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Marcella’s father recognized her talent at portraiture at an early age and encourage her to take commissions to paint portraits of his friends. But Marcella was uninspired by the formal, emotionless portraits that were standard at the time. She developed a style that is more inspired by the character of the person. Marcella likes to get to know about the person and is able to reflect so much more than just a face in her portraits. Her portraits are about keeping family and friends close and alive in our hearts. Below are a few examples of her style.
In 1997, Mr. Grant Long, of NBA fame, requested a portrait of himself with his sons as a birthday gift for his wife. He chose a photograph his wife had taken of him and his boys in their family room but he wanted a different background and setting. He wanted an oil on canvas large enough to fit over his fireplace. Marcella Muhammad recommended a 24"x36" which, with framing, would end up the size he wanted.
Marcella met Grant's wife and interviewed Grant to gather background information about him and his family. Based on that information, she developed a concept and made a preliminary sketch for his approval as shown on the right.
She developed a background with African Baobab trees, symbolizing a father’s strength, set in the red Georgia clay representing their new home in Georgia. Marcella included the Ghanaian Adinkra symbol of Sankofa which means to go back and remember one's heritage. The symbol was hidden in the picture for the children to search and find. Three flowers were added to symbolize Grant's wife, daughter and child on the way. The rocks represented the solid foundation of family and parenting that he and his wife were providing their children. The setting sun symbolized his eventual retirement from professional basketball.
After his approval, Marcella proceeded to paint the final portrait seen above. Upon completion, Grant Long was presented with the finished portrait and a custom designed certificate that fully described the image and symbolisms and included a map of the Adinkra symbols.
Dusty Baker, of baseball fame, is a long time friend of Marcella’s husband, Alee Mitchell. In 2001, a newspaper photo of Mr. Dusty Baker with his young son, Darren, caught Marcella's eye. It was her inspiration to create an original oil painting on canvas and present it to Dusty at the end of the season when he came to Atlanta, Georgia. A preliminary sketch was developed, adding here and enhancing there. Marcella even researched the brand of Dusty’s shoes to insure accuracy. Once the sketch was complete she re-sketched it onto the canvas and then painted it.
When Dusty arrived at the Ritz Carlton in Atlanta, Marcella and her husband unveiled it and presented it to him along with a customized certificate of authenticity. The portrait is now prominently displayed in his home over the living room fireplace. The portrait is now a family legacy.
The passing of Bobby Bonds inspired this portrait of him and his son Barry. Marcella's husband, Alee Mitchell was a long time friend of Bobby Bonds. He asked Marcella to do a portrait of Bobby and his son to present to the family in remembrance of Bobby. The painting is a touching tribute to the close relationship between father and son.
In 1999, Selma Glass, a fellow artist, wanted to do a collaborative portrait of the founder of the Romar Academy in Atlanta, Georgia. She asked Marcella to do the face in her style and Selma was to add the clothing and background. It was an interesting undertaking that worked quite well. Marcella pre-sketched the image onto the canvas from a photo that was provided. She then used oils to complete the portrait as shown here.
The canvas was then turned over to Selma to complete. She used acrylics to create the dress, background and earring. The project took about three weeks to complete.
Cicily Tyson has been one of Marcella Muhammad’s favorite actresses since the ‘70s. In 1975 she painted this portrait of Ms. Tyson. The portrait remains in Marcella's personal collection.
Other celebrity inspired paintings include:
Malik Yobla
Clarence Muse, famous for his portrayal of “Uncle Remus”
Denzel Washington
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