Black Americana is not to be confused with African or African-American art and ceramics.  Black Americana Ceramics date from early American slave-history to the present (for most Black collectibles, the cutoff could be as late as the 1950s).  Black Americana encompasses the cultural attitudes of Black Americans and America's response to its Black culture.  This wealth of ceramics could be seen in the American homes, kitchens, bathrooms, famous Restaurants and international store chains, ranging from the absolutely derogatory in characterizations to the most beautiful and respectful Black expressions and cultural icons. 

I have been handcasting and hand-painting Black Americana ceramics for over 25 years.  My love of expression of the Black Culture ranges from the early 1900s (I adore creating Black American Victoriana ceramics) to the everyday characterizations (the popular Mammy containers, early American industrialization) and even giving popular icons a "spice of color" (i.e., Betty Boop). 

It is always entertaining to find that most people believe that Black Americana is best expressed by the most "negroid" of facial and physical features.  However, unlike most cultures and races, Blacks are a mixture of almost every race on the face of the earth!  The facial features, the eye color, the hair, the body style and yes, skin color, can change within a family unit, family tree or an entire community. 

When working on a figure that will become a Black Americana character, it is best not to be bound by the "stereotype".  One would find it very difficult to find molds or figures of "negroid" 1800s Victorian ladies in their beautiful gowns, so I don't.  There are a wealth of "races" that could be found in the facial features of one "generic" doll by just slightly or greatly changing the skin tone and (possibly) the eye color (unless one MUST have blue eyes!).  On the other hand, the stereotypical "Mammy" is quite an endearing figure as it is, but her skin tones are not always charcoal black with "bread-basket" lips and white bulging eyes.   These features are typical of a collectible status, but are not the end-all for today's memorabilia lovers. 

My personal best in painting the skin colors of my subjects are acrylic paints.  I have used the "fired" colors and the powders and liquids currently on the market for coloring the slips used for bisque and porcelain, and in all honesty, the techniques and colors are improving, but only the acrylics have succeeded in smooth, life-like colors that cover the rainbow of skin tones associated with the Black race(s).  Also, with acrylics, I can achieve a variety of  brown shades without the color-mixing that is sometimes a must when using the powders and liquids associated with slip casting.  And, unfortunately, in firing greenware, you don't get to see the true color until the piece has been totally fired, I have had many disappointments, when my fired piece came out of the kiln - not a tragedy, but a permanent disappointment. 

Painting "outside the box" is the general rule.  Don't be afraid to pick an unpainted, generic, base-white figure that appeals to you.  Personally,  my family covers every corner of the world, my great-grandmother was 1/2 Indian, I have an uncle that is 1/2 Belgium (green-eyes) and yes, my father was pure-African, but my mother was a born-American with a creole mix.  I have many cousins whose skin colors represent the rainbow in shades of pinks and browns.  So painting my figures to cover only one small piece of the globe just because their skin color is dark, would be somewhat insulting. 

Take your piece and play!  You can't make a mistake - just repaint it!  Color and self-expression is what makes our world a beautiful place to live in .