About the Artist - Dr. Lois Fortson

I am standing here in the home of famed sculpturer, Dr. Lois Fortson and surrounded by many of her fabulous pieces of portrait sculpture.

Dr. Fortson was born in Memphis, Tennessee and  graduated from Manassas High School, Fisk University. She has earned a Master in Divinity and Doctor of Ministry from the United Theological Seminary, Dayton Ohio. She credits her Art Training from the Dayton Art Institute and influenced greatly by teachers Robert Koepnick, Tess Little, Phillipe Farrar, Bing Davis, Abner Cope and Eugene Daub.

She has exhibited at the Ebonnia Gallery in Dayton, Black Creativity in Chicago 's Museum of Science and Industry, the Actors Theatre of Louisville, Sinclair Community College in Dayton, Springfield Arts Gallery, Columbus Fine Arts Gallery, and the Kiaca Gallery, Columbus Ohio.

Her works can be found in numerous private collections around the country, including Dr. Benjamin Carson, Tess Little and Dr. and Mrs. Vasco Smith.

She currently resides in Centerville, Ohio and says, "I live within a creative spirit that seeks expression through sculpting portraits of people. I have done figuratives in many series, like bas reliefs but  primarily portraits of women and men that have made contributions to our communities."

"I also studied for a year with a group at Sinclair College. We did Murals in oil based clay about the college. I have also completed courses in Facial Reconstruction with Betty Pat Gatliff at the University of Okahoma. This was interesting as we took skulls and reconstructed the faces."