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Bay Area Artist, Cleveland John Bellow, passed away peacefully at home on March 11, 2009 from a long and courageous battle with cancer. His wife Barbara, stepdaughter Brianne Fernandez, and close friends Victor Lloyd, Ben Hazard, Philip Bell, and brother-in –law, Carl Jameson surrounded him. Cleveland’s brother Arnold and the entire Bellow Family showed support thoughout Cleveland’s life, especially during his illness. He was born July 30, 1946 in San Francisco, California. He was the oldest child of parents, Hazel Lewis Bellow and Calvin Bellow, who had relocated from Louisiana to San Francisco, California that same year. He was always a curious child and never hesitated to give his opinion when the opportunity presented itself. Even in grade school, he was the first to volunteer for extra activities if it meant he could be of assistance to his teachers. While he loved participating in sports, his first love, art, was discovered at an early age. Records indicate that he began to apply for art scholarships at the age of 10.
His parents moved from San Francisco to Oakland in 1951. Cleveland benefited greatly from his education in the Oakland Public School system and graduated in 1965 from Castlemont High School. In 1969, he earned at Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Graphic Design from the California College of Arts and Crafts in Oakland, CA and 1971 received a Master’s degree in Art and Education from the same college. He earned a California Secondary School Teaching Credential and a California College Lifetime Teaching Credential and began teaching at Oakland High and Skyline High Schools during the 70’s. From 1975-1976, Cleveland interned at the Fine Arts Museum of San Francisco as a Rockefeller Fellow in Museum Education and from 1979-80 was awarded a prestigious National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship.
Cleveland began his career as an activist artist and his work was greatly influenced by the Civil Rights Movement and such great icons at Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcolm X, the leaders of the Black Panther Party and campus reformers. He worked tirelessly to bring attention, recognition and respect to Black artists and their contributions to American history. He was one of the first artists in America to utilize billboards to exhibit Fine Art. Eager to share his knowledge and experience, Cleveland lectured at the University of California, Berkeley. He was also an Instructor of Art, Art Education and Training at De Young Museum, San Francisco, California from 1972-1980; Consultant for CETA Artist Training Program; Bay Area Urban League, 1979; Instructor of Art at Laney College, Oakland, CA; Instructor of Art and Art History at Alcorn A&M College in Lorman, Mississippi from 1971-1972. From 1968 to 1971, he worked as Arts and Crafts Specialist and Instructor at the Oakland Department of Parks and Recreation. Always willing to share his knowledge, talents, skills and abilities with others, he served as Placement Director at Platt College in San Francisco and continued to mentor young graphic artists as they pursued their education and their careers.
While his biography is too extensive to include in this obituary, Cleveland’s love of art was complemented by his love for politics. As an activist/artist, he served as cultural affairs liaison to Assemblyman Elihu Harris, served as chairman on the Alameda County Arts Commission, was District Organizer of the San Francisco Neighborhood Arts Program, consultant to Los Angeles County Recreation Department, consultant to Council ofMuseums and Education to Visual Arts in New York, and participated on many local boards, commissions, and councils in the East Bay. He loved the City of Oakland and never missed an opportunity to serve as a consultant, advising many city officials, friends, and colleagues on art and marketing the City.
Always young at heart, Cleveland was quite a social networker. “Everybody Loves Cleveland” and if you had a chance to meet Cleveland, you would never forget him. He was active in his fraternity, Alpha Phi Alpha, for many years and was known for many parties, volleyball games, backgammon challenges and other social gatherings throughout the Bay Area. An avid car and racing enthusiast, he loved NASCAR and actively followed the career of 17 year old racecar driver Austin Harris, a young African American and Bay Area resident. In 1971, he opened “Earth N Arts” Gallery in Oakland, CA as Exhibits Curator along with business partner and artist, Gale Fulton-Ross. From 1971- 1975, the gallery served as one of the first black art and graphic design galleries in Oakland, California. During this time, he produced several artworks, which are still in distribution today. As a nationally and internationally recognized artist, his work has been exhibited in New York, Boston, Washington, D.C., Seattle, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and in Lagos Nigeria. Most recent exhibits include the Spears Gallery in Sacramento, CA,David Lusenhop Gallery in Chicago, IL and the Woodmere Museum in Philadelphia, PA as part of the Lewis Tanner Moore Collection of African American Art.
In 2003, Cleveland re-established his 25-year friendship with Barbara L. Fernandez, and on September 9, 2006, Barbara and Cleveland were married in Las Vegas, NV. His love for Barbara was passionate, committed, and loving. Among their many interests, they started Bay Ventures Gallery and produced several art shows, many of which were held in their home. Cleveland was a giving soul, and it was his idea to highlight not only his artwork, but also the artworks of many fellow artists. When he wasn’t creating new artworks, he enjoyed watching television, particularly the “Animal and the History Channels” with a daily glass of Cabernet. He was a committed, friend, artist, and activist and will be deeply missed.
Cleveland is survived by his wife, Barbara and his step-daughter, Brianne Fernandez, his mother and father Hazel and Calvin Bellow, his mother and father-in law, Arrece and Bobbie Jameson; his brother, Arnold Bellow and his wife, Gayle and their children, Aaron, Marc and his wife Stephanie, Chad, Kyle, and their grandsons, Miles, Derek and Jayden; his brother and sister-in law, Dr. Carl and Gloria Jameson and their son Parker; his aunts, Ida and Mabel Guillory, his uncles, Albert and Willie Lewis; his cousins, Edmond Lewis, Brenda Lewis Gusman, Debra Lewis Ivy, Wanda Lewis Dragan, Marvin Lewis, Myrick Guillory, Ronald Guillory, Ledra Guillory-Thibodeaux, Glenn Guillory, Trina Carvano, Craig Guillory, Bryan Lewis,Terence Lewis,Yvette Sims, Ruth Ann Paul, Gilbert Thomas, Albert Lewis-Dyrness, Lisa Lewis Truit, Mona Lewis, Vera Lewis-Conrad, Oliver Bellow, Wilbert Bellow, John Bellow, Betty Cooper, Sandra Williams, Peggy Lenoir, Debra Callier, Robert Callier, Jackie Henry, Mildred Rene, Dorothy Hardy, Richard Callier, and a host of second and third cousins. He was preceded in death by his aunt Agnes Thomas, and his uncles Paul Lewis, Moses and Raymond Guillory, and cousins Ronnie Callier, and Erleen Thomas.
“Art gives me a view into the past and allows me an avenue to reflect on what was. Art provides me with vision to see beyond ourselves and affords a view of what can be in a world of possibilities.”
His most recent work, as in previous pieces, movement, motion, and moving, are key elements. As in life, you “gotta keep making moves.”
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