The Artist's Vita

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PORTRAIT COMMISSIONS

The following portraits were painted in oil on canvas with the exception of actors Willard Pugh and Clifton Davis.

Their portraits were rendered in charcoal.

• The late Rev. Benjamin Lawson Hooks
• Retired Judge H. T. Lockard
• Retired Judge Arthur Bennett
• The late Judge James Earl Swearengen

• TV Judge Joe Brown
• The late Judge Shepperson Wilbun Sr. (shown in the movie The Client)

• The late former Shelby County Commissioner Minerva Johnican
• Memphis City Councilman Joe Brown
• The late Rev. Lee Brown, former Memphis City Schools board member

• Entertainer Stevie Wonder
• Actor Willard Pugh (The Color Purple)
• Actor Clifton Davis (That’s My Mama)
• Memphis attorney Charles Carpenter
• A posthumous portrait of Madame C. J. Walker (Indianapolis, Ind.)
• The late activist Cornelia Crenshaw (the Cornelia Crenshaw Library)

• Carolyn Jones (wife of Fred Jones Jr.)
• Henry Short (Chicago, Ill.)

• And more

OTHER NOTABLE COMMISSIONS

• 21-charcoal portrait series of historical African-American religious pioneers and inventors
• 10-piece Christmas card series marketed nationwide in 250 K-mart stores and other outlets

• Four-card Christmas series marketed regionally
• 10 pen and ink drawings of historical African-Americans for Leader Federal Bank’s “African-American Check Series”
• 4’ x 10’ mural of the Memphis Chicks baseball team for local businessman Avron Fogelman
• 6’ x 9’ life-sized mural in the home of businessman Lynn Spearman
• State-wide poster for the Tennessee Arts Commission (Juxtaposition ‘82) in Nashville
• Poster for the Memphis Chapter LINKS
• Poster for Memphis Urban League
• Posters (2) for WLOK Radio Station’s Stone Soul Picnic
• Eight (8) posters for the annual Juneteenth Freedom & Heritage Festival
• Poster for The Kroger Stores (Our Family), and more. 

PUBLICATIONS

Stories, mentions, and photographs of the artist’s artwork have appeared in the following:

• The Tennessean                                                     • Notable Black Memphians (Published 2008)
• The Nashville Banner                                            • The Tri-State Defender
• The Nashville Magazine                                        • Grace Magazine
• The Jackson Sun                                                    • The Washington Post
• The Jackson Journal                                               • Memphis Magazine
• The Commercial Appeal                                        • U.S.A. Today
• The Memphis Press Scimitar

WORKSHOPS/HONORS

2010: Honorable Mention, presented at the 16th Annual Stone Awards
2009: Memphis Living Legends award, presented by New Sardis Baptist Church
2001: Resolution from Memphis City Council for writing and art
2001: Resolution from State of Tennessee for writing and art
1992 & 1989: Outstanding Young Man of America
1986: Judged Tennessee Vica Skill Olympics
1985: Awarded Innervisions grant from Memphis Arts Council
1984: Memphis Arts Council's Artists-in-the-Schools
           Served as artist in the Memphis City Schools demonstrating, lecturing and working with elementary students.
1983: Judged Regional Scholastic Arts competition, Memphis, TN.
           Judged Memphis City Schools art competition, sponsored by WKNO TV Station.
1982: Awarded the ESSA grant from the Tennessee Arts Commission for the Artist-in-Schools program in Jackson, TN.
1981: Awarded the ESSA grant from the Tennessee Arts Commission for the Artist-in-Schools program in Jackson, TN.
1979: Voted most artistic senior at the Memphis College of Art.
1975: Selected the national grand prize winner for the Vollentine Boy’s Club art contest, Memphis, TN.
           Won the Merit Scholarship to attend the former Memphis Art Academy, currently the Memphis College of Art.

NOTABLE QUOTES

•“Wiley Henry is and has been a major player in the Memphis artistic community both as an artist and a strong advocate for the arts in this area.” — Kate Gooch, former president, Memphis Arts Council


•“Memphis is full of young talented artists such as Wiley Henry. His work illustrates the spiritual side of us all.” — Dr. Willie Herenton, former mayor of Memphis

•“Wiley Henry Jr.’s work and his commitment to this community are exemplary. At MCA we’re very proud of all that he has accomplished.” — Jeffery Nesin, former president, Memphis College of Art

•“I find Wiley Henry’s work sensitive, and the expressions on his characters accurate in turns of realism.” — Julian Bolton, former Shelby County Board of Commissioners

•“Wiley Henry Jr., a noted artist in this area, has become an accomplished writer as well.” — Audrey McGhee, former editor/publisher, Memphis Tri-State Defender newspaper