[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 133 (Wednesday, September 29, 2010)] [Extensions of Remarks] [Page E1860] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] LOIS MAILOU JONES--HONORING AN INNOVATIVE TRAILBLAZER FROM THE HARLEM RENAISSANCE ______ HON. CHARLES B. RANGEL of new york in the house of representatives Wednesday, September 29, 2010 Mr. RANGEL. Madam Speaker, I stand before you today to recognize the late Lois Mailou Jones, a renowned American artist and educator who died in 1993 at the age of 93. One of the longest living painters of the Harlem Renaissance, she influenced many emerging African-American artists during and since that historic period. Her work will be on exhibit at the National Museum of Women in the Arts, in Washington, D.C., October 9, 2010 to January 9, 2011. Lois Mailou Jones (1905-1998) explored multiple themes and styles, poetically portraying African-American struggles in her work which included paintings, drawings and textile designs. For over fifty years, she consistently experimented with new techniques and inspired others to innovate. This led to many collaborations with her Harlem Renaissance contemporaries, from drawing illustrations for Langston Hughes to working alongside Carter G. Woodson, her significance during this period has been acknowledged. As a long-time professor at Howard University, she shaped generations of students and upcoming artists. She enhanced their learning experience with painting tours outside of the classroom, convinced the exposure would help them become better artists. This included travels as near as the local park to as far away as Paris and Africa. Born in Boston, MA, but traveling frequently throughout her career, her artwork consistently captured what was relevant in her life. After marrying Haitian artist Louis Vergniaud Pierre-Noel in 1953, Jones traveled and lived in Haiti and in those pieces one can see the influence of the Haitian culture, with its African influences and more colorful creations. Her race and gender contributed to a long and challenging path before receiving recognition for her work, but eventually the accolades came. President Jimmy Carter honored Jones for her outstanding achievements in the arts in 1980, and in the last ten years of her life both President Bill Clinton and French President Jacques Chirac met the artist and collected her work. Lois Mailou Jones continued to create her vibrant paintings until her death in 1998. A unique synthesis of African, Haitian, Parisian, and American iconography, Jones' work remains a remarkable contribution to the world of art. Her paintings grace the permanent collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, National Museum of American Art, Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, National Portrait Gallery, Boston Museum of Fine Arts, the National Palace in Haiti, the National Museum of Afro-American Artists and private collections around the world. At this time, I would like to also honor the current Trustees of the Lois Mailou Jones Pierre Noel Trust: Robert W. Jones, Chris Chapman, MD, and Larry Frazier, Esq. Madam Speaker, we recognize this distinguished artist and offer recognition of her contributions made to this genre. ____________________