Style Imitating Art: The Counting Lesson by Albert Huie
It is time for another Style Imitating Art outfit. These prompts have become my favorite inspiration for getting creative with my wardrobe. Especially right now, in the midst of a global pandemic in the middle of a brutal winter in the North Country. I have been spending most days in my coziest layers of leggings, sweater socks, and heavy jumpers. In fact, I rarely even put on a bra anymore unless I am leaving the house or photographing an outfit. I even stopped wearing bras for Zoom calls once I realized that I am only visible from the shoulders and above.
But enough about all that, let’s get down to business.
About Style Imitating Art
Style Imitating Art is hosted by Daenel of Living Outside the Stacks, Salazar of 14 Shades of Grey, and Terri of Meadow Tree Style. Style Imitating Art challenges us to draw style inspiration from pieces of art. Every other Monday, one of the hosts, acting as curator, selects an inspiration image that they will each post on their blogs. The following Monday, each host shares her art inspired outfit. Participants are invited to submit their art inspired outfits to the curator by 10:00 p.m. EST on the Tuesday following the hosts’ art inspired outfit posts. The following day, Wednesday, the curator will share all of the submissions on her blog.
You don’t have to be a blogger to join! You are invited to share your images on Instagram or other social media platforms! Just be sure to tag Salazar, Terri, and Daenel or use #TeamLOTSStyle and #StyleImitatingArt so the hosts know you have joined. Go have some fun in your closets and join the SIA challenge next week!
The Inspiration Artwork
The inspiration artwork was curated by Daenel of Living Outside the Stacks. You can read why Daenel has chosen this specific piece as her inspiration artwork here.
The Counting Lesson by Albert Huie (1938)
One of the primary reasons Deanel chose this specific painting was to celebrate Black History Month by featuring a black artist from Jamaica. But Albert Huie is not just any black artist, he was instrumental in introducing people of color as the primary subjects in works of art. Before Huie entered the art scene, black people as subjects of art simply did not exist within the Jamaican art scene. In early Jamaican art, people of color were merely included in images as marginal additions to the scenery.
In the late 19th century, black people as insignificant additions to scenery was replaced with the image of the “market girl”. Although the market girl image finally put black subjects into the foreground of art, the stereotype that was presented portrayed her as primitive, backward, childlike, barefooted, and full of strange superstitions. The market girl stereotype was introduced “on postcards, photographs, and advertisements as part of the first efforts to promote Jamaica as a tourist winter resort.”
And then Albert Huie painted The Counting Lesson in 1938, which signifies an important turning point in Jamaican art by featuring a young black girl as the main subject of the painting. We see the image of the girl in a polka dot dress with neatly coiffed hair learning her counting lesson. The image is not one of a backward uneducated black girl, but rather it is the image of healthy, intelligent young woman of color who is pursuing her education with the utmost seriousness. Each element incorporated into the painting implies the girl’s civilized respectability in the educated world around her. A far cry from being just a marginal bit of the scenery, but a necessary change in the way that people of color were portrayed in Jamaica as well as other parts of the world.
While many art critics may consider The Counting Lesson as a rather unremarkable painting in terms of artistic value, what Huie did in the context of 1930’s Jamaica was instrumental in changing the stereotypes surrounding people of color. Because he pushed this artistic boundary, Albert Huie is recognized as an acclaimed figure in Jamaican art and has earned himself the title of “The Father of Jamaican Painting”. The Counting Lesson is permanently on display in The National Gallery of Jamaica with many other Huie works.
Huie is best known for his landscape and genre pieces, but he was a skilled painter of portraits as well. Some of his pieces incorporated sociopolitical and nationalist themes and many of his earlier works featured some sort of manual labor. His later works were influenced by post-Impressionism with hints of art deco and elements from Mexican mural painting. His preferred medium was oil on canvas, but he also frequently painted with acrylics.
While The Counting Lesson (1938) broke down certain Jamaican stereotypes, it was his piece Miss Mahogany (1960) that caused a serious uproar. This painting featured a vuloptutios woman of color in the nude and caused a public outcry when it was first exhibited. Forty years after Huie painted Miss Mahogany, it was featured in an issue of Jamaica’s Skywritings Magazine in 2000. There was so much controversy around the image that the issue of Skywritings Magazine was withdrawn from public circulation.
I tried to find an image of Miss Mahogany and I have turned up two paintings by Albert Huie that feature naked women of color, but neither is designated with a name. So I am unsure if either of these paintings is that specific controversial piece.
Albert Huie was born on December 31, 1920, in Falmouth, Trelawny Parish, Jamaica, and moved to Kingston, Jamaica at the age of 16 where he began his formal training at the Institute of Jamaica. He was only 18 years old when he painted The Counting Lesson. In 1947, Huie was awarded a British Council scholarship which sent him abroad to London and Canada for further art studies before returning to Jamaica.
After returning to his home country, Huie was one of the founding tutors of the Jamaica School of Art and Crafts. After he exhibited his works around the United States and Jamaica, Huie eventually moved to and settled permanently in Baltimore, Maryland. In 2009, he was honored by the Jamaican Embassy for his important contributions to the Jamaican community in the Washington, D.C area. He also received various other awards for his artwork and his impact in changing the landscape for people of color in the world of art. Huie died on January 31, 2010, in Baltimore at the age of 89.
So now that I gave you a brief art history lesson, how about a little something about my outfit that was inspired by The Counting Lesson. The girl’s polka dot dress caught my attention immediately mostly because I have a few polka dot dresses that were perfectly suited for this style inspiration. I chose one with a bow at the collar to reflect the girl’s bow on her neckline. To incorporate the pale pink from her bow, I wore pastel pink tights with my dress. I added a bit of bright pink ribbon to tie a bow around my bun resembling the red bow in the girl’s hair. I also really like the way her hair appears to have a white streak similar to mine. Simple black Mary Janes and magenta statement earrings completed my look.
To see all of the other outfits inspired by The Counting Lesson, be sure to visit Daenel’s round up post today!
What aspects of this painting jump out at you as inspiration for an outfit? Are you a fan of art and fashion? Why not join Style Imitating Art for the next prompt! Just check one of the curator’s blogs on Monday, February 15, for the next art prompt.
Keeping it on the edge,
Shelbee
Linking up with these Fabulous Link Parties.
Shop my look…(Everything was shopped from my closet)
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
I am a midlife woman, wife, and stay-at-home mother of 2 boys and 2 cats. I have a passion for helping other women feel fabulous in the midst of this crazy, beautiful life.
40 Comments
Nancy
You imitated the art perfectly. And what a beautiful story about it.
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks so much, Nancy! This was a fun one to research!
xoxo
Shelbee
Jennifer
You pulled it off well! I’ve never heard of Albert Huie so now I want to go look him up!
Jennifer
Curated By Jennifer
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thank you, Jennifer! I was completely unfamiliar with Albert Huie as well. This is why I love this series so much. It introduces us to new artists and artwork that we didn’t know about before. I have so much fun researching the history! It is fascinating stuff. I am so happy that it has interested you as well.
xoxo
Shelbee
Ballerina
Lovely dress and shoes👠❤️
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks so much!
xoxo
Shelbee
Kathrine Eldridge
I just adore this dress on you! Love the flirty vibes and I adore that pink bow.
https://www.kathrineeldridge.com
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Aw, thanks so much, Kathrine! This was fun to style!
xoxo
Shelbee
Michele Morin
Can’t even begin to tell you how impressed I am with your re-creation and the whole idea of style imitating art.
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks so much, Michele! This really is such a fun series. I wish I had started participating long ago!
xoxo
Shelbee
Tamar A Strauss-Benjamin
You knocked it out of the park!
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thank you, Tamar! This was fun!
xoxo
Shelbee
Anita Ojeda
Thank you for the art history lesson! I love polka dots, but don’t have many items with polka dots (I’m kind of a boring dresser 😉 ). I’m so glad people are starting to work on their anti-racism–and this post is a perfect example of how learning about art from other cultures and people will expand our knowledge, understanding, and tolerance!
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Anita, thank you so much! First, I don’t think you should call yourself a boring dresser. We all have our own style and being minimalist is just as stylish as any other style genre! Second, I agree with you completely that learning about different cultures through their arts, their religions, and their governments will really help us grow as a society that will be more understanding and accepting of everyone. I will keep expanding my base of knowledge and will continue to share what I have learned. Because you never who you might reach and what impact you may have! We can only change the world one tiny step at a time! Thanks for doing your part!
xoxo
Shelbee
Rockslide
You are as pretty as a picture! Love the pink.
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks so much, my friend! You are too kind!
xoxo
Shelbee
Michelle
Whoa! You absolutely nailed it, Shelbee! Well done! And I loved the art history lesson as well. Obviously a talented painter, I hadn’t realized his contribution toward portraying POC as the subject of the painting, and what a turning point it was. His nudes are beautiful too!
Michelle
https://mybijoulifeonline.com
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks so much, Michelle! I had so much fun digging dipper into the history of this painting and Albert Huie’s work. I knew nothing of this man or his work until this prompt, so I really love that it not only inspired me creatively but also academically. I do love to learn new things. It is fascinating what a tremendous influence he had on Jamaican art. I find the nudes absolutely wonderful as well. I cannot even believe that Miss Mahogany was banned in 2000!
xoxo
Shelbee
Lucy Bertoldi
Oh I just love this! I said I was gonna join- but I can not ever remember!!!
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks, Lucy! Mark your calendar for this Monday to check one of the hosts’ blogs for the next one! I am going to try to remember to email you!
xoxo
Shelbee
Patrick Weseman
Looking so very sweet. You nailed it perfectly.
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks so much, Patrick!
xoxo
Shelbee
jodie filogomo
I can’t believe how well you copied this one Shelbee…down to the pink bow!!
XOOX
Jodie
http://www.jtouchofstyle.com
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks so much, Jodie! I was giggling like a child when I came up with this outfit! The pink bow made me smile, too! I love Charlotte’s outfit for this prompt! That green polka dot blazer is so adorable and the dark green dress is just beautiful.
xoxo
Shelbee
Lovely
Beautiful painting and and you did a fantastic job recreating it! The pink bow is cute!
Lovely
http://www.mynameislovely.com
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks so much, Lovely! This was a fun prompt!
xoxo
Shelbee
Mike
You totally nailed this one, Shelbee! I really like how much you pay attention to detail and incorporate nearly every aspect of the painting into your outfit, while at the same time, showing off your own unique style. Your polka dot dress is perfect for this, along with the pink ribbon. Awesome job!
And thanks for the brief explanation of both the painting and the artist. I’m always interested in learning about new artists, particularly artists of color. So much of our history has been lost or forgotten, so it’s wonderful to be learning about it in these modern times, particularly at this point in time. 🙂
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks so much, Mike! I am so fascinated by so many things including art so this series is so fun and educational for me as well. I love that Daenel chose this piece in honor of Black History Month. I really think that we can learn so much about each other and expand our knowledge as an entire human society by learning where we came from and how we got here and all the people who suffered along the way. The best way to do this, in my opinion, is to learn about other cultures, their history, their arts, their religions, their world views in general. And so I embrace the SIA challenges as an opportunity for myself to go learn more!
I had fun creating this look and imitating the girl’s pose from the painting. I have a tiny little potted spruce in a red pot that was so similar to the plant on the left side of the painting that I wanted to place behind me, but I put the tree outside the other day to get some sunlight and now it is buried in snow!
I hope you are having an excellent week, my friend! I am looking forward to the next SIA prompt!
xoxo
Shelbee
lesa
You totally nailed it, and I learned something new!
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thank you, Lesa! These challenges inspire on more than one level which is so much fun for me…especially while there is no where to go and nothing to do these days!
xoxo
Shelbee
Mica
That dress met the theme perfectly and it was interesting reading about the history behind the artwork and the painter too, thanks for sharing! 🙂
Hope your week is going well 🙂 It’s a busy one here!
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks so much, Mica! I was so excited how perfectly this dress resembled the painting! It’s the little things in life that bring me much joy these days! I hope you have a wonderful weekend, my friend.
xoxo
Shelbee
Sheila (of Ephemera)
Great interpretation, Shelbee, and thank you for all the background info on the painting and the artist. I always have ambitions of joining up on these things, but I can barely keep up with my comments. I like your interpretation, and I love the streak of white in your hair.
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thank you, Sheila! These prompts are so much fun and give me a little extra something special for content. I do love researching the artwork, too. I hope you’ll be able to join one day even if not on a consistent basis. I just refreshed my hair dye and brightened my white stripe. I love how it was similar to the girl’s hair in the painting. That was pure chance but certainly made me smile!
xoxo
Shelbee
Mike
I totally agree, Shelbee! I believe that when we learn about and understand other people’s cultures and ways of life, we eliminate the “fear”, which can lead to “hate”, which is one of the main sources that fuels racism. I am very fortunate and lucky to be living in an age where diversity and culture are more widely expressed. I have a number of pen pal friends that I interact with regularly from around the world. And since meeting them, I’ve learned so much; much more than I ever did while in school. My first friend outside of the US was from India. She was the nicest, warmest person you would ever meet. And it was because of her warm friendship towards me that I became interested in wanting to make friends from around the world. And thanks to social media, that is possible. 🙂
I LOVE that pose that you did, imitating the girl’s pose in the process. I sometimes do the same thing with my photos if it is a portrait. 🙂
I also include my plants in my photos when the challenge allows it. I hope that your plant is okay out in the cold!
You too, my friend! Thank you for allowing my to be a part of your blog and a part of the discussion. It is an honor. 🙂
Have a wonderful week also!
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Mike, thanks for always sharing such wonderfully insightful comments! I had friends from different cultural backgrounds in high school, but it wasn’t until college when I really had the opportunity to expand my horizons and meet so many lovely people from all different cultures. I once asked a dear friend of mine how we can eliminate our own prejudices about other people and his answer was simple and to the point, “Travel,” is what he said. And I couldn’t agree more. The more exposure to other people we have, the more we learn how very different yet how very similar we all are. If we stay in one place, both physically and mentally, we will never break free from views and beliefs handed down to us from the less accepting generations that came before us. I really appreciate your willingness to engage in these types of discussions! This is why I blog!
xoxo
Shelbee
Mike
You are welcome, Shelbee! It’s so wonderful to share insightful deep thoughts and ideas with great people like yourself. You’re one of few people that truly appreciate this and I want to thank you for being so open to it!
I agree with you and your friend. Traveling to different places and engaging with the people and the different cultures of the world is probably the best education that we can give ourselves and expand our own horizons.
My friend, Salazar travels a lot and if not for the pandemic, probably would have been to at least two more places by now! I want to be able to travel like her one day and experience the world. 🙂
And hopefully, one day, post pandemic, I will do so. But for now, I let my postcards and letters do it for me.
I find it to be a great privilege to just be able to interact, let alone make friends with people from around the world. It doesn’t matter what religion they practice or what politics they have. If they are willing to talk to me, and we respect each other, that is good enough for me. 🙂 Some people I’ve known for a good 10 years or more and we still write regularly to each other. That tells me right there that true friendship knows no bounds. We are different, but yet the same. 🙂
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Mike, I really wish so many more people could approach life and society and human interactions in the same way that you and I do. Wouldn’t it be a much pleasanter world to live in if mutual respect and understanding, kindness and love reigned? I have always been very accepting of most people regardless of their political, religious, relationship, or any other views they may have. As long as they are kind and respectful of others, then our differences really only serve to make this existence richer and more fulfilling. I don’t want a group of friends who all think and act and look exactly like me. That would be so boring! I want friends who challenge me and inspire me and educate me. I, too, would love to travel more, but with two young children still at home and budgetary constraints, my wanderlust days will have to wait! I hope you are having a wonderful week, my friend!
xoxo
Shelbee
Kezzie
I really liked learning about Albert Huie and his works when I did this outfit too and I wish I included the history in my post but I didn’t have the energy to write it in my own words at the time of posting.
I thought your outfit was brilliant! I love everything you did and I realise that you chair in the background matches too! Absolutely super! I do love polka dots!
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks so much, Kezzie! I hear you on sometimes lacking the energy to write what you want. It happens to me often! This was a super fun challenge. I am loving this series so much!
xoxo
Shelbee