Milton Bowens would like to believe that when you look at his art work you're not merely viewing paintings, his personal opinion or guarded pieces of his soul. You the viewer are being asked to confront history, truth, cultural stereo types and engage the possibilities of the future. Because when he paints he is not just engaging the viewer or confronting the critic over artistic merit, style and validity, he is confronting the use of art as a tool to communicate. He is asking questions, He is seeking solutions.

Born and raised in Oakland, Calif., Milton Bowens is the fifth boy of ten children. Milton’s artistic promise began at the age of five with nothing more than a few pencils and cut up brown paper bags used as sketch paper, thanks to his mother’s ingenuity of making the best of lean times.

Bowens received education under the mentorship of Fine Artist David Bradford, head of the Art Department and instructor at Laney College (Oakland). Inspired by great artists such as Jean Michel Basquiat, Robert Rauschenberg, Romare Bearden, Jacob Lawrence and Andy Warhol, Milton changed his focus from illustration to fine art. That shift proved crucial for Milton now considered a great artist in his own right and inspirational public speaker/community activist in the struggle to keep art a vital part of public education and a tool to help build self-esteem in youth.

Milton works tirelessly to create thought-provoking exhibitions that will help restore a level of hope in communities desperately in need of inspiration. Bowens just wants to paint. Bowens paintings has been showcased at Avisca Fine Art Gallery in Atlanta, GA, 40 Acres Art Gallery in Sacramento, CA, on the walls of the Sacramento Mayors office, and the African American Art & Culture Complex in San Francisco, CA just to name a few.

The Night Harlem Came To Stockton Blvd exhibit is Bay Area acclaimed artist, Milton Bowens, first time ever showing of his 9 piece collection of Afro Classical: The Subway Series on the West Coast. Afro Classical is an anthology of paintings depicting the importance of Jazz, Art and Words during the Harlem Renaissance. Bowens will speak on the importance of documenting African American art.

Join Master Barber & Beauty Shop as we step back in time to salute the Harlem Renaissance and the importance of African American Art, Music and Spoken Word in American society.  Come and enjoy the viewing of Milton Bowen’s Afro Classical: The Subway Series and welcoming local NeoSoul and Jazz recording artist Miss MouthPeace. Miss MouthPeace is a dynamic vocalist, whose music is compared to Billie Holiday and Eryka Badu. She will be performing an acoustic set live.

The Opening Reception will be held Second Saturday, September 12, 2009 from 7:00pm - 10:00pm. Refreshments and Wine will be served. Addmission $5 donation, all ages welcomed. A portion of the proceeds will benifit C.T.D. Dream Builders.

Milton Bowens and Miss MouthPeace are available for interviews. For more information, please call (916) 457-8708 or email: Masterreport@hotmail.com.