Bobb Vann
*Bobb Vann was born on this date in 1939. He is a Black artist, teacher, and lecturer.
Vann was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the son of Timothy and Eleanor (Ashford) Vann. He started drawing at age six and, after high school, attended the Philadelphia College of Art from 1959 to 1962.
Vann worked as a designer and illustrator at Penn Emblem Company, Philadelphia, 1964-1966; J.B. Lippincott Book Public, Philadelphia, 1964-1968; Cawley Neff Associations, Pennsauken, New Jersey, 1964-1968 and Mel Richman Advertising, Philadelphia, 1971-1972. He was the art director at Hercules Inc., Wilmington, Delaware, from 1973-1980 and a freelance artist, various advertising from 1980-1987. Assistant art director Black American Magazine, Philadelphia, 1970-1971. Illustrator Arrow Display Company, Philadelphia, 1968-1970. He has been an artist and owner of Vanngo Graphics, Philadelphia, since 1990.
He married Patricia Hightower on January 7, 1983; they have children Karen, Robin, and Michael.
As an art instructor, he has worked at Main Line Center for the Arts, Haverford, Pennsylvania, 1988-1989, Fleisher Art Memorial, Philadelphia, 1989, and Philadelphia, the Art Institute of Chicago, 1984-1985. He was a visiting lecturer at Temple University Children's Workshop, Philadelphia 1990. Medical illustrator/designer Tate Advertising Agency, Malvern, Pennsylvania, 1989-1991. His versatile artistic skills include illustration, design, painting, and drawing. He was an Art Director, was a judge in art shows, and taught art.
He has won several awards for his art and has participated in numerous exhibitions. Vann now resides in Tubac, Arizona. More than 20 images of reproduced offset lithographs of his art are available. Original works of art are also available for purchase. Bobb and Vanngo Graphics are determined to invigorate the world of art by providing African American images that are historical, ethnic, and touching. The aim is to share "Slices of Life" with the world, as he has seen.
