Harold Luke a native Clevelander born in Wheeling, West Virginia, September 11, 1933. Harold Luke’s work was influenced by Black and African American historical figures and life. Worked with the pencil for over 7 decades He developed a personal technique to express a study of Black Art & African American culture, both past and present, in a very personal way. He raised to a unique personal skillful technique to express that Study. Over the past decades Luke has ascended to the summit of his craft, perfecting an uniquely personal and skillful technique with which to express his visions through the medium of pencil. Harold Luke stated (in his own words) about his journey which influenced his Love for Drawing: “I was born in West Virginia in 1933. I was raised in a large family of seven children. I am next to the youngest. I was three years old when my mother brought the family to Cleveland. This was right after my father’s death. My mother’s sister and father were already here. My grandfather worked downtown at Burrows book store. He worked there for 42 years. My mother stayed home and took care of the children.

My mother was more or less an artist, she would sew, knit, embroider and crochet. She was always doing something with her hands. My oldest sister did some sewing. Matter of fact I used to do a little embroidering.

I have been drawing ever since I was four or five years old. When we used to go and visit my grandfather I would just sit on the floor and draw while he would read the Bible. Anytime I could get a pencil I would draw anything I saw.

All through elementary school I drew for various school and city contests. When I was attending Central High School I won several contest for my artwork. After graduating from Central High School in 1952, I attended Cooper School of Art.

Then later I attended the Cleveland Institute of Art for a short time. After school I went into the service and did drafting. When I came out of the service in 1956, I went back to my art. I also got married after the service and reared seven children. My artwork has been shown in several art shows and magazines. Drawing, to me relaxes my mind.

“Drawing is a gift from the Almighty; it is away for me to pray. Praying and drawing are my biggest stress reliever’s. Through my artwork I can communicate to the Lord. As I talk to the Lord, it inspires me to do something with my hands and I just start drawing. Although, I have worked the normal 9-5 job to raise a family, drawing has always been my true calling in life. My artwork is my legacy to my Family.

“As a young artist, I found pencil was generally the medium artists would turn to after graduating from crayons. I also found the pencil to be very inexpensive, compact and an uncomplicated tool. Although pencil drawing is not a complicated process, it is not as simple as some would believe. It is a medium that depends on basic construction, for there are no color effects to compensate for weak drawings. Therein lay the CHALLENGE!”