ner ▁Walker ▁December ▁ 8 , ▁ 1 9 1 8 ▁– ▁August ▁ 2 0 , ▁ 2 0 1 8 ) ▁was ▁an ▁American ▁artist ▁who ▁developed ▁the ▁" Inner ▁Port rait " ▁process ▁that ▁uses ▁art ▁as ▁a ▁self - help ▁means ▁to ▁see ▁hidden ▁personal ▁potential . ▁Mart ign oni ▁died ▁in ▁August ▁ 2 0 1 8 ▁at ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁ 9 9 . ▁ ▁Family ▁ ▁Born ▁as ▁Anto in ette ▁B . ▁Walker ▁in ▁Brook lyn , ▁New ▁York ▁in ▁December ▁ 1 9 1 8 , ▁she ▁was ▁the ▁great - grand d augh ter ▁ ▁of ▁James ▁McC une ▁Smith , ▁the ▁first ▁African - American ▁medical ▁doctor ▁with ▁a ▁university ▁degree ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States . ▁ ▁Education ▁ ▁Mart ign oni ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁gradu ate ▁to ▁receive ▁the ▁App lied ▁Arts ▁degree ▁from ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Pennsylvania ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 1 . ▁In ▁addition , ▁she ▁received ▁a ▁Di pl oma ▁in ▁Ill ustration ▁from ▁the ▁Pennsylvania ▁Museum ▁and ▁School ▁of ▁Indust rial ▁Art , ▁now ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁the ▁Arts ▁( Ph il adel phia ). ▁ ▁Ill ustration ▁career ▁▁ ▁She ▁was ▁a ▁cre ative ▁director ▁and ▁partner ▁at ▁Ko elling / Mart ign oni ▁& ▁Co ., ▁West port , ▁Connecticut , ▁and ▁later ▁founder ▁of ▁Mart ign oni ▁& ▁Co ., ▁a ▁graphics ▁and ▁illustr ation ▁firm ▁in ▁Fair field , ▁Connecticut . ▁Mart ign oni ▁created ▁illustr ations ▁for ▁large ▁United