good afternoon have you ever looked at artwork and assumed that you knew the
artwork and assumed that you knew the
artwork and assumed that you knew the ethnicity of that artist
ethnicity of that artist
ethnicity of that artist have you ever met in person we told you
have you ever met in person we told you
have you ever met in person we told you they were an artist and based on their
they were an artist and based on their
they were an artist and based on their ethnicity assume that you knew what type
ethnicity assume that you knew what type
ethnicity assume that you knew what type of artwork they would create in this
of artwork they would create in this
of artwork they would create in this picture right here would you assume that
picture right here would you assume that
picture right here would you assume that the artist was of ethnicity or no how
the artist was of ethnicity or no how
the artist was of ethnicity or no how about this work of art was this created
about this work of art was this created
about this work of art was this created by someone of ethnicity or not in this
by someone of ethnicity or not in this
by someone of ethnicity or not in this word half-man half-bull mythological
word half-man half-bull mythological
word half-man half-bull mythological theme did a person of ethnicity create
theme did a person of ethnicity create
theme did a person of ethnicity create this work throughout my artistic
this work throughout my artistic
this work throughout my artistic adventures I’ve always felt like
adventures I’ve always felt like
adventures I’ve always felt like sometimes the one to be Dorothy and just
sometimes the one to be Dorothy and just
sometimes the one to be Dorothy and just click my heels three times and find a
click my heels three times and find a
click my heels three times and find a home for me and my work it took a while
home for me and my work it took a while
home for me and my work it took a while for me to become comfortable with and
for me to become comfortable with and
for me to become comfortable with and confident in my creative expression
confident in my creative expression
confident in my creative expression because people always want to tell me
because people always want to tell me
because people always want to tell me that I should be doing this and why
that I should be doing this and why
that I should be doing this and why aren’t you doing that and it helped me
aren’t you doing that and it helped me
aren’t you doing that and it helped me develop a disposition that if you like
develop a disposition that if you like
develop a disposition that if you like my work great if you don’t like my work
my work great if you don’t like my work
my work great if you don’t like my work great I’ve had the opportunity to
great I’ve had the opportunity to
great I’ve had the opportunity to exhibit my work throughout the country
exhibit my work throughout the country
exhibit my work throughout the country at fine black art shows in Houston New
at fine black art shows in Houston New
at fine black art shows in Houston New York Atlanta and the artists they’re
York Atlanta and the artists they’re
York Atlanta and the artists they’re depicted works that ranged anywhere from
depicted works that ranged anywhere from
depicted works that ranged anywhere from the transatlantic slave trade to church
the transatlantic slave trade to church
the transatlantic slave trade to church revivals and jazz so you would imagine
revivals and jazz so you would imagine
revivals and jazz so you would imagine that my abstract artwork would stick out
that my abstract artwork would stick out
that my abstract artwork would stick out like a rose and concrete patrons there
like a rose and concrete patrons there
like a rose and concrete patrons there they would ask questions like what is
they would ask questions like what is
they would ask questions like what is this a picture of
and what do you do just splatter some
and what do you do just splatter some paint on the canvas the patrons they
paint on the canvas the patrons they
paint on the canvas the patrons they were expecting to see black artists
were expecting to see black artists
were expecting to see black artists exhibiting artwork turned black art on
exhibiting artwork turned black art on
exhibiting artwork turned black art on the other hand when I would exhibit at
the other hand when I would exhibit at
the other hand when I would exhibit at mainstream galleries the questions were
mainstream galleries the questions were
mainstream galleries the questions were more about the artist connected to the
more about the artist connected to the
more about the artist connected to the world the patrons there some would have
world the patrons there some would have
world the patrons there some would have visible shop to see my Brown face
visible shop to see my Brown face
visible shop to see my Brown face connected to abstract artwork and so
connected to abstract artwork and so
connected to abstract artwork and so they’ve come with their questions and
they’ve come with their questions and
they’ve come with their questions and they’d say what school did you go to is
they’d say what school did you go to is
they’d say what school did you go to is your artwork in any other galleries do
your artwork in any other galleries do
your artwork in any other galleries do you have a studio somewhere but their
you have a studio somewhere but their
you have a studio somewhere but their real question was are you qualified to
real question was are you qualified to
real question was are you qualified to be an abstract artist everyone I think
be an abstract artist everyone I think
be an abstract artist everyone I think everyone knows Picasso he is known for
everyone knows Picasso he is known for
everyone knows Picasso he is known for cubism although of Spanish descent he is
cubism although of Spanish descent he is
cubism although of Spanish descent he is not considered exclusively Spanish he
not considered exclusively Spanish he
not considered exclusively Spanish he was not promoted as a Spanish artist
was not promoted as a Spanish artist
was not promoted as a Spanish artist that being the case his famous works
that being the case his famous works
that being the case his famous works that depict any cultural references we
that depict any cultural references we
that depict any cultural references we want to associate an ethnicity to the
want to associate an ethnicity to the
want to associate an ethnicity to the artist so with anything that doesn’t
artist so with anything that doesn’t
artist so with anything that doesn’t have a cultural reference we don’t
have a cultural reference we don’t
have a cultural reference we don’t associate it with someone else ethnicity
associate it with someone else ethnicity
associate it with someone else ethnicity we expect to see Native Americans as
we expect to see Native Americans as
we expect to see Native Americans as artists painting things with feathers or
artists painting things with feathers or
artists painting things with feathers or Chiefs and horses and if the artist is
Chiefs and horses and if the artist is
Chiefs and horses and if the artist is Japanese you would expect to see geishas
Japanese you would expect to see geishas
Japanese you would expect to see geishas and in bonsai and if we know we look at
and in bonsai and if we know we look at
and in bonsai and if we know we look at this work we would assume the artist is
this work we would assume the artist is
this work we would assume the artist is from India take Norman Lewis for example
from India take Norman Lewis for example
from India take Norman Lewis for example in his earlier works he created artwork
in his earlier works he created artwork
in his earlier works he created artwork that wasn’t you know likeness of himself
that wasn’t you know likeness of himself
that wasn’t you know likeness of himself and during that time when he was
and during that time when he was
and during that time when he was creating what’s called black art his
creating what’s called black art his
creating what’s called black art his community appreciated him and loved his
community appreciated him and loved his
community appreciated him and loved his work when he began moving towards
work when he began moving towards
work when he began moving towards abstract his work was less appreciated
abstract his work was less appreciated
abstract his work was less appreciated by his community and it wasn’t readily
by his community and it wasn’t readily
by his community and it wasn’t readily accepted by the mainstream over the
accepted by the mainstream over the
accepted by the mainstream over the years you know I get feedback from
years you know I get feedback from
years you know I get feedback from people close to me they’re like Clara
people close to me they’re like Clara
people close to me they’re like Clara you should try to do this you should
you should try to do this you should
you should try to do this you should make beech
make beech
make beech and you know just stuff people can
and you know just stuff people can
and you know just stuff people can recognize even my own brother it
recognize even my own brother it
recognize even my own brother it suggested I paint black art a little bit
suggested I paint black art a little bit
suggested I paint black art a little bit that’s where that’s where it said you
that’s where that’s where it said you
that’s where that’s where it said you got a piece art sale okay
got a piece art sale okay
got a piece art sale okay so I try it and every time I would try
so I try it and every time I would try
so I try it and every time I would try to create in that fashion
to create in that fashion
to create in that fashion I would always gravitate back towards my
I would always gravitate back towards my
I would always gravitate back towards my natural tendency which is universal
natural tendency which is universal
natural tendency which is universal abstract in my brother’s request he’s
abstract in my brother’s request he’s
abstract in my brother’s request he’s trying to put me in a box I recall my
trying to put me in a box I recall my
trying to put me in a box I recall my time in Houston Texas on the gallery
time in Houston Texas on the gallery
time in Houston Texas on the gallery sends out a call for art depicting race
sends out a call for art depicting race
sends out a call for art depicting race and I’m pulling our initial conversation
and I’m pulling our initial conversation
and I’m pulling our initial conversation he says Clara how are you going to
he says Clara how are you going to
he says Clara how are you going to create art depicting rays when you’re a
create art depicting rays when you’re a
create art depicting rays when you’re a abstract painter I had to admit that was
abstract painter I had to admit that was
abstract painter I had to admit that was a fair question I says well let me worry
a fair question I says well let me worry
a fair question I says well let me worry about that may I be in the show he said
about that may I be in the show he said
about that may I be in the show he said sure provided that your work depicts
sure provided that your work depicts
sure provided that your work depicts race in the end I created two works of
race in the end I created two works of
race in the end I created two works of art that embody all races this one is
art that embody all races this one is
art that embody all races this one is cultural trance and in it has the black
cultural trance and in it has the black
cultural trance and in it has the black the brown the red the yellow and the
the brown the red the yellow and the
the brown the red the yellow and the white man or woman it’s a mixed media
white man or woman it’s a mixed media
white man or woman it’s a mixed media piece and the next one that I created is
piece and the next one that I created is
piece and the next one that I created is my officially my first 3d wire sculpture
my officially my first 3d wire sculpture
my officially my first 3d wire sculpture which has two trees flanking the
which has two trees flanking the
which has two trees flanking the continent of Africa and Africa is the
continent of Africa and Africa is the
continent of Africa and Africa is the mother of civilization that is my offer
mother of civilization that is my offer
mother of civilization that is my offer for race and mr. Kalinin loved them
inclusion non restriction acceptance of
inclusion non restriction acceptance of all things and all people those are the
all things and all people those are the
all things and all people those are the cornerstones of who I am as a person and
cornerstones of who I am as a person and
cornerstones of who I am as a person and as an artist and as such as the
as an artist and as such as the
as an artist and as such as the undertone of my whole speech I do not
undertone of my whole speech I do not
undertone of my whole speech I do not find myself needing to focus solely on
find myself needing to focus solely on
find myself needing to focus solely on my blackness the beauty and the pain and
my blackness the beauty and the pain and
my blackness the beauty and the pain and the triumph of my culture there are so
the triumph of my culture there are so
the triumph of my culture there are so many things in the universe to focus on
many things in the universe to focus on
many things in the universe to focus on the perfection and the universe nature
the perfection and the universe nature
the perfection and the universe nature just everything and that’s where my
just everything and that’s where my
just everything and that’s where my thoughts tend to go and what I like to
thoughts tend to go and what I like to
thoughts tend to go and what I like to create so back to the first slide anyone
create so back to the first slide anyone
create so back to the first slide anyone want to gather a guess as to the
want to gather a guess as to the
want to gather a guess as to the ethnicity of this work remember the talk
ethnicity of this work remember the talk
ethnicity of this work remember the talk is what is ethnic art right that was
is what is ethnic art right that was
is what is ethnic art right that was created by mr. Norman Lewis in this
created by mr. Norman Lewis in this
created by mr. Norman Lewis in this beautiful African woman and her
beautiful African woman and her
beautiful African woman and her beautiful African garb my to gather and
beautiful African garb my to gather and
beautiful African garb my to gather and I guess on the creator of this artwork
I guess on the creator of this artwork
I guess on the creator of this artwork this mr. Tim uh Kimura and this creature
this mr. Tim uh Kimura and this creature
this mr. Tim uh Kimura and this creature here that’s mr. Baughman mahasin the
here that’s mr. Baughman mahasin the
here that’s mr. Baughman mahasin the topic is what is ethnic art so this is
topic is what is ethnic art so this is
topic is what is ethnic art so this is an abstract piece and abstract art
an abstract piece and abstract art
an abstract piece and abstract art depicting no cultural references it’s
depicting no cultural references it’s
depicting no cultural references it’s not readily associated with someone of
not readily associated with someone of
not readily associated with someone of ethnicity the default is white when you
ethnicity the default is white when you
ethnicity the default is white when you look at artwork in the future look at it
look at artwork in the future look at it
look at artwork in the future look at it with an open mind with open eyes
with an open mind with open eyes
with an open mind with open eyes challenge your beliefs examine your
challenge your beliefs examine your
challenge your beliefs examine your beliefs all of them I just artwork try
beliefs all of them I just artwork try
beliefs all of them I just artwork try to see yourself as a part of the art in
to see yourself as a part of the art in
to see yourself as a part of the art in the in the artwork itself it’s not
the in the artwork itself it’s not
the in the artwork itself it’s not always what it seems there’s no culture
always what it seems there’s no culture
always what it seems there’s no culture that has a capstone on anything and view
that has a capstone on anything and view
that has a capstone on anything and view art without assumptions if an artist has
art without assumptions if an artist has
art without assumptions if an artist has the passion and the pleasure and the
the passion and the pleasure and the
the passion and the pleasure and the nerve to create what speaks through his
nerve to create what speaks through his
nerve to create what speaks through his or her heart it should be appreciated
or her heart it should be appreciated
or her heart it should be appreciated it’s just that thank you
”
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