Born in 1891 into a Creole home in New Orleans and raised in Chicago, Archibald J. Motley Jr. showed a very early talent and passion for art. When he was just 9 years old, he knew that he wanted to be an artist. He trained at the Art Institute of Chicago, and, in 1928, became only the second black artist ever to have a one-man exhibition in New York City.
          This success was achieved at the height of the Harlem Renaissance, the period during the 1920's when African-American writers, musicians and actors received encouragement and support for the first time in this country. Motley devoted himself to the portrayal of black men and women, hoping to rescue the image of African-Americans from the usual sterotyping. He believed that his paintings could promote a better understanding among white viewers of his black heritage. He said, in 1933, "It is my earnest desire and ambition to express the American Negro honestly and sincerely, neither to add nor detract, and to bring about a more sincere and brotherly understanding, between him and his white brethren."
          "Mending Socks," now on view in the Charles and Isabel Eaton Gallery of the Ackland Art Museum, is Motley's tribute to his 82-year-old grandmother, as well as being a fine narrative portrait. The objects surrounding Emily Motley tell the story of her life. The oval portrait, at upper left, shows the mistress of the house where the child Emily lived as a slave; the portrait was given to her on the day she was freed. Below the portrait, an oil lamp and books, one of them the Bible, refer to Emily Motley's education. She was taught reading and writing along with her mistress's children, a rare privilege for a slave girl. The blue and white tablecloth which has an American Indian design refers to Emily Motley's Native American husband. Just above her head hangs a crucifix that reflects her strong religious beliefs. The brooch on her chest is a portrait of her only daughter. The mound of socks on the table, and the scissors placed atop them refer to Emily Motley's daily routine of mending the family's socks.
          Motley once said that he believed art to be governed "by three words: personality, intensity and sympathy." These qualities enrich all his work, from strong, realistic portraits like "Mending Socks" to lively genre scenes of carnivals, cabarets, and urban street life.