Beauford Delaney: An Influential Modern Artist Who Inspired James Baldwin, Georgia O’Keeffe, and Many More
Beauford Delaney was a master of color, light, and emotion—a true artist's artist whose influence extended far beyond the confines of his own career. Among his admirers were iconic figures such as James Baldwin, Georgia O’Keeffe, and many others who found his work, spirit, and friendship invaluable. Delaney’s life was filled with struggle, resilience, and creativity, and his relationships with these luminaries highlight his profound impact on 20th-century art and culture. Beyond these famous figures, Delaney also served as a mentor and inspiration to a wide range of artists who found in him both a guiding light and a source of artistic courage.
Early Life and Artistic Foundations
Beauford Delaney was born in Knoxville, Tennessee, in 1901. His childhood, marked by hardship and segregation, shaped much of his sensitivity and emotional depth. His father was a Methodist minister, and his mother was a domestic worker—two influences that would remain central to his work. From an early age, he displayed a talent for drawing and was fascinated by the beauty around him, even in the midst of difficult circumstances. This keen eye for detail and emotional resonance would become hallmarks of his work later in life.
Delaney left Knoxville in 1924 to pursue an art career in Boston, where he studied at the Massachusetts Normal School and later the Copley Society. It was here that Delaney started to encounter the art world outside of the segregated South, meeting other artists and honing his skills. His move to New York City in 1929, however, was the real turning point.
Beauford Delaney, Greene Street, 1940. (Museum of Fine Arts, Boston)
New York and the Harlem Renaissance
Upon his arrival in New York, Delaney became immersed in the cultural revolution of the Harlem Renaissance. He quickly became part of a thriving artistic community that included figures like Augusta Savage, Alain Locke, and Charles Alston. His studio in Greenwich Village became a gathering place for some of the greatest creative minds of the time, including one of his closest friends and lifelong admirers, James Baldwin.
Friendship with James Baldwin
James Baldwin first met Beauford Delaney as a teenager, and from that point onward, Delaney became a mentor, confidant, and father figure to the young writer. Baldwin often spoke of Delaney's profound influence, saying that his friendship helped him see the world with new eyes. Baldwin saw in Delaney a master of color and emotion, someone who could capture both the beauty and the pain of the world in his art. Delaney, in turn, found in Baldwin a kindred spirit, and their relationship was built on mutual respect and admiration.
James Baldwin and Beauford Delaney, Paris, circa 1960. Photographer anonymous
In Baldwin’s essay, “The Price of the Ticket,” he refers to Delaney as “the first living proof, for me, that a Black man could be an artist.” Delaney’s work gave Baldwin the courage to pursue his own creative passions. Their friendship lasted throughout Delaney's life, even after he moved to Paris, where Baldwin would often visit him. In many ways, their relationship was a perfect meeting of minds—two artists who saw the world through a lens of deep empathy, shaped by the struggles of being Black and queer in America.
Georgia O’Keeffe’s Admiration
Georgia O’Keeffe, known for her own mastery of color and form, was another artist deeply impressed by Delaney’s work. Though their artistic styles were quite different, O’Keeffe recognized the brilliance in Delaney’s approach to abstraction and color. Their friendship developed in the art circles of New York, and O’Keeffe became one of Delaney’s supporters, acknowledging his influence on the modernist movement.
O’Keeffe, like Baldwin, was drawn to Delaney's ability to use color to convey emotion, particularly his vibrant yellows, which often symbolized spiritual transcendence. She saw in Delaney a kind of fearless expression that she herself strove for in her own work.
“I knew Beauford Delaney some twenty-six or twenty-eight years ago (O’Keeffe recalled in 1973). He was a very special person-impossible to define. I think of him often as a special experience and always with a feeling that it is fine to know he is living —some-where-still being his special self-what I do not know, but he is a special kind of thought.”
Georgia O’Keeffe, Untitled (Beauford Delaney), 1943. Charcoal on paper. Georgia O’Keeffe Museum.
Mentorship and Influence on Other Artists
Beyond his well-known relationships with Baldwin and O’Keeffe, Delaney inspired and mentored a number of artists throughout his career. His generosity of spirit and willingness to share his knowledge made him a beloved figure among both established and emerging artists.
Al Loving & Bob Thompson
Al Loving, an African American abstract expressionist, was deeply influenced by Delaney’s vibrant use of color and form. Although Loving’s work eventually took on a more geometric and abstract approach, Delaney’s bold approach to color gave him confidence in his own artistic explorations. Bob Thompson, another African American artist known for his bold reimagining of classical themes, found inspiration in Delaney’s use of vibrant colors and abstracted figures. Delaney’s fearless expression resonated with Thompson’s desire to break free from traditional representation.
Lawrence Calcagno & Norman Lewis
Lawrence Calcagno, an American abstract painter, was a close friend and student of Delaney’s during his time in Paris. Delaney’s mentorship helped Calcagno develop a more intuitive and expressive approach to abstraction. Calcagno often credited Delaney with showing him the power of color as a means of conveying deeper meaning in art. Norman Lewis, an African American painter associated with the abstract expressionist movement, acknowledged Delaney’s mastery of color and emotion as a significant influence. While Lewis pursued a more structured and political form of abstraction, he drew inspiration from Delaney’s ability to evoke deep emotion through non-representational art.
Beauford Delaney, Portrait of James Baldwin, Oil on canvas, 1945. Philadelphia Museum of Art
The Paris Years and Legacy
In 1953, Delaney moved to Paris, seeking the freedom that many African American artists and writers found in the city. Paris offered him an escape from the racism he experienced in the U.S. and allowed him to flourish artistically. There, he formed friendships with other expatriates and luminaries such as Henry Miller, Jean Genet, and Gertrude Stein.
Despite his relative isolation, Delaney’s work in Paris took on new dimensions, evolving into a more abstract style while retaining the emotional intensity for which he was known. His vibrant, swirling compositions, often featuring radiant hues of yellow, became a signature of his later work.
Though he struggled with mental health issues in his later years, Delaney’s work never lost its intensity. His influence continued to grow, and artists such as Jackson Pollock and Willem de Kooning admired his daring use of color and form. Pollock, in particular, praised Delaney’s ability to combine abstraction with deep personal feeling.
The Artist’s Artist
Beauford Delaney in his studio, Paris, France, 1972. Galerie Darthea Speyer records, 1953-2010. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution
Beauford Delaney's legacy as an "artist's artist" is cemented by the love and admiration he received from his peers. James Baldwin, Georgia O’Keeffe, Al Loving, Bob Thompson, and countless others saw in Delaney not just a brilliant painter, but a sensitive soul who could capture the human experience in ways that transcended the canvas. His ability to convey emotion through color and abstraction set him apart as a master, inspiring generations of artists who came after him.
Delaney’s journey from Knoxville to the heights of the Parisian art scene is a testament to his resilience and talent. Despite the many obstacles he faced, including racism, poverty, and mental illness, his work remains a beacon of light and inspiration. In many ways, Delaney’s art was about survival—his own and that of the human spirit. He gave voice to the voiceless through his use of color, and in doing so, became a beloved figure among the most significant artists of the 20th century.
Beauford Delaney may not be a household name, but for those who knew him—those who were lucky enough to experience his work firsthand—he was nothing short of a genius. He was, in every sense, your favorite artist’s favorite artist.