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Nd® Artist Spotlight: Milton Bowens 'Educates and Decorates'

Published February 20, 2026 at 8:20 PM EDT

Negro Digest- Ali - What’s Goin’ On (2026) by Milton Bowens


MOULTON, AL— Milton Bowens was born and raised in Oakland, CA. He is the fifth son and tenth child of his family, which makes for his unique artistic signature "Milton 510". His work, which takes inspiration from History and Culture, "brings to the foreground issues of perseverance, pride, perspective, and effect."



Milton 510’s “Afro Classical” collection, an anthology of paintings depicting the cultural importance of Jazz, Art and Poetry during the Harlem Renaissance Era, was used as part of course study on “The Harlem Renaissance “ at the African Studies and Research Center at Cornell University.


His “Art of Education” Collection was used as part of course study at UC Davis with works belonging to the collection of the Transformative Justice In Education Center and works from that collection were featured at Twin Rivers Unified School Districts, MLK Just Dream Galleries Project (which he founded in 2014, in partnership with the districts VAPA department).


In 2011, Milton 510 received a resolution from the California Legislative Black Caucus for his work on arts and education in the public schools. He is an Artistic License Award recipient, given by the California Lawyers for the Arts.


Bowens is currently the lead teaching artist for SCOE (Sacramento County Office of Education). He lives and co-owns Gallery 157 with his wife, artist Daphne Burgess, in Moulton, Alabama.












 
 
 

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