Kofi Bailey

Kofi's work and illustrations have been described as "...Combining both geometric and figural elements, he often used massive shapes to surround the sensitively rendered figures that serve as focal points for most of his compositions." Geometric forms often make up the background, as if emerging from it. Bailey usually used charcoal or conté as a medium, experimenting with oil and acrylic painting as well. Sometimes he used three to four mediums in an artwork, and color often took a secondary role in his work, preferring to rely on earth tones.

Bailey was influenced by artists such as Goya, Rico Lebrun, Jacob Lawrence and Charles White. He described himself in 1967 as a "representational" artist rather than "abstract" because his work is committed to the masses who, he feels, "want to see art that deals with man, art which tries to express the varying moods of man; and man is my principal concern."

In 1967 Bailey was artist-in-residence at Spelman College which held an exhibition about Bailey's work created while he was living in Ghana in 1962–1966.