DiverseArts
Little Gallery
DiverseArts
Production Group Presents 3rd Annual Fresh Black Paint at
DiverseArts Little Gallery
For the
3rd year in a row, DiverseArts' Fresh Black Paint presents
an opportunity for audiences of all backgrounds to experience
the voice of contemporary African-American visual artists.
Featuring Austin artists- John Fisher, Harve Franks, and Rejina
Thomas, the show spans a broad range of technique from realism
to abstraction.
Traditionally,
one of Austin's most unique observances of African-American
Heritage Month, Fresh Black Paint returns in March 2004 proclaiming
the importance of observing African American heritage 365
days a year. Join us for an eye-opening Artists reception
on Thursday, April 1st from 7-9pm.
About
the art
The nostalgic innocence and honesty expressed in John Fisheršs
Good Times plays nicely off the more pensive look of his Woman
in Contemplation . Together the two set a gentle introspective
tone for the more expressionist portraits by Harve Franks.
In stark contrast are the bold and explosive abstract paintings
by Rejina Thomas. Together these three artists create a stunning
visual feast!
For more
information contact Harold McMillan or Jodie Keeling at 477-9438
or info@diversearts.org.
About
the artists
John
Fisher
John
Fisher is a native Austinite who has been painting and drawing
since childhood. After beginning his involvement in visual
art in junior high school, his study deepened as a student
at East Austinšs LC Anderson High School. John went on to
complete a degree in art and education at Texas Southern University
in Houston, where he studied with renowned painter John Biggers.
After a Ford Foundation funded Residency Fellowship in Ivory
Coast, John returned to live in Austin. Over the past 25 years
he has participated in a number of group exhibits, was commissioned
to paint a massive mural at the Carver Library, and was commissioned
by DiverseArts to design the official images for two previous
Clarksville Jazz Festivals and the Austin Jazz and Arts Festivals.
This is John Fishers first Fresh Black Paint exhibit.
Harve
Franks
Harve
Franks is an artist of diverse talents. She has worked as
an actress in theatre, television and film. Harve is also
a dancer, choreographer, and singer with many years experience
in the local performing arts community. As a writer of poetry
she is known as the ŗLove Poet,˛ recently winning the slam
competition at the University of Texas Heamann Sweatt Symposium
on Civil Rights Poetry Slam. Although she has a long history
in the performing arts, her talent as an emerging visual artist
is evident. The pieces exhibited here in the 2004 edition
of Fresh Black Paint are part of her recent series of oils
and acrylics on paper and canvas entitled ŗColored People.˛
Rejina
Thomas
Rejina
Thomas is a multifaceted visual artist and craftsperson who
is best known for her commissioned glass work produced through
her Graphic Glass Studios. An Austin resident for over 20
years, Rejinašs work spans the range from functional furniture,
to architectural embellishment pieces, glass trophies, and
plaques, paintings on canvas and glass and much more. She
is a master craftsperson who uses glass and stone etching,
and blasting, welding, engraving, hot glass casting and a
number of other techniques to achieve stunning results in
her commercial and fine art. Rejinašs work is installed and
in collections world-wideThe Texas State Capitol Building,
official gifts to the Queen of England, Sister City gifts
from Austin to Adelaide, Australia and Iwata Japanand in
numerous private collections throughout the United States.
Ms Thomas was commissioned by DiverseArts as the official
artists for the first Clarksville Jazz and Arts Festival in
1989. Recently she has completed a series of large scale oil
and acrylic abstracts on canvas and wood. This is Rejinašs
first exhibit in the Fresh Black Paint series.
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