Milton Bowens, born and raised in Oakland, CA is the 5th son and 10th child of his family, which makes for his unique artistic signature Milton 510. His work takes inspiration from history and culture, bringing to the foreground issues of perseverance, pride, perspective, and cause and effect. His work has been reviewed in numerous publications, including, The Sacramento Bee, The San Francisco Chronicle, and The Los Angeles Times, The Sacramento News & Review and was featured in Transition Magazine Issue 122, published by Harvard University. He currently lives, works, and co-owns Gallery 157 with his wife, artist Daphne Burgess in Moulton, Alabama.
Milton Bowens
Bowens’ “Afro Classical” collection, an anthology of paintings depicting the cultural importance of jazz, art, and poetry during the Harlem Renaissance Era, was used as part of course study on “The Harlem Renaissance “ at the African Studies and Research Center at Cornell University. His “Art of Education” Collection was used as part of course study at UC Davis with works belonging to the collection of the Transformative Justice In Education Center and works from that collection were featured at Twin Rivers Unified School Districts, MLK Just Dream Galleries Project (which he founded in 2014, in partnership with the districts VAPA department).
In 2011, Bowens received a resolution from the California Legislative Black Caucus for his work on arts and education in the public schools. He is an Artistic License Award recipient, given by the California Lawyers for the Arts. His work is widely collected and belongs to the collections of: The David C. Driskell Center, University of Maryland, California African American Museum Los Angeles (CAAM), Crocker Art Museum, Tuskegee University, UC Berkeley, UC Davis, The Chase Center, Levi Stadium, The Golden One Area, Lambeau Field Stadium, The African American Museum and Library at Oakland (AAMLO), The Guild Theatre, Sacramento, Fixins Soul Kitchen (Sac, LA, Tulsa, and Detroit) Micheal Jordan, Barry Bonds, Charles Barkley, LeBron James, Jason Kidd, Laney College, Oakland CA, The Bayard Rustin Center for Social Justice and The Contra Costa Regional Medical Center (CCRMC).
Bowens’ work within the educational system includes exhibiting and lecturing at over two dozen universities and college campuses, He is served as artist in residence in several Northern California school districts. He is currently the lead teaching artist for Sacramento County Office of Education (SCOE). Bowens strongly believes his art can, “educate as well as decorate.”