Sam Middleton - Nocturne op.9, Chopin

Sam Middleton (New York 1927 – Schagen 2015) was a mixed-media artist from New York, and 'the first modern African-American artist in the Low Countries'.

Middleton grew up in Harlem, New York. He was a painter, watercolorist, lithographer, and specialized in collage.

Middleton is a self-taught artist. As a young boy growing up in Harlem, he frequented the nearby Savoy Ballroom, and music (jazz and classical) became a significant inspiration for his artistic endeavors.
He traveled the world, living in Mexico, Japan, Spain, and Sweden, finally settling in the Netherlands in 1961.
He lived in Amsterdam for many years, but fascinated by the landscape, he eventually settled in Schagen (in the north of North Holland).
Middleton taught at Atelier 63 in Haarlem and the Royal Academy of Art in 's-Hertogenbosch.
Music, including jazz, was Sam Middleton's primary leitmotif in his work. His collages incorporate musical scores and photographs that allude to this favorite theme. The collages possess a well-balanced aesthetic and rhythmic balance. This balance is achieved through a subtly applied division of the plane, often with a transparently painted background, and the addition of a wide variety of graphic elements, pencil lines, and dots.
In addition to music, the North Holland polder landscape was an important source of inspiration for him.
Middleton has achieved national and international fame for his artwork. His work has been exhibited numerous times in renowned Dutch and international art museums.
In his native USA, too, his recognition and interest have grown in recent years.