Born of free ancestry in Pennsylvania,Grafton followed the lure of the West to California in the mid 1850s,taking part in the expansion that would change the face of the nation.He was able to find work as a lithographer in San Francisco and in time formed his own business in 1866.He is considered the first African American professional artist in California.
His early Creations consisted of illustrating and documenting the settlements,gold-rush towns and ranches that were springing up in the territories surrounding San Francisco.This served as part of the commercialization of the developing nation.His business as a commercial draftsman was successful e sold it in 1879 and 1882 left the Bay Area for Canada,where many Black,found a more racially tolerant environment.He turned to paint as his primary medium and began to focus on the beauty of the Candian landscape.By 1885 the Pacific Northwest and it mountainous landscapes which serve as subtle but poignant reminders of the encroachment of civilization.
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