwork provides a unique perspective on the African-American experience in the South, making her an important figure in American folk art.