Amin Shabazz
Watercolor prints
Philadelphia Pennsylvania

Amin Shabazz was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania where he makes his home. He has a wife and two grown children, who support his work. He's been drawing and sketching since the tender age of eight years old.  His mother, Mrs. Halise McKinney, first noticed his skills at that time, and advised him to study Commercial Art in High School.Of course, he took her advice, but found the Fine Arts more suitable to his interests.

He enrolled at the Academy of the Fine Arts, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania where he studied for two semesters. He left school for a more profitable venture in the Trucking Profession and is currently driving on the road five days a week. By the mid 1990's, after many years on the road, Amin found himself working in Waterscolors. A medium that he immediately fell in love with, and received encouragement from his Mother and his framers from the Framing Barn, located at 6837 Germantown Avenue in Philadelphia (now known as Avenue of the Arts, owned by Ms.Maureen Pitcher, also an artist.)

Amin began taking his art more seriously and earned signature status with the following societies:

Baltimore Watercolor Society

Philadelphia Watercolor Society

Pennsylvania Watercolor Society

Amin can be found at home on weekends sketching and painting.His biggest mentor was Mr. Joseph Frasetta,also an artist, who helped refined Amin's already significant talent.  Mr. Frasetta will never know how much he meant to Amin.  As a tribute to him, Amin signs all of his artwork with J.F., Mr. Frasetta's initials.

One day, when Amin was very young, his Mother went into his room and discovered a pair of men's leather riding boots carefully placed on a table. They had a note on them that said "Do Not Touch."  Some time later, Amin presented her with one of his very first watercolor paintings, of those very boots.  Amin said, "Mom, art takes patience and you must have passion with it."  That painting hangs in his Mother's home today.