For work that spans portraiture, oil painting and bronze sculpture, the Canadian artist Artis Lane draws from the spiritual and emotional aspects of human existence. Lane is a trailblazer: She was the first Black woman to be admitted to Cranbrook Academy of Art — a legendary institution within art, design and architecture — and her bronze bust of Sojourner Truth was the first statue of an African-American woman in the United States Capitol.
Lane was born in North Buxton, Ontario, in a town predominantly inhabited by the descendants of slaves who arrived in Canada by way of the Underground Railroad. As her artistic career developed, so did her interest in people of African descent as well as her ideas about the physical world and our bodies being vessels, capable of eventually taking on godly characteristics.
“Lane promotes the primacy of corporeal experience with sculptures that speak to Africa as the beginning of human life,” noted the University of Oklahoma’s Journal of Museum Studies in 2008. Her unique approach to depicting the journey between the physical and spiritual worlds has been to work outside the constraints of the traditional bronze finishing process, leaving the ceramic casing, wire and tubing used to cast it intact as part of the finished piece, whereby the wire is symbolic of bondage to the physical form.
Lane attended what was then called the Ontario College of Art (today, it’s the Ontario College of Art and Design University) on the Edith Chapman scholarship before studying painting at Cranbrook. She took an active role in the artistic communities in the various cities she lived in over the years. In New York and Los Angeles, she befriended actors Cary Grant and Diahann Carroll, and in Detroit, she painted commissioned portraits of auto industry executives to pay the bills. She would go on to paint portraits of many esteemed figures such as President John F. Kennedy, Frank Sinatra, Michael Jordan and Aretha Franklin. Today, a sculpture Lane created of Rosa Parks is on display at the National Portrait Gallery.
Lane received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the California African American Museum and an honorary degree from her alma mater, Cranbrook Academy of Art.
Find a collection of Artis Lane art on 1stDibs.
"New Woman" Bronze, Frontal Nude Female, Figurative Sculpture
By Artis Lane
Located in Detroit, MI
"New Woman" is an iconic portrait of a female woman. Her work has been described as follows: "Lane captures the body in various poses, depicting the movement and fluidity of living i...
Bronze, Metal, Steel
Price Upon Request
"Spiritual Man" Standing Figurative Male Sculpture, Nude, Transparent Kalonite
By Artis Lane
Located in Detroit, MI
"Spiritual Man" standing is a subject that continually held the interest of the artist, a depiction of man awakening from a more dormant state to stretch into the glory of his creati...
Kaolin
Price Upon Request
"New Birth" Female, Nude, Figurative, Sculpture, Bronze, Acrylic
By Artis Lane
Located in Detroit, MI
"Birth" is a small intimate sculpture of a women in the act of pending birth. She gazes skyward beyond her own condition of birthing an earthly being, to encompass the intellectual a...
Bronze
"First Man" Bronze with Black Patina, Nude Male Sculpture
By Artis Lane
Located in Detroit, MI
"First Man" is a contemplative figure of an nude man with his hands clasped together and his head thrown back suggesting an individual deep in spiritual thought. Ms. Lane has stated ...
Bronze
Price Upon Request
"New Man" Nude Male Sculpture, Bronze with Black Patina
By Artis Lane
Located in Detroit, MI
"New Man" standing is a subject that continually holds the interest of the artist, a depiction of man awakening from a more dormant state to stretch into the glory of his creation. M...
Bronze
Price Upon Request
"Nubian Mask" Male, Head, Sculpture, Bronze
By Artis Lane
Located in Detroit, MI
"Nubian Mask" is a 3/4 life size face of a man with eyes down cast. There is a deep sense of quiet and contemplation surrounding the subject. Ms. Lane has talked about how a number o...
Bronze
Price Upon Request
"Birth" Sculpture, Bronze with Black Patina, Female, Nude
By Artis Lane
Located in Detroit, MI
"Birth" is a small intimate sculpture of a women in the act of pending birth. She gazes skyward beyond her own condition of birthing an earthly being, to encompass the intellectual a...
Bronze
"Rebirth" Bronze Sculpture with Patina, Figures, Naked, Male
By Artis Lane
Located in Detroit, MI
All my life I have worked on three levels of consciousness: Portraits, Social Injustice & Metaphysics. In my work I strive to heal, uplift and inspire viewers and collectors to find ...
Bronze
Price Upon Request
"Rosa Parks Ascending Steps" Bronze, Portrait, Iconic Figure, Historical Scene
By Artis Lane
Located in Detroit, MI
"Rosa Parks Ascending Steps" is the portrait of an iconic heroine at a moment of historical significance, chance and change as she is ascending the courthouse steps...
Bronze
Price Upon Request
"Rosa Parks" Bronze Sculpture, Figurative, Female, Portrait
By Artis Lane
Located in Detroit, MI
All my life I have worked on three levels of consciousness: Portraits, Social Injustice & Metaphysics. In my work I strive to heal, uplift and inspire viewers and collectors to find perfection in their own being. - Artis Lane "Rosa Parks...
Bronze
Price Upon Request
"Madonna" Bronze Sculpture with Patina, Marble base, Figurative, Female
By Artis Lane
Located in Detroit, MI
All my life I have worked on three levels of consciousness: Portraits, Social Injustice & Metaphysics. In my work I strive to heal, uplift and inspire viewers and collectors to find ...
Marble, Bronze
Price Upon Request
"Emerging First Man" Bronze Sculpture, Male Figurative, Ceramic Shell, Resin
By Artis Lane
Located in Detroit, MI
All my life I have worked on three levels of consciousness: Portraits, Social Injustice & Metaphysics. In my work I strive to heal, uplift and inspire viewers and collectors to find ...
Bronze
Price Upon Request
"Sojourner Truth" Bronze Sculptural Bust, Portrait,
By Artis Lane
Located in Detroit, MI
All my life I have worked on three levels of consciousness: Portraits, Social Injustice & Metaphysics. In my work I strive to heal, uplift and inspire viewers and collectors to find ...
Bronze
Price Upon Request
"Wise Virgin I (Celebration)" Bronze Sculpture, Figurative, Nude Pregnant Female
By Artis Lane
Located in Detroit, MI
All my life I have worked on three levels of consciousness: Portraits, Social Injustice & Metaphysics In my work. I strive to heal, uplift and inspire viewers and collectors to find ...
Bronze
Price Upon Request
"Woman" Bronze Sculpture with Patina, Female Nude
By Artis Lane
Located in Detroit, MI
All my life I have worked on three levels of consciousness: Portraits, Social Injustice & Metaphysics In my work I strive to heal, uplift and inspire viewers and collectors to find p...
Bronze
$28,842
H 34.65 in W 9.85 in
Quis Mihi Iniuriam Facet Bronze Sculpture Nude Boy Male Figure Marble
By Wim van der Kant
Located in Utrecht, NL
Quis Mihi Iniuriam Facet Bronze Sculpture Nude Boy Male Figure Marble Stone Wim van der Kant (1949, Kampen) is a selftaught artist. Next to his busy profession as a teacher at a high school, he intensively practises his profession as a sculptor. Only when his work would measure up to his own standards, he decided to present it to the rest of the world...
Marble, Bronze
$9,810
H 16.54 in W 7.88 in
Gallulus Bronze Sculpture Nude Boy Male Figure Green Patina Marble Stone
By Wim van der Kant
Located in Utrecht, NL
Gallulus Bronze Sculpture Nude Boy Male Figure Green Patina Marble Stone Wim van der Kant (1949, Kampen) is a selftaught artist. Next to his busy profess...
Marble, Bronze
Candy II (lightbox)
By Mel Ramos
Located in Long Island City, NY
Artist: Mel Ramos, American (1935 - ) Title: Candy II (Snickers) Year: 2014 Medium: Sculpture Multiple: Lightbox with Steelcut, Acrylic Paint, signed and dated verso Edition: 13/...
Steel
$17,169
H 19.69 in W 7.88 in
Ad Dextram Bronze Sculpture Nude Boy Male Figure Marble Stone
By Wim van der Kant
Located in Utrecht, NL
Ad Dextram Bronze Sculpture Nude Boy Male Figure Marble Stone Wim van der Kant (1949, Kampen) is a selftaught artist. Nex...
Marble, Bronze
$17,250
H 27.56 in W 7.88 in D 7.88 in
Aquila Bronze Sculpture Nude Boy Marble Stone Contemporary In Stock
By Wim van der Kant
Located in Utrecht, NL
Aquila Bronze Sculpture Nude Boy Marble Stone Contemporary In Stock - Sculpture without Stone is 57 cm high Wim van der Kant (1949, Kampen) is a selftaught a...
Marble, Bronze
$50,000
H 30 in W 23 in D 10 in
Miss Kiss (Lightbox), Pop Art Wall Sculpture by Mel Ramos
By Mel Ramos
Located in Long Island City, NY
Artist: Mel Ramos, American (1935 - ) Title: Miss Kiss (Lightbox) Year: 2015 Medium: 3-D Sculpture multiple: Lightbox with Steelcut, Acrylic Paint, electrical cord and switch Edition...
Enamel, Steel
$1,800
H 20 in W 12 in D 7 in
Venus de Milo (Aphrodite) Bust /// Jack Graves Greek Myth Painting Sculpture Art
By Jack Graves III
Located in Saint Augustine, FL
Artist: Jack Graves III (American, 1988-) Title: "Venus de Milo (Aphrodite) Bust" Series: Sculpture *Signed, titled, and dated by Graves on bottom Year: 2026 Medium: Original Acrylic...
Cast Stone, Marble, Enamel
$7,000
H 29.5 in W 14.5 in D 9.5 in
"LA ROC Cat Woman" Decorated Graffiti Street Art Mannequin Bust Sculpture
By LA II (Angel Ortiz)
Located in New York, NY
A beautiful street art, abstract Mannequin Bust decorated by artist Angel Ortiz. Here we find this stylish bust figure with the artist signature tag...
Found Objects, Spray Paint, Acrylic
$800
H 15.75 in W 4.38 in D 4.38 in
Venus de Milo Sculpture (Alexandros of Antioch) /// Contemporary Classics Nude
By Jack Graves III
Located in Saint Augustine, FL
Artist: Jack Graves III (American, 1988-) Title: "Venus de Milo Sculpture (Alexandros of Antioch)" Series: Sculpture *Signed, titled, and dated by Graves on bottom Year: 2022 Medium...
Cast Stone, Marble, Enamel
$9,401
H 16.15 in W 15.75 in
Ausum Bronze Contemporary Sculpture Marble Stone Nude Boy Male Figure
By Wim van der Kant
Located in Utrecht, NL
Ausum Bronze Contemporary Sculpture Marble Stone Nude Boy Male Figure Wim van der Kant (1949, Kampen) is a selftaught artist. Next to his busy profession as a teacher at a high scho...
Marble, Bronze
$2,031
H 12.21 in W 1.97 in D 3.94 in
Daniëlle - 21st Century Bronze Sculpture of a standing Young Girl
By Wim van der Kraan
Located in Nuenen, Noord Brabant
Daniëlle 50 x 13 x 10 cm Bronze The theme van der Kraan likes most is to show the growing of young girls. Living in their own world. Like this girl watching something she likes. The...
Bronze
$7,194
H 13 in W 11.82 in
David Bronze Sculpture Nude Boy Male Figure Marble Stone
By Wim van der Kant
Located in Utrecht, NL
David Bronze Sculpture Nude Boy Male Figure Marble Stone Wim van der Kant (1949, Kampen) is a selftaught artist. Next to his busy profession as a teacher at ...
Marble, Bronze