Augusta Savage, whose original name was Augusta Christine Fells was a black American sculptor born on February 29, 1892.

Augusta Savage, whose original name was Augusta Christine Fells was a black American sculptor born on February 29, 1892. She began modeling at an early age using red clay soil at her home in Florida. Augusta was a Harlem Renaissance sculptor who was also an influential advocate for equal human rights. In addition, she was an art teacher, and her art studio, Savage Studio of Arts and Crafts in Harlem was an inspiration to many artists who later became famous.

Childhood and Early Life
Augustus Fells was born to a Methodist minister, Edward Fells and Cornelia Murphy on February 29, 1892, in Green Cove Springs, Florida. As a child, she began modeling using red clay in her hometown. She mostly made small animal sculptures. Her father, a Methodist minister was however against his daughter’s love for art. She got whipped most of the time for modeling as his father believed making sculptures was a sinful practice.

Despite the several objections and efforts by her father to stop her, Augusta could not help but make more sculptures. In 1915, when her family moved to West Palm Beach, Florida, she faced a new challenge; lack of clay. Savage eventually found a local potter who gave her some materials. She then entered a county fair where her work was great and well received. Besides winning a prize, she also got the support of George Graham Currie, the fair’s superintendent who motivated her to embrace and study art.

Her family also embraced her love for sculpturing and her father allowed her to start teaching an art class, which was mostly for modeling. This was the beginning of her lifelong devotion to teaching art. In 1919, Augustus Fells was given a booth at the county fair at Palm Beach where she won the first prize of $25 and an award for showcasing the most original exhibit.

Education and early life in a career
Augustus Fells got a recommendation letter from George Graham, the superintendent of the Palm Beach County fair for Solon Borglum, a sculpture she had made. Borglum however declined to accept her as a student in his school but told her to apply to Cooper Union, New York City where she was accepted in October 1921.

Cooper Union was a great place for her since it did not charge tuition fees. She also got a scholarship to aid her with all her living expenses in the same institution. She did so well, completing her course in only three years instead of four.
In 1923, while still at Cooper Union, Augustus Fells applied for an art program that was sponsored by the French government. Her application was however declined because of her race. She was really mad and had so many questions for the committee. This was to be the revolutionary experience that would influence her life and work great. This prompted, Hermon Atkins, a sculptor who was also part of the committee, to invite her to study with him in the Long Island studio.

Shortly after, Augustus Fells began making a name for herself. Her works during this time include sculptures of famous African-Americans like W. E. B. Du Bois and Marcas Garvey. Both pieces were awarded for their uniqueness, power, and dynamism. She later earned a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Fine Arts, Rome in 1925. She was however unable to attend since she could not raise funds for her living expenses and travel. The scholarship only covered tuition.

After finishing her studies at Cooper Union, Augustus Fells worked at a steam laundry shop in Manhattan. This was aimed to support her family and save for her studies in Europe. Her home had been destroyed by a huge hurricane and her father had suffered a stroke. The family had to move into her small apartment on West 137th street.

Augusta’s talents and works became widely known to the African-American community who organized fundraising ceremonies in Harlem and Greenwich village. This was to help her raise funds for travel and living during her study abroad. Many African-American teachers from Florida A and M also sent her money for her studies abroad.

In 1929, she got a Julius Rosenwald fellowship award for a sculpture of her nephew which she named ‘Gamin’.

Awards and Achievements
Augustus Fells went to Paris for some time where she had an exhibition of her many works at the Grand Palais. This earned her a second Rosenwald fellowship with which she got admission to a leading art school in Paris, the Académie de la Grande Chaumiére. In addition, she also earned a Carnegie Foundation grant that allowed her to travel to many other European countries. With this, she traveled to Germany, France, and Belgium doing research in museums and cathedrals.

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