$4500-$6500 Nipsey Hussle “Think Big” This is an original acrylic painting on canvas created by artist Courtney Jolliff, depicting the late rapper and entrepreneur Nipsey Hussle. The artwork features a stylized, illustrative portrait using a palette dominated by black, white, and bold primary accents of yellow and blue. The subject is rendered with closed eyes in a contemplative pose, showing his signature braided hair, full beard, and facial tattoos, including the 'PROLIFIC' and 'GOD WILL RISE' markings. The composition is dynamic, incorporating street-art-inspired elements such as a yellow crown floating above his head, the phrase 'THINK BIG' in expressive script, and several orange butterfly motifs. A striking yellow circular medallion and intricate chest tattoos are visible under his jacket. The canvas appears to be unframed, showing clean white edges against a wooden floor background. The brushwork is gestural and textured, particularly in the yellow and blue impasto-like areas. As a contemporary piece with strong cultural ties, its provenance is notable, with similar works held by collectors like Raub Welch and DJ VIP. The condition appears excellent with no visible tears, fading, or cracking of the paint. The piece likely dates to the late 2010s or early 2020s, reflecting a modern Neo-Expressionist style.$1800 This original mixed-media painting is executed on a sheet of found newspaper by the artist Courtney Jolliff. The work depicts a trio based on a 'selfie' photograph from the 2024 Chicago Art Expo, featuring prominent figures Clinee Hedspeth (former Chicago Art Commissioner), the artist Courtney Jolliff, and collector/designer Raub Welch. The piece exhibits Jolliff’s signature neo-expressionist style, characterized by raw, gestural linework, bold applications of black and ochre paint, and the symbolic use of crowns above the subjects. A notable physical element is a dimensional floral applique attached to the center figure's hair. The substrate is a recycled newspaper page, displaying natural folds, creases, and rough edges inherent to 'found' materials, which contributes to its contemporary urban aesthetic. The composition uses the translucency of the paint to allow the underlying newsprint text to remain visible, blurring the line between the subjects and their cultural context. Condition appears intentionally raw, with the paper being mounted to a wall using visible adhesive at the top. The use of limited palettes—predominantly black, tan, and yellow—contrasts with the pink floral element, creating a focal point in this 2024 work.$1500 This original contemporary artwork features thick, impasto acrylic paint applied over a found newspaper substrate. The composition depicts a domestic gathering of several Black figures seated at a dinner table, rendered in a raw, neo-expressionist style reminiscent of Jean-Michel Basquiat. The paint application is heavy and gestural, with visible brushstrokes and a palette dominated by muted earth tones, blacks, and grays, accented by vibrant pops of yellow and red. A defining feature is the addition of small yellow crowns floating above each figure's head, serving as a powerful symbolic motif. Handwritten text reads 'Long time coming' in black script at the top center. The construction involves the use of non-archival newsprint, which shows slight creasing and minor edge wear consistent with the medium's fragile nature. The artwork is unsigned but displays a high degree of expressive energy and stylistic cohesion. The use of 'found objects' as a canvas suggests a 21st-century creation period, emphasizing themes of heritage, royalty, and everyday life through a street-art influenced lens. The craftsmanship is intentional in its 'primitive' aesthetic, utilizing bold black outlines to define the silhouettes against the printed columns of the underlying newspaper, which remain partially visible in the margins and background.[Notice: although my signature style, Chairman Fred Jr. (the respective title). The Crown does not and is not referenced as a King. He/they preference the term “Servant of the People”. ] evident approval of a piece I did of him on found object in my specific style being worth more then the hand signed painting of the mayor I did. Making my first painting worth $6500 🥹🙌🥹 this is my black history personal achievement and really thankful for Chairman Fred Jr., Mama Africas, & the ancestors! “Power To The People” This item is an original neo-expressionist portrait painting of Chairman Fred Hampton Jr., executed in a style reminiscent of Jean-Michel Basquiat. The artwork is created on a white rectangular surface, potentially a door panel or board, measuring approximately 24 by 36 inches. It is housed in a simple, unfinished wooden frame that shows minor scuffing and tape residue along the top edge. The subject is depicted wearing a black beret, glasses, and a brown jacket, holding a glass. Significant symbolic elements include a yellow crown hovering over the head, a speech bubble containing the legendary slogan "Power to the People," and the name "Fred Hampton" inscribed within a green rectangular block in the upper right. The color palette is vibrant, utilizing bold yellows, browns, reds, and blacks with heavy, visible brushwork and gestural line work. A red bird-like figure or abstract shape is perched on the subject's shoulder, adding to the symbolic depth. Notable for its modern provenance, the piece has been publicly acknowledged and approved by Chairman Fred Hampton Jr. himself, as evidenced by the social media overlay. The condition appears stable with intentional raw aesthetic choices, though some minor edge wear on the frame is present. The craftsmanship reflects a high level of contemporary urban folk art energy and political significance.$450 This is a two-piece contemporary art installation featuring acrylic paint on disparate found objects, serving as a memorial for Trayvon Martin. The primary element is a painted newspaper sheet, exhibiting a stylized portrait of Martin wearing his signature grey hoodie, accented with a gold crown and the bold text 'DONT SHOOT I WANTED TO GROW OLD'. The paint handling is expressive and raw, using heavy black outlines and vibrant reds. The paper shows natural creasing and edge wear consistent with its ephemeral nature. The secondary element is a metal beverage can (Arizona Raspberry Tea) that has been hand-painted with a faceless version of the same hooded silhouette, a gold crown, and the name 'Trayvon Martin' inscribed at the base. The construction is a classic example of 'Found Object Art' or 'Assemblage,' reflecting a 21st-century grassroots political movement style. The condition is intended to be rustic; the newspaper is wrinkled, and the can is a standard recycled aluminum container, adding to the urban, street-art aesthetic. There are no visible traditional maker's marks, suggesting it may be a community-driven or outsider artist piece created shortly after 2012. The craftsmanship focuses on emotional impact and symbolic meaning rather than formal academic precision.$650 This original mixed media artwork is an acrylic painting on found newspaper by artist Courtney Jolliff, depicting the legendary artist and activist Faith Ringgold. The piece features a stylised portrait of Ringgold dressed in a crown and a green, patterned quilt-like gown, referencing her famous narrative quilts. The composition is set against a bold, primary-colored background of blue, yellow, and red blocks with a heavy black outline. The text 'RINGGOLD' is hand-painted in white script across the upper section, while 'FAITH' is encased in a green block at the base. The use of newspaper as a substrate is a deliberate artistic choice, adding texture and a sense of immediacy; visible newsprint text includes fragments like 'Reconciliation'. The painting displays a vibrant, folk-art aesthetic with expressive, painterly strokes. Condition-wise, the paper shows natural curling and some edge wear consistent with found-object media. A signature or mark is visible in the lower-left corner. This contemporary piece serves as a significant homage to Ringgold's legacy, utilizing a raw, impactful style that echoes themes of identity and storytelling found in the subject's own work.$400 This is an original mixed-media painting on a square panel or heavy cardstock, created by artist Courtney Jolliff. The piece is an expressive homage to Annie Lee’s iconic 'Blue Monday' artwork, featuring a central female figure in a white nightgown seated on the edge of a bed, characterized by the signature faceless style popularized by Lee. The composition is dominated by a vibrant, textured palette of cobalt and cerulean blues, applied with visible, energetic brushstrokes and heavy impasto techniques. The figure wears a simplified yellow crown, a recurring motif in neo-expressionist contemporary art. In the lower left quadrant, the name 'Annie Lee' is hand-lettered alongside a possible date or series number signature. The substrate shows irregular, raw edges, suggesting a contemporary, folk-art, or 'outsider art' aesthetic. The condition appears to be original with intentional raw edges; the paint application is thick and stable. This work represents a stylistic fusion of Jolliff's modern gestural abstraction with the cultural narrative of African American genre painting, specifically produced to commemorate Black History Month.$1250-$1850 This original contemporary artwork is a mixed media piece created on a found page from The New York Times, dating from 2024. The work serves as a stylistic homage to the celebrated African American artist Elizabeth Catlett, specifically referencing her iconic woodcut 'Sharecropper.' The central image features a powerful portrait of a Black woman in a wide-brimmed hat, executed with heavy, expressive linework that mimics the aesthetic of relief printing. Artist Courtney Jolliff has layered his own signature graffiti-inspired elements over the print and newspaper text, including a hand-drawn gold and black crown, circular motifs, and bold vertical script reading 'ELIZABETH' and 'SAVIOR COMPLEX.' The use of found newspaper provides a poignant socio-political backdrop, featuring headlines regarding modern political tensions. The piece is characterized by its raw, urgent texture and the juxtaposition of historical artistic tradition with street-art sensibilities. Condition-wise, the piece shows intentional rumpling and irregular edges characteristic of found-object art, with no significant structural damage but visible handling related to the creative process. The craftsmanship skillfully balances the refined technicality of the figure's shading with the spontaneous, gestural quality of the marker and paint additions.$450 This two-piece mixed media art installation is a contemporary tribute to artist Jean-Michel Basquiat, created by Courtney Jolliff. The primary element is a 12x12 inch stretched canvas featuring a neo-expressionist portrait. The painting utilizes heavy impasto acrylics and oil pastels in a chaotic, layered palette of earth tones (burnt sienna, umber), stark black, and vibrant pops of primary yellow and blue. The central figure displays the iconic dreadlock silhouette associated with Basquiat, rendered with energetic, gestural brushstrokes. Accompanying the canvas is a found-object sculpture fashioned from a repurposed 20oz Faygo orange soda bottle. The bottle's label has been hand-altered with an ink-and-paint illustration of a crown and figure, mimicking Basquiat’s signature SAMO style graffiti. A single artificial white daisy is placed inside the bottle, filled with liquid. The craftsmanship emphasizes raw, urban energy and deliberate folk-art imperfection. Both pieces appear in excellent contemporary condition with no visible fading or structural damage. The work reflects a 21st-century interpretation of 1980s New York Street Art aesthetics.$450 This is a contemporary mixed media artwork by Courtney Jolliff, executed on a reclaimed double-page spread of a 'The New York Times' newspaper (dated August 22, 2021, featuring Weather and Sports sections). The central figure is an expressive, stylized depiction of the character Django from the film 'Django Unchained,' identifiable by his vibrant cobalt blue valet outfit, white ruffled collar, and signature green sunglasses. He wears a red crown, a symbolic nod to Basquiat-esque neocrowned royalty. The figure is shown in mid-action, wielding a whip that snakes through the lower-left corner. The background is divided into a lush green field and a dramatic sky filled with thick, impasto applications of metallic gold and creamy white paint. The word 'Justice' is scrawled in black ink across the golden sky, while 'oppression' appears towards the bottom right near a small, cartoonish 'dead' figure with 'X' eyes. The composition is raw and visceral, utilizing the ephemeral nature of newsprint as a substrate to contrast with the permanence of the historical themes suggested. Condition includes expected horizontal and vertical creases from the original newspaper folding, with some edge curling and minor paint cracking typical of heavy application on thin paper. The work reflects a neo-expressionist style, focusing on cultural impact and cinematic catharsis within the context of Black history and cinema.
