My hope is that this site will be useful for students, artists, and anyone else who wants to know more about The Power of Art and Art that educates as well as Decorates.
On this site, you will find select images of paintings and Fine Art Collections, published articles, links to video clips of interviews, art openings, art talks and a bibliography of published books and exhibition catalogs. Also, be sure to check out our Gallery page for available works that can be purchased.
Eye hope that you enjoy the site, its purpose is to inspire you to get involved in what you care about.
"An artist must be free to choose what he does,
certainly, but he must also never be afraid to do
what he might choose."
-Langston Hughes
I just wanna Paint - and hopefully make a difference
M510
On this site, you will find select images of paintings and Fine Art Collections, published articles, links to video clips of interviews, art openings, art talks and a bibliography of published books and exhibition catalogs. Also, be sure to check out our Gallery page for available works that can be purchased.
Eye hope that you enjoy the site, its purpose is to inspire you to get involved in what you care about.
"An artist must be free to choose what he does,
certainly, but he must also never be afraid to do
what he might choose."
-Langston Hughes
I just wanna Paint - and hopefully make a difference
M510
Born and raised in Oakland, Calif., Milton Bowens, is the fifth boy of ten children and also the youngest of the ten, that’s the origin of his unique signature Milton 510. Milton’s artistic promise began at the age of five with nothing more than a few pencils and cut up brown paper bags stapled together and used as sketch paper, thanks to his mother’s ingenuity of making the best of lean times. Milton never lost sight of his humble roots. Discreetly placed on many of his collage works is a piece or strip of brown paper bag a subtle reminder it doesn’t take much to spark creativity. Years later, Milton’s formal art education took off while he attended the Renaissance Art School in Oakland during his junior and senior high school years. Milton is a nationally recognized artist and activist, who has been creating powerful work for the past 20 years. With his unique brand of mixed media paintings, enveloping the viewer as witness, participant and long lost relatives. They become reflections on family, life and culture. Having one of his jazz collections “Afro-Classical” used as a part of course study on the Harlem Renaissance at Cornell University since 2009. His work was recently featured in Transitions Magazine which is published by Harvard University. Milton 510’s art sparks conversation on art, history and the times in which we live today his work promises to be as direct, open, and honest as artistically possible. In 2010 Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson, appointed Milton as the Arts and Education Spokes Person for Sacramento’s Any Given Child partnership with the John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts Washington D.C.
Milton’s relentless quest for knowledge, exploring innovative artistic techniques and a deeper understanding of art, art history and the role it plays in the preservation of culture is never ending. Milton continues to give back to the community whether he’s providing art workshops to members at the local Boys and Girls Clubs of Sacramento or through his many lectures, workshops through Twin Rivers Unified School District, For Art Sake, Sacramento Unified School District and St. Hope Academy just to name a few of the many K-12 schools where he often teaches through his art. He also continues to educate through art at several colleges and universities, with Los Rios Community College District and California State University Sacramento just being two of the higher education institutions that continue to ask Milton back because of the great response of the student body and faculty from his lectures and workshops.
Awards:
Milton 510 is proud to announce his Artist and Residence Partnership with Gallery 157, Moulton Alabama
Gallery 157 was created to increase access to art and art experiences through collaboration, community engagement, exhibitions and educational programming. We aim to produce art that educates, not just decorates.
As a studio artist and co-curator of exhibitions, Milton 510 hopes to expose his unique brand of art and artistic insight to the South as he continues
to push is philosophy “Art For Education Not Just Decoration”
Milton’s relentless quest for knowledge, exploring innovative artistic techniques and a deeper understanding of art, art history and the role it plays in the preservation of culture is never ending. Milton continues to give back to the community whether he’s providing art workshops to members at the local Boys and Girls Clubs of Sacramento or through his many lectures, workshops through Twin Rivers Unified School District, For Art Sake, Sacramento Unified School District and St. Hope Academy just to name a few of the many K-12 schools where he often teaches through his art. He also continues to educate through art at several colleges and universities, with Los Rios Community College District and California State University Sacramento just being two of the higher education institutions that continue to ask Milton back because of the great response of the student body and faculty from his lectures and workshops.
Awards:
- CAPCR at CSU Sacramento, Peace Education Award Recipient, 2014
- Sacramento Arts & Business Arts Educator of the Year Finalist, 2013
- Twin Rivers Unified School District VAPA-DO–ARTS Award, 2013
- St. Hope Beacon of Hope Award, 2012
- Twin Rivers Unified School District VAPA-DO-ARTS Award, 2012
- Artistic License Award from California Lawyers for the Arts, 2012
- Resolution from California Legislative Black Caucus, 2011
- Sacramento’s first Fine Art Artist in Residence, 2010
- Bay Area Inspired Artist Award, 2010
- Joyce Alexander Wein Artist Prize Nominee, 2006
- Brown-Forman Corporation Purchase Award, 15th Annual African American Art Exhibition, 2009
Milton 510 is proud to announce his Artist and Residence Partnership with Gallery 157, Moulton Alabama
Gallery 157 was created to increase access to art and art experiences through collaboration, community engagement, exhibitions and educational programming. We aim to produce art that educates, not just decorates.
As a studio artist and co-curator of exhibitions, Milton 510 hopes to expose his unique brand of art and artistic insight to the South as he continues
to push is philosophy “Art For Education Not Just Decoration”