FEATURED ARTIST | Mae Alice Engron
We began collecting Engron’s work in the 1990’s. Drawn to our feature painting, “Black and White.” The way the canvas is layered with color and abstract patterning is Engron’s trademark. The color story here is modern and fresh – blue, white and grey with a few bold pops of color. Several of Engron’s works can be viewed and purchased here.
““I paint the way I feel. When my life is in order and everything is running smoothly, I paint the geometric. When I am down, I paint lines. When I feel love, I paint flowers. When I am feeling easy, I paint flowing paintings…””
Mae Alice Engron was born and raised in Indianapolis, Indiana. After injuries working as a civil servant, she attended Herron School and received a fine arts degree at the age of 42. One of the few African American abstract expressionists of the late 20th century, Engron created a distinct style focused on the use of vibrant colors and complex textures. Her art includes floral shapes, nudes, and geometric designs. While mainly abstract, she also influenced the neo-Expressionist movement of the 1970s and 1980s by merging recognizable forms in unconventional compositions.
Engron is known for her collaborations with other female artists. In 1987, she and Lois Main Templeton held an abstract exhibition at the First Indianapolis Business Center, sparking a lasting friendship. In 1990, she showcased her work alongside Alice Usher, known for her portrait busts. In 1988, Engron was one of two Black artists featured in Herron’s Welcome Back alumni show, which included 20 nationally known artists like David Smith and Robert Indiana, raising her profile significantly. Later that year, Herron showcased Engron again with nine mid-career artists. In 1991, her work was displayed at Gallery Tanner in Los Angeles in a tribute to influential artists, affirming her place in pure abstraction alongside figures like Alma Thomas.
