In This Issue…

• Editor’s Perspective: Time Well Spent
• Queen Freedom featured in Black Creativity 2010 Juried Exhibition – Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago, IL –  through February 28, 2010
• Contemporary Artist: Akili Ron Anderson, AfriCOBRA Artist
• Our Common Journey – Reception rescheduled to Sunday, February 14, 2010 – 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. – Village of Friendship Heights Center – 4433 South Park Ave., Chevy Chase, MD – Featuring: Anne S.Bouie, John Beckley, Daniel T. Brooking, Bernard W. Brooks, Gwendolyn Aqui – Brooks, James Brown Jr., Desiree Darden, Henry Elliott, Jenne Glover, T. H. Gomillion, Francine Haskins, Gloria C. Kirk, Jacqueline Lee, and Samuel Mercer
• The Uganda Art Consortium Exhibition – February 19 to 21, 2010 – Howard University, Blackburn Center – Fri. 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., Sat. & Sun. 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.  

Two years have rolled by so quickly.  And under stress, I’ve questioned whether I should continue writing Voicing Art  because of the commitment it takes to put it together.  After some soul searching it was clear to me that this is something that I must do.  Some things are worth quitting, but reaching out to you feels right. 

“There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.”  Maya Angelou

 
Peace!

P.S.

Queen Harriett is featured in Black Creativity 2010 Juried Exhibition, at the Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago, IL  –  through February  28, 2010

Jenne Glover

Mixed Media   12″ x 16″ 

Building…
Recycling…
Perfecting technique!!!

Akili discusses artwork – Creation
Wood and Plywood 12’ x 8’ x 6”  2007

Akili Ron Anderson wears many hats.  He is a sculptor, stained glass artist, painter, print maker, photographer, filmmaker, administrator, and professor.  A lifetime D.C. resident, he has practiced as a full-time visual artist for more than 30 years. 

Akili is a member of AfriCOBRA (African Commune of Bad Relevant Artists) an artist collective that emerged in Chicago in the 1960’s and relocated its base to Howard University when its founder, Jeff Donaldson, became chairperson of Howard’s Art Department.  This innovative art movement seeks to develop images that affirm and uplift the black community by capturing the vigor, energy, and spirit of African American culture through elements found in traditional African Art.

Along with his passion for art, Akili has a long standing commitment to community.  He is co-founder of the NationHouse Positive Action Center, Watoto School, Sankofa Institute; and NATION, a music, visual arts, dance, and poetry performance ensemble.  Both institutions have been around for more than 40 years.  He has served as chairperson for the Visual Arts department at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts, as well as for the defunct Workshop for Careers in the Arts that was based at George Washington University.  Most recently, he was on the faculty for the Department of Art at Howard University. 

Jesus in the Garden  
Mixed Media on Paper   26” x 40”   1994

Akili works around the clock and a typical work day can range from 8 to 16 hours.  His parents fueled his love for the arts and his affinity for working with wood came naturally.  His father, who was in the military, always had a carpentry shop at home where he did cabinet making.  Akili always knew he had two things that he could do well, art and athletics, and after living a short time in segregated Lynchburg, Virginia, he knew he wanted to celebrate black culture. 

He received a scholarship to the Corcoran School of Art, but being one of four black art students, he felt alienated.  After a year at the Corcoran, he transferred to Howard University where black awareness was nurtured by a distinguished faculty that included James Wells and Lois Mailou Jones.  Akili was also inspired by James Porter, Ed Love, and Elizabeth Catlett. 

After earning a BFA in 1969, Akili worked with his mentor Robert Nash, an architect, restoring columns and repairing stained glass in the John Wesley AME Zion Church.  He describes one project that was “trial by fire” and tested his commitment to working in this medium and environment.  The project required repairing a termite damaged 30” x 30” skylight that had 30 separate windows and set atop a 4 story building.  Although challenged to the max, he successfully completed the project and has since designed, fabricated, and installed stained glass throughout the Washington Metro Area.  

Columbia Heights Metro- West Station

WMATA features “Sankofa Bird I & II”, at the Columbia Heights Metro Station.  Installed in 2002, it features birds in flight and is about moving forward while looking back to ensure that you don’t make the mistakes of the past.  Akili says that while he was installing this work, he heard a boy tell his friend, “my metro station looks better than yours.”  It was at that moment that he knew he was doing the right thing.  Akili has also been contracted to install stained glass at the Prince George’s County Courthouse, Howard University Rankin Chapel, Union Temple Baptist Church, St. Augustine Catholic Church, and many other churches.

Prince George’s Courthouse window
Hand and Scale   2008

Akili says stained glass has taught him patience, precision, and structural integrity because working with glass is unforgiving.  He compares making stained glass designs to dressmaking because you use patterns, and glass has distinctive swirls and designs much like fabric which requires determining what sections will be used.  He notes that all of his stained glass creations are original conceptions, not stock designs.

Working in stained glass is very important to Akili because it makes a broad cultural statement.  He considers this medium to be the most challenging because it is primarily public art work and breaking into this arena was not easy.  He explains that most government projects allocate 2% of their budget to art, but only a small percent of the applicants will qualify.  This market requires getting on a national registry to be screened and to validate that you have the credentials needed to do the job.  In order to be considered, you’ve got to be credible, have relevant experience, and be able to work within short deadlines.  In 2008, along with his many accomplishments, Akili added an MFA from Howard University to his credentials.

In This Issue…

• Editor’s Perspective: Circle of Life
• Contemporary Artist: Paul Goodnight, Imagemaker
• Our Common Journey – Featuring: Anne S. Bouie, John Beckley,  Daniel T. Brooking, Bernard W. Brooks, Gwendolyn Aqui-Brooks, James Brown Jr., Desiree Darden, Henry Elliott, Jenne Glover, T. H. Gomillion, Francine Haskins, Gloria C. Kirk, Jacqueline Lee & Samuel Mercer  — February 1 to February 28, 2010 — Village of Friendship Heights Center — 4422 South Park Avenue, Chevy Chase, MD
• Art by Paul Goodnight @ Gallery Serengeti — 7919 Central Avenue, Capitol Heights
 

You have noticed that everything an Indian does is in a circle, and that is because the Power of the World always works in circles, and everything tries to be round….. The Sky is round, and I have heard that the earth is round like a ball, and so are all the stars. The wind, in its greatest power, whirls.  Birds make their nest in circles, for theirs is the same religion as ours….

Even the seasons form a great circle in their changing, and always come back again to where they were. The life of a man is a circle from childhood to childhood, and so it is in everything where power moves.  Black Elk Oglala Sioux Holy Man, 1863-1950

As we enter 2010 and celebrate a new cycle, I wish for peace and blessings!

Happy New Year!!!

• Editor’s Perspective: Ken Burns – The National Parks: America’s Best Idea

• Contemporary Artist: The Art of Joseph Holston, Part 2 — Destined for Greatness

• Paul Goodnight @ Gallery Serengeti

   Meet the Artist, December 5, 2009 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

   December 5, 2009 to January 11, 2010

   7919 Central Avenue, Capitol Heights, MD 20743

   301-808-6987

• Got Art? @ Design Studio Art Gallery

   Opening Reception — Sunday, November 15, 2009

   6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

   November 8, 2009 – December 27, 2009

   5702 Baltimore Avenue

   Hyattsville, MD 20781

   301-779-4907; 202-446-7373

• Next Issue: Paul Goodnight

Living in the city, it’s easy to forget there are places in America that are free of commercialism, pollution, and urban life chaos. The National Parks: America’s Best Idea, is a 6-episode series on the history of the National Parks, from 1851 to 1980.

Directed by Ken Burns and written and co-produced by Dayton Duncan, the film transports you to some of the beautiful natural wonders existing within our borders. The film tells the story of the pioneers who supported a radical idea of preserving and protecting America’s significant landscapes for all Americans. It examines the challenges made by capitalists set on commercial use of the land and gives the perspective of Tribal Nations displaced in the process.

The National Parks: America’s Best Idea, features some of nature’s most spectacular locations including the Everglades, Acadia, the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, Yosemite, and the Gates of the Arctic. Visually stunning, it is rejuvenating to see Mother Nature’s majestic power, even from afar.

Click here to order the series.

Peace!

Contemporary Artist: The Art of Joseph Holston, Part 2 — Destined for Greatness

Joseph’s life as an artist seems to have unfolded in a natural progression of events. He began developing his skills as a four-year-old, copying his mother’s art, as she learned how to draw through books and correspondence schools. Very much a loner and a dreamer, Joseph found himself always creating visual stories in his head. And, being the fifth child of six and having four older and bossy sisters, finding a quiet place to draw provided him peace and refuge. In school he always felt disconnected and unfocused, and recalls being reprimanded often for his daydreaming.

When Joseph was 17, he moved from Chevy Chase to Washington, D.C. A chance encounter with Ronald Wildy, an advertising art student, who was attending Chamberlain Vocational High School, was a changing point in his life. Although his mom wanted him to finish regular high school and get a job, Joseph secretly took the entrance test for commercial art at Chamberlain. Mr. Washburn, the art teacher, suggested that he wait until next year to enroll, but Joseph persuaded Washburn to register him for the upcoming school year. Once accepted, his mother acquiesced and Joseph received formal training in commercial art.

Upon graduation, he worked as a commercial artist for Sears & Roebuck, the Hecht Company, and with various consulting firms and art agencies around town. He enjoyed the work because it provided him the opportunity to use his creativity, to master various mediums, develop different products, work with customers, and make deadlines. But after doing this for eight years, he knew he had a deep desire to be a fine artist, specifically a portrait painter.

Joseph frequently took art courses after work and while researching for an instructor in portrait painting, ventured off to Santa Fe, New Mexico to study with Richard Goetz, who had turned to teaching impressionism. Goetz advised Joseph to rethink his plan to become a portrait painter because it was limiting and would strip him of his creativity. He advised Joseph to capitalize on his abilities. Joseph could only afford to stay away from his regular job for three weeks, but the time spent painting on location solidified his conviction to be a fine art painter.

When he returned to D.C., he didn’t know how he was going to support himself. However, he did know he would have to be resourceful when it came to creating and showing his work, in order to build a client base. Joseph took Goetz advice and began doing figurative art, hiring models to sketch. His well-known piece, “Boy in Red Cap” came out of this period. In developing this work, Joseph’s goal was to isolate the observer in a one-on-one interaction with the subject, which he achieved by painting the boy with one eye peering directly at you from under a cocked cap.

Boy in Red Cap, 1972
Joseph Holston
Oil on Canvas 40×32

During this period he also began building a collection of work, which he exhibited and sold in the Art on the Mall program sponsored by the National Park Service. These weekly shows on the National Mall, as well as other shows at numerous locations, including Malcolm X Park, were inspirational because they provided him with a sound gauge on the pulse of his market. And remarkably, many of the individuals who purchased his early paintings are patrons to this day. Yet, making money is not what drives Joseph; he’s motivated by the response his work evokes, and feels humbled that people want to own his creations.

Joseph credits his commercial art training for preparing him for the business side of art…marketing and selling his work. There were bumps along the way, but he always knew he had to work hard and pay attention to his patrons. He worked confidently knowing that something positive was around the corner and that doors would eventually open for him. And, although Joseph knew he could always return to the commercial art world, he proudly notes that 40 years later, he has developed a rewarding fine art career and has never looked back. He notes that many artists want to use only one side of their brain and they don’t want to think about the business side. He emphasizes that most artists can’t rely solely on galleries to survive; they must know something about marketing their work, how to open doors of opportunity, how to stay visible, build a client base, and keep their patrons informed.

Joseph says his art career can be divided into two phases. During the first phase, his work was representational, with nature as its foundation. The second phase emerged after finding his spiritual voice; by digging deeper to remain fresh and exploring more creative ways of expressing a concept. Moreover, he’s always striving to do something better, like finding a stronger palette, or innovative ways of bringing his paintings to life.

Rhythm ‘N’ Play
Joseph Holston
Mixed Media 48X48

Nude in Evening
Joseph Holston
Mixed Media 36″x36″

Along with his paintings, Joseph’s etchings are celebrated all over the world. He began mastering this medium in 1974, at a printmaking workshop he attended at Howard University. He finds the process of creating etchings to be challenging and deeply satisfying. He is especially pleased that they have universal appeal, are affordable works of original art, and they enjoy a growing market of avid collectors.

Joseph advises artists to find their voice, take advantage of every moment to create, and be willing to make sacrifices to get the next painting completed. He believes that artists should never doubt themselves, become complacent or too comfortable. Instead, they must be willing to explore, to stretch out to do something different; and if it fails, to learn from it. He has also found that a certain level of discomfort is good because it gives you an edge; and that euphoria comes when you accomplish something unique.

Boy in Red Cap
Joseph Holston
Etching 6″x3 15/16″

Joseph’s artworks are included in the permanent collections of the Baltimore Museum of Art; New York City’s Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture; the Museum of Art at the Rhode Island School of Design; the Banneker-Douglass Museum, Annapolis, Maryland; the Lyndon B. Johnson Library at the University of Texas; the Hubert H. Humphrey Collection; the University of Maryland University College; the David C. Driskell Center at the University of Maryland; Howard University; the University of Vermont; the Yale University Art Gallery; DePauw University, Greedcastle, IN; the Washington County Museum of Fine Art, Hagerstown, MD; Butler Institute of American Art, Youngstown, OH; the King-Tisdell Cottage Museum, Savannah, Georgia; the AFL-CIO, Washington, DC; the Evans-Tibbs Collection; the Donald Byrd Collection; the Jean and Robert Steele Collection; and the David and Thelma Driskell Collection.

Two Fishermen
Joseph Holston
Etching 12″x9″

Some of his most significant exhibitions include the Smithsonian Institution’s Anacostia Museum, Washington, D.C.; the Arts Program Gallery, University of Maryland University College; the Washington County Museum of Fine Art; the Southern Alleghanies Museum of Art, Loretto, PA; Delaware State University; the Afro-American Museum, Philadelphia; the Butler Institute of American Art; the Fort Worth Museum of Fine Art, Texas; the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; North Carolina A & T State University; the APEX Museum, Atlanta, Georgia; the Visual Arts Center of Northwest Florida; and the DuSable Museum, Chicago.

Joseph has also exhibited and been a guest lecturer at DePauw University, the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, the University of Dar es Salaam, Howard University, Delaware State University, Bowling Green State University, Villa Julie College, and the Visual Arts Center of NW Florida. And, he has been artist-in-residence at North Carolina A & T State University, and at the Experimental Printmaking Institute at Lafayette College in Pennsylvania.

His commissions include North Carolina A & T State University, the AFL-CIO, the Miller Brewing Company, the National Urban Coalition, the National Medical Association, Gallo Winery, and the Washington Urban League.

Street Corner Musician
Joseph Holston
Etching 12″x19″

Joseph likes where he is in his life, and is quick to say that “God doesn’t give him too much at one time; he gives him bits and pieces.” Currently, Joseph and his wife Sharon, who handles the business side, are preparing for their annual Open House in November. Stay tuned for information on a retrospective on Joseph’s printmaking, which is scheduled to open at the Driskell Center, University of Maryland, College Park in April 2011.

For more information contact Holston Originals at 301-460-3096 or go to http://www.holstonart.com/

Color in Freedom Virtual Tour http://www.umuc.edu/colorinfreedom/virtual_tour/index.shtml

Prospectus on touring exhibit http://www.artsandartists.org/exhibitions/colorinfreedom.html

Click below to order the 96-page full color catalog —  

Color in Freedom: Journey Along the Underground Railroad

Paul Goodnight @ Gallery Serengeti

Meet the Artist – December 5, 2009 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

December 5, 2009 to January 11, 2010

7919 Central Avenue, Capitol Heights, MD 20743

301-808-6987

 

Got Art? @ Design Studio Art Gallery

Opening Reception — Sunday, November 15, 2009

6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

November 8, 2009 – December 27, 2009

5702 Baltimore Avenue

Hyattsville, MD 20781

301-779-4907; 202-446-7373

 

 • Next Issue: Paul Goodnight

 

Editor’s Perspective: A Teaching Moment

My recent interview with Joseph Holston left me feeling overwhelmed. How do I best convey the brilliance of this critically acclaimed cubist abstractionist painter – printmaker? That Joseph Holston is thriving here and abroad is a statement on his tireless work ethic, his ability to create art that’s appealing and continuously evolving, and his unwavering commitment to his craft and patrons.

His most recent major accomplishment, Color in Freedom: Journey Along the Underground Railroad, is a narrative pictorial done in four movements. This exhibition depicts a shameful period in America’s history — slavery and the painful journey of Africans in the new world, and their struggle to escape a life of oppression. Color in Freedom touches the psyche on multiple levels — artistic technique and style, historical context, and cultural and social relevance.

Organized by the Arts Program, University of Maryland University College, it was unveiled in November 2008. The exhibit is now touring and is currently scheduled to appear at the Muscatine Art Center in Iowa from August 30, 2009 – October 24, 2009; the Amarillo Museum of Art in Texas from November 6, 2009 – January 17, 2010; and the Brown vs. Board of Education National Historic Site and the Mulvane Art Center in Topeka, Kansas from February 5, 2010 – April 3, 2010 (These two sites are sharing the exhibition, two movements will be on display at each location).

Color in Freedom, is designed to be a “teaching moment,” and is supported by multi-disciplinary tools for the classroom including a virtual tour and lesson plans developed for various disciplines. If you missed the UMUC exhibition or want to see it again, do a virtual tour at http://www.umuc.edu/colorinfreedom/gallery/shtml.  For info on scheduling the exhibit, see prospectus at http://www.artsandartists.org/exh.detail.php?exhID=102.

Click below to order the 96-page full color catalog,
Color in Freedom: Journey Along the Underground Railroad

The Art of Joseph Holston, Color in Freedom: Journey Along the Underground Railroad

Surrendering Soul

Following North Star

Dignifying Hope

There’s no question that Joseph Holston’s artistry is amazing, that he’s building unique bodies of work that are distinctly his own style. And, sitting one-on-one with him is a real treat because he doesn’t do many interviews. Being a prolific painter – printmaker, he’s constantly working to meet his deadlines, and he doesn’t have time to spare.

Color in Freedom: Journey along the Underground Railroad, is a landmark body of work, organized by the University of Maryland University College. Now on tour, the exhibit is an important historical account of the African American’s experience — from slavery to freedom. The exhibit is a visual healing tool for African American people and American culture because it brings to life and gives voice to this painful episode in American history. Initial planning on the exhibition began in 2005, and the entire project came to fruition in November 2008.  Opening with a full-day symposium on history and art surrounding the Underground Railroad, the David C. Driskell Center organized the event at the University of Maryland College Park in collaboration with UMUC.

The paintings and etchings for Color in Freedom were created over an intense six-month period during which Joseph lived and breathed the emotional journey of the African uprooted from his home and transplanted into a hateful environment. He got into character by walking along one Maryland route of the Underground Railroad, and envisioning the physical and psychological torment that the slaves were enduring. He describes the project as gut-wrenching and emotionally exhausting.

Color in Freedom tells the story in four movements: The Unknown World; Living in Bondage – Life on the Plantation; The Journey of Escape; and Color in Freedom. This visual narrative depicts the harsh realities that African Americans endured and the courage it took to regain freedom. Joseph laid the groundwork by creating 100 drawings or studies to serve as his road map. He explains that his creative explorations flow from the studies. They don’t take a lot of time and energy, but they are an essential part of his creative process.

Typically, from an image drawn in pencil, Joseph fabricates the concept as a color study, and then renders it in paint on canvas. Some images are also reinterpreted as etchings. Completing Color in Freedom was a major feat. The short deadline required him to stay in his studio, working around the clock, and he visited home only on the weekends.  The exhibit includes 50 paintings, etchings, and studies. The paintings are done in acrylic or mixed media and measure 48″x42″.

And, although the exhibit is emotionally charged there are glimmers of hope even in the darkest hours. From one movement to the next, Joseph’s colorful palette travels from expressing downtrodden blues, and forms and imagery of despair, to explosions of color and joyful body movements celebrating freedom and liberation.

Joseph’s emotionally stirring representation of a troubling period in American history is providing a platform for discussion, and a vehicle for healing the African American’s traumatic journey to reclaiming dignity.

Here’s a sampling of the four movements:

First Movement – The Unknown World

Subjugation
Joseph Holston
Mixed Media 48 x 42

Arrival in the Unknown
Joseph Holston
Mixed Media 42 x 48

Unbearable Loss
Joseph Holston
Mixed Media 42 x 48

Second Movement – Living in Bondage-Life on the Plantation

Dawn of Despair (Study)
Joseph Holston
Pencil 9 1/4 x 8

Dawn of Despair
Joseph Holston
Acrylic on Canvas 48 x 42

Rape
Joseph Holston
Mixed Media 48 x 42

Third Movement: Journey of Escape

Patter-Roller
Joseph Holston
Acrylic on Canvas 48 x 42

Spectre of the Hunt
Joseph Holston
Mixed Media 48 x 42

House of Refuge
Joseph Holston
Acrylic on Canvas 48 x 42

After Harriet
Joseph Holston
Etching 11 x 14

Fourth Movement:  Color in Freedom

Sun Warms the Freeman
Joseph Holston
Etching 9 7/8 x 11 3/4

Jubilation II
Joseph Holston
Etching 4 3/4 x 6 7/8

Righteous Rejoicing
Joseph Holston
Etching 11 x 14

Color in Freedom Virtual Tour http://www.umuc.edu/colorinfreedom/gallery/shtml.

Prospectus on touring exhibit http://www.artsandartists.org/exh.detail.php?exhID=102.

Reach Holston Originals at 301-460-3096 or go to www.holstonart.com.

Next Issue:  The Art of Joseph Holston, Part 2 — Destined for Greatness

• Editor’s Perspective: Building a Legacy of Pride
• Collector’s Perspective: Walter O. Evans, MD — Insight & Advice From an Expert — Buy What You Like!
• Next Issue: The Art of Joseph Holston

Editor’s Perspective: Building a Legacy of Pride

For some months now, Voicing Art has been featuring emerging, mid-career, and established artists. Wanting to share a collector’s perspective, this issue is dedicated to Walter O. Evans, a retired surgeon, and a significant African American art collector. Recently, I had the opportunity to hear Dr. Evans speak about his life and art collecting experience at the Collectors’ Roundtable, an event held by the Smithsonian American Art Museum. His presentation was informative and featured some artists that were new to me. It was inspiring to hear how his collection of historical gems had evolved overtime. His story seemed to exemplify how building relationships within the art community enriches our culture. After his presentation, Dr. Evans held a book signing of The Walter O. Evans Collection of African American Art. This catalogue is a valuable edition to any library because it spans 150+ years of art by master African American artists. This full-color, 165 page collection catalogue includes 80 color plates. And, writings by art historians, Andrea B. Barnwell, Tritobia Hayes Benjamin, Kirsten P. Buick, and Amy M. Mooney provide visual, social, and political context. If you want to feel uplifted and cultural pride, click her to order The Walter O. Evans Collection of African American Art.

Peace!

Collector’s Perspective: Dr. Walter O. Evans — Insight & Advice From an Expert — Buy What You Like!

I get joy out of tracking the items down, the rarity of it. I want to own it. That may be selfish, but that’s what makes me a collector–not an investor…I want to invest in my culture…Culture defines a people and art is a significant part of that definition, like music and literature.

Walter O. Evans, MD is a humanitarian, that special breed that cares about mankind, making a difference, and contributing to the whole. As a patron of the arts, he’s spent the past 30 years, building a visual legacy to share with the world and although not a household name, in the art community he’s quite well known. His claim to fame, The Walter O. Evans Collection of African American Art, is one of the largest, privately owned African American art collections on the globe. The collection includes hundreds of pieces of art and is historically significant because there are paintings, sculptures, photographs, and works on paper by master artists and historical figures spanning the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries.  Notably, he has the largest privately-owned collections of works by Jacob Lawrence and Romare Bearden, both of whom emerged during the New Negro Movement of the Harlem Renaissance.

Evans’ journey was not deliberate, but began instinctively from a desire to decorate his home with images of African American art and culture. He wanted his daughters to be familiar with African American artists and to know that African American artists were as capable as European artists. Growing up in Savannah, Georgia, and Beaufort, South Carolina in the1940’s, he couldn’t visit the segregated galleries and museums to see art done by European artists, and these institutions were definitely not exhibiting African American artwork. Fortunately, a great sense of black pride was instilled in him by his teachers in the all black elementary schools that he attended, as well as by his family, who educated him about celebrated African American writers, artists, educators, and activist. Later, as a young adult, when he visited mainstream galleries and museums across the United States and abroad, he recognized the persistent omission of black imagery. This absence of African American representation would later serve as a prime motivation for Evans to remedy this oversight.

Man Fishing, c. 1848
Robert Scott Duncanson
Oil on canvas 25 x 30

Little did he know that his first major purchase in the late 1970’s, a portfolio of 22 silkscreen prints entitled The Legend of John Brown by Jacob Lawrence was ushering in a new episode in his life. From then on, Evans was officially “hooked” on acquiring art, books, and documents related to the African American cultural experience. His research led him to begin searching for, and acquiring paintings and sculptures by 19th century masters such as Edward Mitchell Bannister, Robert Scott Duncanson, Mary Edmonia Lewis, Charles Ethan Porter, and Henry Osawa Tanner. Evans seeks art that’s rare, like Nelson Primus whose work is limited to approximately 14 known pieces because most were lost in the 1906 San Francisco earthquake. He enjoys attending auctions because they let him know what the market will bear. And, he explains that up until a few years ago, when he attended the Swann Auction Galleries (one of the few New York auction houses featuring black art) there weren’t many works by African Americans up for sale, and mainly he and Bill Cosby were bidding.

Things changed significantly once wealthy industrialist and art collector Richard Manoogian, one of America’s foremost collector’s of American art, became interested in “blockbuster” African American art. When word got out that Manoogian was buying African American art, museums and institutions became interested as well. Subsequently, the prices of the art works being auctioned today have risen to new heights. Five or so years ago, Sotheby’s and Christie’s finally got on the bandwagon, and now the increased demand for African American art has knocked Evans out of the price range for many of the important works.

Aside from the auction houses, Evans also purchases from galleries, dealers, and sometimes directly from the artists. He’s commissioned nearly a hundred works by Jacob Lawrence, Romare Bearden, Elizabeth Catlett, Richard Hunt, Fred Jones and others. These pieces, done especially for him, are very special because he collaborated with the artists by providing a theme or explaining a mood that he wanted captured and embodied in the work.

The Marriage of Hiawatha, c. 1868
Mary Edmonia Lewis
White marble 29 x 11 ½ x 12

Evans never buys art as a financial investment because he has no intention of selling. He has no preference in medium or style and his collection is an eclectic mix of genres. His focus has been on building a historically significant collection of established artists. He admits there are a few pieces that he wishes he hadn’t purchased because they may not have been in the best condition, he didn’t care for the subject matter, restoration work was poorly done, or because he felt the work wasn’t a major or “best representative” piece by the artist.

Genesis Creation Sermon VII:
And God Created Man and Woman, 1989
Jacob Lawrence
Gouache on paper 29 ¾ x 22

Evans advises new collectors to buy what they like, to research the artist, and get experts to authenticate the artwork. He adds that a purchase is a good deal if you like the art and you are willing to pay the price. He stresses that it’s important to like what you’re buying because if the value doesn’t go up you won’t feel stuck. Evans suggests that new collectors buy originals by emerging artists, and signed, limited edition prints of established artists which are still affordable.

The Block II, 1972
Romare Bearden
Collage on board 25 x 74

Evans states that building his collection has been a life-changing experience. It’s opened cultural avenues for him and brought new and different people into his life – artists, collectors, museum directors and personnel…and the many fellow art lovers he meets in the course of lending his artwork. Evans believes in sharing the cultural legacy that he has amassed. He and his wife, Linda, assembled a selection of over 80 works from their collection and put it on the road. This traveling exhibition toured continuously from 1991 to 2007 and was exhibited in over 45 museums and galleries throughout the country. They also loan individual pieces upon request to museums and to the U.S. State Department’s Art in Embassies program. They established The Walter O. Evans Foundation for Art and Literature to ensure the collection stays intact and that it will continue to serve as an educational resource for African American art and culture.

Homage to Black Women Poets, 1984 Elizabeth Catlett
Mahogany 69 x 15 x 13

Evans says he has no clue on his next cultural investment; he’s waiting like the rest of us for the economy to improve. In the meantime, he is excited that a large portion of his collection has been donated to the Savannah College of Art and Design where it will become the centerpiece of The Walter O. Evans Center for African American Studies. Construction on the facility in Savannah, Georgia, the city of his birth, will begin later this year with a planned completion and opening date in 2010. 

Order an autographed copy of The Walter O. Evans Collection of African American Art by emailing lindajevans@bellsouth.net for details.

Next Issue: The Art of Joseph Holston

• Editor’s Perspective: Act Like A Lady, Think Like A Man
• Contemporary Artist: Michael Syphax, Creating Abstract Connections
• Exhibition – Gallery Serengeti, Capitol Heights, MD - Saluting Women in the Fine Arts, featuring Gwen Aqui, Jenne Glover, Viola Leak, Tamara Little, Evelyn Holland-Walker — through May 31, 2009

Editor’s Perspective: Act Like A Lady, Think Like A Man

If you haven’t heard about stand-up comedian and talk-radio host, Steve Harvey’s best seller — Act Like A Lady, Think Like A Man, then perhaps you’ve been living in a cave.  Released in January, his relationship book is a #1 New York Times bestseller.  Written for women, the book claims to be the ultimate guide for dealing with men.  With chapters on The Mind-Set of a Man; Why Men Do What They Do; and The Playbook: How to Win the Game, ladies of all ages will glean insight on how men operate and navigate their terrain.

This book is funny and informative.  Filled with “down home courting wisdom,” Harvey infuses his comedic sensibilities and timing to cut to the chase on what men think about love, relationships, intimacy, and commitment.  He identifies the problems women have with men and provides solutions.

Harvey credits himself as an expert on manhood and how men think.  So men, since women are from Venus and you are from Mars, this may be a helpful book for you too, because Harvey uses simple, “pull no punches” counsel on how we differ.

And, in light of the degeneration of our society’s social standards and requirements, this is a particularly useful read for young adults.  Act Like A Lady, Think Like A Man will definitely generate productive conversations.

To order, click the link below

.

Peace!

Contemporary Artist: Michael Syphax, Creating Abstract Connections

Tapping the invisible and internal…
Externalizing the muse!

Michael Syphax by Gregory Syphax

Thanks to a phone call from a long-standing friend, I was introduced to colored pencil artist Michael Syphax. When I arrived at his home for the interview, to my surprise, although I did not know his name, he was a familiar face from my days at Roosevelt Senior High School (DC). I hadn’t seen his work and didn’t know what to expect, but what was anticipated was nothing like what was before me. At first glance, the pieces are richly colored organic abstractions, flavored like the southwest. Most are unusually elongated or are super sized. My mind doesn’t register pencil art because it looks like a painting. And frankly, it’s hard for me to fathom that these works are created by colored pencils and colored art sticks. Especially since his largest works are 60″x40″.  That’s a lot of pencil strokes and a lot of worn down pencils.

Hot Life 60"x20" Michael Syphax

During the week, Michael is a Development Officer for the Washington Performing Arts Society, but when he gets home in the evenings, he heads to his home studio to purge the stresses of the day and to reenergize. Michael’s discipline of continuously working and working fast was mastered in the mid 90’s when he relinquished his 9 to 5 to focus on his art. Today, although he puts in significant time to his craft, progress is slower, and time is his biggest challenge.

Michael has always had the urge to create art, what he describes as a compelling internal need to produce. Initially, he started out doing images in acrylic paint, and most of these early paintings he gave to his friends. While a student at the University of Mexico, he majored in Archeology of the American Southwest and Central America, and minored in Art. In the early 1990’s he began using felt tip markers and eventually moved on to drawing with colored pencils.

The Sandman Dreams of Water 40"x60" Michael Syphax

Michael explains that working in pencils is challenging, because unlike a painting or sculpture, there’s little room for error.  When he begins a work, he rarely has a full vision in mind.  Some works evolve from a piece of an idea he wants to explore and will emerge from the free association of color and form.  And sometimes, he doesn’t have a clue of what he’s going to do.  His design concepts are centered on natural elements like microscopic shapes, textures, the southwestern plains desert dunes and distant mountains, the serenity of the tropics, the combinations of colors used by American Indians, or photos of outer space and at high altitudes.  And, he studies the stylized techniques used by abstract expressionist Helen Frankenthaler; Hans Hoffmann, a postwar abstract artist and influential teacher; and surrealism painters Salvador Dali and Yves Tanguy.

Working one piece at a time, he begins a design off-centered, and for a long time he deliberately avoided using straight lines. He develops themes using loops, orbs, curving lines, undulating forms, floating balls, textures, crooked lines, and prehistoric glyph-figures. Michael explains that his goal is to “translate something invisible and internal into something visible and external.” He evokes a range of abstract images and atmospheres by integrating distance, emptiness, space, light, the horizon, and color.

Dreaming of Distance 60"x10" Michael Syphax

Michael’s “Anasazi” series is inspired by the ancient Pueblo People — ancestors of the Hopi and Zuni; and the Hopi Indian Kachina dolls — stylized religious icons representing spirit figures from Hopi mythology. Each art work in this series is built on using ribbons of color and bears a representational eye of spirit watching over you.

Anasazi I 60"x20" Michael Syphax

Michael is the first artist to describe to me the conflict that emerges between himself and his muse. This occurs when the imagery flowing from his initial concept suddenly wants to take a new direction. In order to resolve this complication, Michael halts production to analyze what’s going on. His challenge, to make sense of the noise inside his head, to come to terms with his muse, and to determine what colors and shapes will win a place on his paper canvas. Once a piece is completed, he lets it “dry” and then begins buffing the art work with a cloth to take off the wax bloom, a white glaze that appears across heavily worked colored pencil drawings. The last stage in the process is sealing the work with a soft gel medium.

Irian Jaya 20"x60" Michael Syphax

In the early stage of his art career, Michael just enjoyed the creative process and wasn’t concerned about exhibiting. Then in 1993, following the advice of some friends who are in the art business and liked what he was doing, he exhibited in “Celebration of the Arts,” a popular arts festival in Hot Springs, Arkansas. Although the festival was rained out, he was thrilled to see his work hanging in a public place and it got him thinking more seriously about his art. A few years later, he was juried by his peers to be a member of the Artists’ Gallery, a co-op in Columbia, MD where he still exhibits in the annual gallery show. Since then he’s exhibited in many group and solo shows including the Andrea Smith Gallery in Sedona, Arizona; the Museum of Contemporary Arts (MOCA) in Georgetown (DC); and was featured at the International Monetary Fund Gallery, and most recently at the Slayton House – Bill White Gallery in Columbia, MD.

Michael hopes that in the next five years he will be able to again do his art full-time and evolve faster. He recognizes that “overnight” success comes from due diligence…doing the background work required like building a body of work and exhibiting. He wishes he had taken his art more seriously 20 years earlier, but to me it doesn’t seem like a late start because he has emerged into his space. For it is safe to say that Michael Syphax is transforming colored pencil drawing to another level.

You can contact Michael at MSyphax@aol.com; or he can be reached at 202-882-0846.

Gallery Serengeti: Saluting Women in the Fine Arts

March 14 – May 31, 2009

Featuring:

• Gwen Aqui
• Jenne Glover
• Viola Leak
• Tamara Little
• Evelyn Holland-Walker

7919 Central Avenue
District Heights, MD
301-808-6987

• Editor’s Perspective: Giving Birth to the Dream
• Contemporary Artists: Jenne Glover’s,
  “One with the Drum,” on March program cover of Applause at Strathmore – Music
  Center, N. Bethesda, MD
• Exhibition – Gallery Serengeti - saluting Women in the Fine Arts, featuring Gwen Aqui, Jenne Glover, Viola Leak, Tamara Little, Evelyn Holland-Walker — through May 31, 2009

Editor’s Perspective: Giving Birth to the Dream

“Giving Birth to the Dream” was the name of a solo exhibit that I had many years ago at the Colorado College. The exhibition’s title was the same as a painting that I had completed about the same time. The painting tells a story about a woman surrounded by a mother and her ancestors. The mother figure has her hand on the woman’s shoulder, giving her a gentle nudge, as if to say…”go, do, be.” Elders assembled like Mt. Rushmore are supporting the woman’s back. A bright spirit holds court in the center and links past with the present. The baby on the mother’s back is focused elsewhere and the blanket wrapping the baby looks like a hand clasping the child firmly to her mother. We all have ancestors that overcame challenges of their day. And, their victories strengthened our family values and our desire to succeed, to do better than the previous generation.

With the disturbing changes in the economy, we find ourselves reassessing our lives, what we have, and what we need to do to weather the economic storm. There’s a collective hope that we will turn this mess around for the better. And, now that spring’s rebirthing, let’s dare to dream of new beginnings and take action to make it happen.

Peace!

Contemporary Artist: Jenne Glover’s painting, “One with the Drum,” on Applause at Strathmore

Colors, composition, and balance…

Oh my!

Interview with Jenne Glover: by Carolyn Spears

Carolyn Spears Ford and Sydney, her granddaughter, at Lake Ontario, Canada.

Carolyn is a free-lance writer, art patron, and one of Jenne’s biggest fans.

When Jenne Glover, aka Jeannette Robinson Glover, launched Voicing Art on January 8, 2008, she ended her brief self-introduction with the word…“Whew”. Since then, readers have gleaned details about this gifted and generous woman from her “Editor’s Perspective” column and her interviews of other visual artists. Recently, she consented to sit on the ‘hot seat’ and become the interviewee. The following is a look at the genius behind Voicing Art.

Jenne was born and raised in Washington, DC by her loving and older parents, Ada and Thomas “Robby” Robinson. Her mother, a pioneer in early childhood education and her father a high school math teacher and winning college and high school track coach made sure that she was well cared for. Jenne loved hanging out with her dad and was nicknamed his “Shadow.” During her childhood, Sundays were really special because Jenne and her dad visited the local museums and galleries before they headed to his part-time job as a custodian at the U.S. Capitol. The Capitol was a super playground, an environment that energized her imagination…the art, sculpture, history, and ambiance. She knew every nook and cranny in the place; played hide and seek behind the sculptures; pretended to be the post office clerk; made mock speeches in the Senate and House Chambers; traveled on the underground railway; and when it was time to take a break to read, she relaxed on the chaise lounges in the senators’ and house representatives’ offices. Jenne credits this early exposure to this majestic environment as an important source of nourishment for her own budding talent.

Although blessed with a ‘good hand’ for as long as she can remember and essentially self-taught, Jenne didn’t begin painting seriously until she met Sam Glover in 1974. Sam, a talented fine artist-craftsman in his own right, became her friend, mentor, and husband. He made his transition in 2005, but his guidance and influence are permanently held in her heart. An expressionist painter, Jenne sometimes works in mixed media and textile, but always returns to her first love, oil paint. Her engaging use of color is her trademark. Jenne’s paintings, primarily of people, flow from a fundamental approach…“color, composition, and balance.” She pays special attention to the nuance of her subjects’ hands, their eyes, the flair of their hats. “My pieces are not designed to puzzle; and most are fun and uplifting.” Currently, she’s shying away from really big pieces in favor of more affordable, ‘travel friendly size’ works.

Gone are the days when she sold her work for almost nothing so she could buy food or pay a bill. Realizing that making a living as an artist may be financially challenging; Jenne’s back up plan earned her a Master of Science in Management from the University of Maryland University College, and so doing, she became the third generation of women in her family to earn a master’s degree. Her profession in Human Resources Management allows her to apply her training and gives her peace of mind to paint. Hoping to one day publish her art in a book, throughout her visual arts career she has documented her considerable body of work on slides and CDs. Jenne doesn’t labor over her art, but deliberates over the titles.

A nationally recognized talent, Jenne has shown in many solo, group and juried exhibitions. Currently, “Celebrating Life” an exhibition at the Wayne K. Curry Sports and Learning Center, Landover, MD will be on display through March 31st. She’s also featured in a salute to “Women in the Fine Arts,” an exhibit at Gallery Serengeti in District Heights, MD which will hang through May. Most notable among her solo exhibitions are: Parish Gallery, Georgetown, DC; Colorado College, Coburn Gallery; and the University of Maryland University College Art Gallery. Her favorite group shows are the recurring “Common Bond” exhibitions held at the Strathmore Hall Arts Center. Her art work is in the collections of the Maryland Artists Collection, University of Maryland University College; Morgan State University, James E. Lewis Museum; Colorado College, Coburn Gallery; Tri-Continental Industries; and private art collections. She’s also featured in Art Business News, The Beginner’s Guide to Collecting Fine Art African American Style, and Manhattan Arts International.

A fierce champion of the visual arts, Jenne launched the newsletter to trumpet the ’quiet’ cause of underappreciated visual artists. She hopes to inspire her readers, as she has been by the talented artists that she’s interviewed. Learning about an artist’s creative process (re)energizes hers. Recently, an interview with sculptress, Terry deBardelaben inspired Jenne to begin a series of mixed media works on angels, her homage to the abiding presence of spirit.

Angel Series:

Although she’s having fun, producing the newsletter is a time-management challenge. Assessing the success of Voicing Art, Jenne is pleased, she’s getting feedback, but hopes for more dialogue with her readers. She welcomes suggestions for artists to feature, critiques on content, and ideas for Voicing Art’s direction. Don’t hold back, let her hear from you! You can contact Jenne at jglover@starpower.net or at 202-253-8098.

See more Jenne Glover art at:

www.jenneglover.com

Washington Projects for the Arts http://artfile.wpadc.org/

Maryland State Arts Council www.msac.org/registry

Mark Your Calendar:

March 14 – May 31, 2009

Featuring:

• Gwen Aquiv
• Jenne Glover
• Viola Leak
• Tamara Little
• Evelyn Holland-Walker

7919 Central Avenue
District Heights, MD
301-808-6987

• Editor’s Perspective: Straight Ahead Jazz Ministry
• Contemporary Artists: Elnora Wilson -
  Crafting Functional Art with Flair
• MARK YOUR CALENDAR
  – “Black History Month Exhibition Celebrating Life” – Paintings by Jenne Glover and Elnora
  Wilson – 2/4/09 to 3/31/09 – Wayne K. Curry Sports and Learning Center, Landover, Maryland
• MARK YOUR CALENDAR
  - “Learned in Science, Explored in Art” — An Exhibit of 35 Medical Paintings by renowned artist, scientist and philosopher, Dr. Wolfgang Ritschel – January 16 to April 3, 2009 – Howard University – Louis Stokes
  Health Sciences Library
  “

Editor’s Perspective: Straight Ahead Jazz Ministry

Although Voicing Art is devoted to the visual arts, I felt compelled to share this DC gem with those who love straight ahead jazz.
This year the Westminster Presbyterian Church is celebrating their tenth year of Jazz Ministry. If you live in the DC Metropolitan Area,
treat yourself to a uplifting evening filled with great music, an appreciative audience, and affordable home cooked food.
Performances are from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. Admission is $5.00.

The current line up:

Hope to see you there!

Contemporary Artist: Elnora Wilson – Crafting Functional Art with Flair

Structuring, Restructuring…

Recycling Artistic Solutions!

Elnora Wilson’s been creating things all of her life. The youngest of seven and petite in size, she’s always been restructuring her clothing. A preacher’s child, raised primarily by her mother, her life began in Darlington, South Carolina where her parents made a living from their working farm. When Elnora was 10 years old, she and her family moved to Prince George’s County where love was plentiful, money tight, and getting an education a requirement. Elnora always wanted to be an interior decorator, but was unable to go away to study. So instead, she focused her love of design, color, and textile by majoring in art education at Bowie State University where she earned a BA in Arts Education. Down the road, Elnora also earned a graduate degree in school administration from Trinity College (DC).

Elnora credits her home economics teachers at Fairmont Heights High School for instilling the desire for precision and craftsmanship in her creations and their willingness to exchange tailoring techniques with her. Her mother empowered her by purchasing a second hand sewing machine for her when she was twelve. Elnora’s artistry has always been evolving, her fine art painting techniques emerged as an undergrad under the direction of Semmi Knox, a celebrated portrait artist who painted the official portrait of President Bill Clinton. Professor Knox demanded his students work large surfaces, be professional and self-sufficient.

Elnora devoted 30 years to the Prince George’s County School System, first as a middle school art teacher and later as an administrator. Now semi-retired, she’s spending quality time creating her “Just One” and “Redesign” lines of functional art that features jackets, shawls, vests, and purses. Whether she’s structuring something new or renewing something old, her well-crafted creations are a unique blend of the unusual, yet have a flair that’s distinctively classic.

Recently, I took my all time favorite well worn black wool jacket to Elnora to see if she could resuscitate it. The jacket was in pitiful shape, the cuffs of the sleeves and lapel were frayed, one elbow was poorly darned, and the lining was torn and tattered. Although trashing it would have been a solution, I wouldn’t discard it because I loved its style, the fit, and the buttons; but the jacket was too tacky to wear in public. Elnora and I collaborated about how to resurrect the jacket. I told her generally what I didn’t want and she proposed some options. I liked her idea to add black lace and left the rest of the embellishment to her judgment. In a matter of two weeks, Elnora returned with an impeccable, asymmetrical recreation. Black lace embellishes the cuffs and sleeves, the lapel is refreshed with stitchery, a slight draping laced cape highlights the shoulders, and the lining is new. It is comforting to know that my all time favorite well worn black wool jacket is once again wearable and nicer than it was originally.

Elnora’s immediate goal is to continue building her client base. She advices young artists to find something that you like doing, even for free, and then find a way to get paid for it.
If you want something one of a kind, or have that favorite thing that needs to be revived, give Elnora a call at 301-925-2468.

Mark Your Calendar:

Black History Month Exhibition

Celebrating Life — featuring art
works by Jenne Glover and Elnora Wilson February 4 to March
31, 2009

Reception: February 17, 2009, 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Wayne K. Curry Sports and Learning Center

8001 Sheriff Road

Landover, MD 20785

Monday – Friday 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Saturdays 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Sundays 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

301-583-2430 / TTY 301-583-2483 / www.pgsportsandlearn.com

“Learned in Science, Explored in Art”
— An Exhibit of 35 Medical Paintings by renowned artist, scientist
and philosopher, Dr. Wolfgang Ritschel

January 16 to April 3, 2009

Gallery Talk with the Artist — March 12, 2009 — 3:00 to
4:00 p.m.

Howard University

Louis Stokes Health Sciences Library

501 W Street, N.W.

Washington, DC 20059

For more info call Marlene Mahoney at 202-884-1727; or

visit http://www.hsl.howard-edu/gallery.html