Artwork by Dick Ellescas featuring illustrated portraits of Della Reese

Source catalog description

This description refers to material held by Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. Visual details below describe the original material.

Framed collage-style drawing by Richard "Dick" Ellescas featuring three images of Della Reese. The drawing is done entirely in black, gray, and white. In each image, she is pictured from the chest up, holding a microphone. The largest image is at the top right. It shows the woman with a gray streak in her black hair, her eyes closed, mouth open and hands raised. On the left, she wears a floral patterned garment, with her mouth open as if she is singing. The lowest image appears to have been done on a separate sheet of paper and overlaid with the other drawing. It shows her smiling and wearing a garment with a decorated neckline. The drawing is in a black metal frame on brown mat board with a tan border. The drawing is signed along a flower stem at lower left [dick Ellescas].

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