by Valerie Lynn Gray    Posted: June 1, 1998

Art lovers will find a haven in an innovative site created by the October Gallery (68 N. Second St., 215-629-3939), a 13-year-old showroom in Philadelphia that features Fine Art and each December produces the Philadelphia Art Expo, a venue for showcasing black art. On the site, view artwork and get historical insight on renowned black artists Jacob Lawrence, Romare Bearden, Annie Lee, Charles Bibbs, LaShun Beal, Andrew Turner, Ted Ellis, Cal Massey, and others. Each month, you’ll find different artist profiles that include biographical data.

If you find an original, etching, serigraph or lithograph that you want to purchase, you can buy the artwork online either by credit card or C.O.D. Prints sell for as little as $10; other pieces of art can cost hundreds, even thousands of dollars. Before making a purchase, you may want to brush up on the basics of art collecting under “Facts and Fundamentals” on the site. There, you’ll find definitions of art terms such as “wood block” and “serigraph.” An added feature: You can also buy books by clicking on October Gallery’s recommended book list, set up in conjunction with Amazon books (www.amazon.com). Use one of the many search engines available via the Internet to find other sites related to black art. See “Seek and Ye Shall Find,” Techwatch, this issue.