Eric Hanks — African American art specialist, owner of the renowned M. Hanks Gallery and commissioner on the Los Angeles County Arts Commission; sits down with artists, collectors, celebrities and thought leaders for in-depth conversations where they explore the past, present & future of African American art.
This special episode explores the incredible legacy of businessman and visionary philanthropist Julius Rosenwald. How he was born to German Jewish immigrants, rose to become the President of Sears Roebuck and the meaningful way that his legacy continues to live on and have meaningful impact to this day…! Inspired by the Jewish ideals of tzedakah (charity) and tikkun olam (repairing the world) and a deep concern over racial inequality in America, Rosenwald used his wealth to become one of America's most effective philanthropists. Influenced by the writings of the educator Booker T. Washington, Rosenwald joined forces with African American communities during the Jim Crow era to build 5,300 schools, providing 660,000 black children with access to education in the segregated American South. The Rosenwald Fund also provided grants to support a who's who of African American artists and intellectuals and numerous artists that Eric represents and promotes, including Elizabeth Catlett, Jacob Lawrence, William Artis and others who were greatly helped by Rosenwald Foundation funds. Featuring Community Leader Roger Smith; Eric's cousin from Virginia - from the very school that Eric's Mother attended that was built thanks to the generosity of Rosenwald that is an historic landmark… They discuss how Dunbar Schoolhouse came about, how the building itself had been assembled and how Roger, alongside his Family have been instrumental in restoring and maintaining the school. Preserving its history through an on-sight museum — committed to keeping the story of Dunbar Schoolhouse alive..! The various wonderful community programs that they currently run and the significant role that the school plays in the community. Filmmaker Aviva Kempner joins Eric from Washington. They discuss her feature-length historical documentary about Julius Rosenwald entitled “Rosenwald: A Remarkable Story of a Jewish Partnership with African American Communities” and all the wonderful things she learned in the process of making the film. They discuss Rosenwald's background and life — the role of his Rabbi and how it motivated his philanthropic efforts… meeting Booker T. Washington and the strong friendship that they forged. Realizing the need for and power of education as a way to uplift communities and becoming involved in building schools in the rural south. Addressing the needs for housing brought about by the Great Migration, funding the building of housing and YMCAs for African Americans and supporting countess artists and intellectuals including Marian Anderson, James Baldwin, Ralph Bunche, W.E.B. DuBois, Katherine Dunham, Ralph Ellison, John Hope Franklin, Zora Neale Hurston, Jacob Lawrence, Dr. Charles Drew, Augusta Savage, and Langston Hughes. His genius in “matching grants”, the way it made the community feel self-empowered and invested in the mission. The theory of ‘spending down' and how its principles helped inspire other philanthropic institutions. The unique design and ingenuity of the building construction… the power of community and how his work continues to live on today. They explore what lead to her making movies — from being the daughter of a Holocaust Survivor, a passionate activist and viewing movies as a powerful tool to educate people. The many films she's made throughout her life and is in the process of producing and her dedication to telling stories that celebrate the lives of lesser-known Jewish heroes for over forty years…! For more on Eric's Perspective, visit www.ericsperspective.com#ERICSPERSPECTIVE #AFRICANAMERICAN #ART Connect with us ONLINE: Visit Eric's Perspective website: https://bit.ly/2ZQ41x1 Facebook: https://bit.ly/3jq
In this episode, Eric sits down with civil rights activist and award-winning journalist Charlayne Hunter-Gault. They discuss her childhood - from being born in South Carolina during segregation, moving frequently as her father was an army chaplain but spending most of her time in Atlanta. Her early education and the values that were instilled in her at a young age that lent to inspiring her to have high aspirations, self-belief and providing “armor” to shield her throughout her life… and how she gravitated to and was inspired to become a journalist. They discuss the Brown v. Board of Education landmark decision of the U.S. Supreme Court, how Hunter, along with Hamilton Holmes were the two students selected by a committee to integrate white universities in Atlanta… A successful legal challenge that culminated in her admission to the University of Georgia in January 1961—making her one of the first two Black students to integrate the institution. Her illustrious career in journalism, from beginning at the New Yorker magazine, to joining The New York Times as a metropolitan reporter specializing in coverage of the urban black community, becoming a foreign correspondent for National Public Radio, CNN and the Public Broadcasting… She reflects on covering Apartheid in South Africa and interviewing nelson Nelson Mandela! To eventually authoring five books — her most recent one being “My People: Five Decades of Writing about Black Lives”. Her passion for writing about Black Lives and History in a way that shows the full, honest picture and her mission of creating a coalition across generations, in order to preserve and honor the path that was paved by her ancestors… and continue to work together, to strive toward a more perfect union in the United States of America…! Guest Bio: Award-winning journalist, author, and school desegregation pioneer Charlayne Hunter-Gault was born on February 27, 1942, in Due West, South Carolina. In 1961, Hunter became the first African American woman to enroll in the University of Georgia; she was also among the first African American women to graduate from the university, earning a degree in journalism in 1963.After completing college, Hunter moved to New York City, where she worked for The New Yorker magazine in an administrative job and contributed pieces to the “Talk of the Town” section. Hunter-Gault gained a national audience after she joined the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) news program MacNeil/Lehrer Report in 1978. When the program grew into the 60-minute MacNeil/Lehrer NewsHour in 1983, she became its national correspondent and reported on topics that included racism, Vietnam veterans, life under apartheid, drug abuse, and human rights issues. In 1997 Hunter-Gault left PBS to become the Africa bureau chief for National Public Radio (NPR), and in 1999 she was named Johannesburg bureau chief for the Cable News Network (CNN), a post she held until 2005. She published a memoir, In My Place (1992), and New News Out of Africa (2006), a book documenting positive developments in Africa. In 2005 Hunter-Gault was inducted into the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) Hall of Fame.Hunter-Gault lives in Florida and on Martha's Vineyard.For more on Eric's Perspective, visit www.ericsperspective.com#ERICSPERSPECTIVE #AFRICANAMERICAN #ART Connect with us ONLINE: Visit Eric's Perspective website: https://bit.ly/2ZQ41x1 Facebook: https://bit.ly/3jq5fXP Instagram: https://bit.ly/39jFZxG X: https://bit.ly/2OM TikTok: https://bit.ly/4cv8zfg
In this episode, Eric sits down with pioneering video artist, performing artist and painter Anthony Ramos. They discuss his background - being raised in Providence, Rhode Island and tracing his ancestor's journey to America from Cape Verde. How he discovered his love for making art at a young age and how his mother and father encouraged his interests. How he cultivated his artistic abilities. How he began his studies as a Political Science Major… to converting to art — studying painting at Southern Illinois University, where he was a graduate assistant to Allan Kaprow and eventually received an M.F.A. from CalArts. Having a video studio in New York. A conscientious objector of the Vietnam war… being jailed for draft evasion… and how all of these experiences have shaped his life. The artists that have inspired him and the many exciting adventures he has had - while traveling widely in Europe, Africa, China and the Middle East during the 1970s and 1980s. Documenting the end of Portugal's colonial rule in Cape Verde and Guinea-Bissau. They discuss how his work has evolved through the years… being known as “The Grandfather Video" — to his passion for painting which is now his primary medium. Why he left the United States to now — living in the South of France and the exciting projects he has in store..! Guest Bio: Performance and media artist Anthony Ramos was among the earliest video artists to use the medium as a tool for mass media critiques and cultural documentation, and to examine media presentations of "truth." In his powerful but rarely seen video works of the 1970s, Ramos sought to combine art and activism, giving agency to marginalized individuals and communities. In his earliest black-and-white video pieces, Ramos engaged in forceful, direct performances for the camera, often using physical endurance and actions to confront political issues.Ramos has traveled widely in Europe, Africa, China and the Middle East. He videotaped the end of Portugal's colonial rule of Cape Verde and Guinea-Bissau, Teheran during the 1980 hostage crisis, and Beijing just prior to the Tiananmen Square massacre. Ramos produced a number of video works that critique the media through deconstruction and appropriation, and explore the relation of mass cultural imagery, African-American identity, and the politics of race in America. In the late 1980s he turned to painting as his primary medium.Ramos was born in 1944 in Providence, Rhode Island. He received an M.F.A. from the California Institute of the Arts, where he was assistant to Allan Kaprow. Among his awards are a National Endowment for the Arts Visual Arts Fellowship and a Rockefeller Foundation Fellowship. In the 1970s Ramos was a video consultant for the United Nations and the National Council of Churches. In the 1980s, he lived in Paris where he was a Professor at the American Center, and oversaw the television cabling of ten blocks of Paris for the first time. He has also taught at Rhode Island School of Design, New York University, and the University of California at San Diego. Ramos lives in Eyguieres, France.For more on Eric's Perspective, visit www.ericsperspective.com#ERICSPERSPECTIVE #AFRICANAMERICAN #ARTSUBSCRIBE: http://bit.ly/2vVJkDnConnect with us ONLINE: Visit Eric's Perspective website: https://bit.ly/2ZQ41x1Facebook: https://bit.ly/3jq5fXPInstagram: https://bit.ly/39jFZxGX: https://bit.ly/2OMTikTok: https://bit.ly/4cv8zfg
In this episode, Eric sits down with Dr. Makeda Best — deputy director of Curatorial Affairs at the Oakland Museum of California…! She shares how; at a young age became interested in photography… Early exposures and experiences that drew her to studying studio photography at CalArts, to eventually leading her to become a photography historian. How she began to trace the history of African Americans in California — where they settled after the Civil War… She shares how African Americans first became interested in and exposed to photography… and the ways in which they participated in making photographs early on; as makers, sitters and consumers. From Frederick Douglass as one of the most imaged figures in the 19th Century, Sojourner Truth… to everyday people — and using the power of photography to combat stereotypes against black people. The role it played in the abolitionist movement; picturing community, preserving and sharing. Notable African American photographers such as James Presley Ball and Augustus Washington… They discuss James van der Zee and how he photographed the Harlem Renaissance — using large group portraits; to document Families, weddings… capturing how vibrant the period was. The art, skill and science behind photography and the technological developments through the years… From photography studios, to itinerant photographers with traveling dark rooms. The works of Ansel Adams. Daguerreotype - metal based images and how by the 1860s — the arrival of card-based format, cartes-de-visite processes and mass production portraiture that created an influx in making images and portraits — and how African Americans were involved in that.The exhibition she curated for the Boston Athenaeum that centers around the photography albums gifted to Harriet Hayden from lawyer Robert Morris — that explores the world of the Boston-based abolitionist couple Lewis and Harriet Hayden. How photography and gifting culture played a role in the abolitionist movement, their home on Beacon Hill, housing African Americans and the extraordinary efforts of Harriet Hayden and the contributions she made to society. How the exhibition came about, the process of producing the show and what it aims to accomplish..! Guest Bio: Makeda Best, Ph.D., is currently the Deputy Director of Curatorial Affairs at the Oakland Museum of California (OMCA). Best comes to OMCA after serving at Harvard University Art Museums as Richard L. Menschel Curator of Photography since 2017, and previously as Assistant Professor of Visual Studies at California College of the Arts. Her exhibitions at the Harvard Art Museums include Devour the Land: War and American Landscape Photography Since 1970, Crossing Lines, Constricting Home: Displacement and Belonging in Contemporary Art; Winslow Homer: Eyewitness; Time is Now: Photography and Social Change in James Baldwin's America, and Please Stay Home: Darrel Ellis in Conversation with Wardell Milan and Leslie Hewitt. Beyond photography, Best conceived of the Museums' curatorial ReFrame initiative, which aims to critically examine the museum and its collections. With Kevin Moore, she co-curated the 2022 FotoFocus Biennial exhibition, On the Line – Documents of Risk and Faith. Her current exhibition project with the Boston Athenaeum explores the world of the Boston-based abolitionist couple Lewis and Harriet Hayden. Best has contributed to multiple exhibition catalogues, journals, and scholarly publications. She co-edited Conflict, Identity, and Protest in American Art (2015). She is the author of Elevate the Masses: Alexander Gardner, Photography and Democracy in 19th Century America. Her exhibition catalogue, Devour the Land: War and American Landscape Photography since 1970 (2022), was awarded the Photography Catalogue of the Year Award at the 2022 Paris Photo-Aperture PhotoBook Awards.
In this episode, Eric sits down with scholar, author & curator Dr. Ethelene Whitmire. They discuss her educational journey, her passion for libraries and working in the library field as a professor of Library Science and getting the resources to the public. How she became attracted to the art field. Having the opportunity of going to England to study abroad… visiting museums that helped her develop an eye for art. Developing an interest in visiting museums and tracing black art and culture within the art world and art institutions. How writing a biography about Regina Andrews; a Harlem Renaissance librarian opened her horizons to learning about theatre and the artwork of the time, that then led her to explore African Americans in Denmark — including African American jazz musicians who lived and are buried there. How her love of Danish films and her fascination of African Americans in Denmark led to her to research, publishing some of writing and lecturing on the subject… and how her research has come now to life in an exhibition that she co-curated entitled “Nordic Utopia? : African Americans in the 20th Century” which opened at the National Nordic Museum in Seattle, WA that explores the wave of artists who migrated to Denmark to escape segregation and feel freedom as artists… and the realities of their experience of living abroad. How this wonderful work came about, what it hopes to achieve and how it plans to travel across the nation..! Guest Bio: Born and raised in Passaic, New Jersey and attended Rutgers - The State University of New Jersey for a bachelor's degree in English and Communication and master's degree in Library Service. She received a PhD from the University of Michigan – School of Education's Center for the Study of Higher and Post-secondary Education. Dr. Ethelene Whitmire is currently the Chair and a professor in the Department of African American Studies at the University of Wisconsin – Madison. Author of the award-winning book “Regina Anderson Andrews, Harlem Renaissance Librarian” (University of Illinois Press, 2014) offers the first full-length study of Andrews' activism and pioneering work with the NYPL.Dr. Whitmire received the 2004 Ford Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowship and was a visiting scholar at UCLA's Graduate School of Education & Information Studies during the 2004 – 2005 academic year. She also received the Anna Julia Cooper Pre-Doctoral Fellowship from the University of Wisconsin – Madison prior to my appointment as assistant professor in their School of Library & Information Studies. Her doctoral studies were funded by the University of Michigan's Rackham Merit Fellowship. Recipient of the 2002 American Library Association's (ALA) Carroll Preston Baber Research Award. Her professional library experience includes an appointment as a Librarian-in-Residence at Yale University (1997 – 1999). Recently was awarded a Public Works grant from the from the University of Wisconsin-Madison's Center for the Humanities funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.Her current book projects are: The Remarkable Life of Reed Peggram (Viking) and Searching for Utopia: African Americans in 20th Century Denmark about African Americans who lived, worked, studied and performed in Denmark in the 20th Century.Her writing has appeared in Smithsonian Magazine, Narratively, and Longreads.For more on Eric's Perspective, visit www.ericsperspective.comSUBSCRIBE: http://bit.ly/2vVJkDn Connect with us ONLINE: Visit Eric's Perspective website: https://bit.ly/2ZQ41x1 Facebook: https://bit.ly/3jq5fXP Instagram: https://bit.ly/39jFZxG X: https://bit.ly/2OM TikTok: https://bit.ly/4cv8zfg
In this episode, Eric sits down with the talented artist Sam Pace..! They discuss his early life; having been born in Texas but raised in California and his adventures as a young man. How he first discovered his artistic talent… his educational journey, cultivating his artistic abilities and the mentors he's had along the way from William Pajaud, to Charles Dickson! His passion for and dedication to practicing and mastering Karate.. how he reconciled between his two passions and how the martial arts has shaped him as a visual artist by instilling the principles of discipline into his artistic practices. His exciting travels; from competing in a Karate tournament in Hawaii, to living in France and painting for six months… His process as an artist, the mediums he works in and other artists and musicians that have inspired and influenced him. His passion for music and how it translates into his work… and what it means as an artist to give your message to the world. Guest Bio: Born to a mother and father from the Deep South, who followed the Great Black Migration west seeking better opportunities, Sam's talents were given the chance to flourish. Encouraged by his parents to express his creative abilities, he continued developing his skills throughout high school where he earned a Fine Arts scholarship. During high school and college, Sam expanded his energies to mastering the martial arts. He became a world ranked tournament champion who continues to share his talent through his leadership in the Black Karate Federation. In 1989 Sam moved to Europe where he began developing his current style, using Jazz and Blues as the subject matter. His unique interpretation co-mingles the moods and sounds of contemporary and 1920's Black Renaissance Jazz and Blues artists into a visual narrative. His works vary in several different mediums from acrylic on canvas, wood, and collage, to discarded recyclable objects. Among his credits, Sam has produced works for such notables and organizations as the president of an investment company, vice president of Blue Note Records, Los Angeles Urban League, and entertainers Nancy Wilson, Poncho Sanchez, Cassandra Wilson, and Eddie Palmarie. Commissioned works include famed drummer Elvin Jones for the Playboy Jazz Festival, Vancouver Wine and Jazz Festival, Los Angeles Metropolitan Transit Authority, Central Avenue Jazz Festival, and Watts Towers Jazz Festival.For more on Eric's Perspective, visit www.ericsperspective.com#ERICSPERSPECTIVE #AFRICANAMERICAN #ARTSUBSCRIBE: http://bit.ly/2vVJkDn Connect with us ONLINE: Visit Eric's Perspective website: https://bit.ly/2ZQ41x1 Facebook: https://bit.ly/3jq5fXP Instagram: https://bit.ly/39jFZxG X: https://bit.ly/2OM TikTok: https://bit.ly/4cv8zfg
In this episode, Eric sits down with award winning actress, director and art patron Phylicia Rashad. They discuss her experience of growing up in Houston, Texas during legal segregation, travels with her Family as a young girl. Her early exposure to art through her mother's many interests and love for art. Her experience of studying Theater at Howard University during a time of social upheaval. Moving to New York City, acting in plays and performing on Broadway, breaking into the entertainment industry... to eventually acting in Television shows including The Cosby Show, where she played the beloved role of Clair Huxtable and Films including CREED I, II, & III and The Beekeeper. They explore how she first discovered her love for acting and cultivated her craft, the support she had from her parents to pursue a career in the arts, evolving as a performer and working in different mediums... including her passion for directing plays! ...To now serving as Dean of the Chadwick A. Boseman College of Fine Arts at Howard University — where she's enjoying her role and commitment to 'presenting windows of access and opportunity'. They explore the role that James Porter played during his time at Howard. His devotion to the Art department and art history. Howard University's extensive collection of African American art and how the students live amongst the art. They explore her own personal collection of visual art. Stifling of human creativity as being deliberate and the role of and necessity of creativity and freedom to explore creativity for human development. Publishing her Mother's book of poetry and reviving her mother's work at Brainerd Institute Heritage of educational and cultural practices; promoting literacy through the arts for pre-school children...! Guest Bio: An accomplished actor and stage director, Phylicia Rashad became a household name when she portrayed Claire Huxtable on The Cosby Show, a character whose enduring appeal has earned her numerous honors and awards. She has appeared in NBC's This Is Us, in the popular Fox TV series Empire, and in Tarrell Alvin McCraney's Peabody Award-winning series David Makes Man, on the OWN Network. A force on the stage; appearing both on and Off Broadway, often in projects that showcase her musical talent such as Jelly's Last Jam, Into the Woods, Dreamgirls and The Wiz. In 2016, Rashad was inducted into the Theater Hall of Fame and received both the Drama Desk and the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play for her riveting performance as Lena Younger in the 2004 Broadway revival of Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin in The Sun. Among Ms. Rashad's film credits are Creed and Creed II, Just Wright, Tyler Perry's Good Deeds, A Fall From Grace. Ms. Rashad made her critically acclaimed directorial debut at the Seattle Repertory Theater with August Wilson's Gem of the Ocean. She has also directed Stephen Adly Guirgis' Our Lady of 121st Street, The Roommate, Blues for an Alabama Sky, Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, Joe Turner's Come and Gone (2014 NAACP Theatre Award for Best Director). Respected in the academic world as well, Ms. Rashad was appointed Dean of the Chadwick A. Boseman College of Fine Arts at Howard University in May of 2021. Ms. Rashad also holds the distinction of being the first recipient of the Denzel Washington Chair in Theatre at Fordham University. She has received countless esteemed awards including the BET Honors Theatrical Arts Award, Chicago Shakespeare Theatre's Spirit of Shakespeare Award. And serves on several important boards including Brainerd Institute Heritage and DADA, the Debbie Allen Dance Academy. Phylicia Rashad graduated Magna Cum Laude from Howard University and is the mother of two adult children. For more on Eric's Perspective, visit www.ericsperspective.com
In this episode, Eric sits down with philanthropist, entrepreneur and patron of the arts… Bernard Kinsey. They discuss his early life; having been raised in a middle class family in West Palm Beach, Florida. The loving environment that fostered him and instilled in him strong values. His experience of growing-up in a segregated state, attending Florida A&M University and meeting his beloved wife Shirley. His illustrious career in the corporate world, followed by his entrepreneurial ventures… to eventually retiring and devoting his energies to his philanthropic efforts and the Kinsey Collection. They explore how he developed an interest in uncovering the story of African Americans, his passion for spotlighting the African American culture and the role that they have played in making American what it is today. His dedication to honoring the African American heroes along with their stories and his mission to change the narrative, reshape how we think about and remove the “cataracts” that blind us from seeing and understanding American history in its entirety… in hopes that this will inspire a respectful, level-eyed conversation. They delve into the many facets of his collection; that ranges from two and three dimensional art, to photography, rare books, records, artifacts and more that document the African American experience from the 16th century until the present. Sourcing the material that tells how this story came about. How his son Khalil has taken an active role in stewarding the collection and what's in store for the Kinsey collection in the future..! Guest Bio: Bernard Kinsey is a Los Angeles philanthropist and entrepreneur with a passion for African American history and art of the 19th and 20th centuries. He and his wife, Shirley, have been called "one of the most admired and respected couples in Los Angeles." They are known for espousing two life principles, “To whom much is given much is required" and live “A life of no regrets”. The couple have one son, Khalil, who is the general manager and curator of The Kinsey African American Art and History Collection and foundation.Born and raised in West Palm Beach, Florida and attended Florida A&M University. There, he met his wife Shirley. After graduating from Florida A&M University he was hired as the first African American sales representative for Humble Oil Company. Kinsey was immediately successful and quickly became Humble Oil's number one sales representative. In 1971, Kinsey joined Xerox Corporation. During that same year, Kinsey and a group of African American Xerox employees protested the promotion of a less qualified white employee over an African American with supervisory experience and a college degree. Xerox promoted the African American employee. This action resulted in the creation of the Xerox Black Employees Organization, which Kinsey co-founded. Kinsey became a vice president of Xerox within ten years. Kinsey also worked to create a program for bringing African Americans and other minorities into the company and training them for jobs with opportunities for advancement. In 1992, he became the chief operating officer and co-chairman of Rebuild Los Angeles. RLA's mission was to bring jobs, economic opportunities and pride to the area that had been devastated by the 1992 Los Angeles riots. Kinsey succeeded in generating more than $380 million dollars in investments for inner city Los Angeles. The Kinsey African American Art & History Collection travels the globe as an award-winning museum exhibition – lead by the stewardship of Bernard, Shirley, and Khalil Kinsey. The exhibition celebrates the achievements and contributions of black Americans from before the formation of the United States to present times.
In this episode, Eric sits down with actress, filmmaker & artist Angela Robinson Witherspoon. They discuss her early exposure to art and her experience of living in the Netherlands as young girl. How she followed her heart to live a life in the arts. Studying art, taking jobs where she used her artistic abilities, being a model in New York City, to studying acting. How she broke into the industry and has since cultivated such a long-lasting career as an actress in Hollywood! She reflects on her beautiful marriage to the late celebrated comedian John Witherspoon and the life they built together… including their two talented sons, their art collection, owning an art gallery and being patrons of the arts. How she continues to make art herself and has evolved into a filmmaker. They discuss her full-length documentary about artist Betye Saar and her passion to make more films that shed light on African American artists. Her exciting travels, philanthropic initiatives and mission of continuing to honor John Witherspoon's legacy through their foundation..! Guest Bio: Angela Robinson Witherspoonstarted her acting journey when she was cast in her first speaking role opposite Eddie Murphy in "48 Hours," by producer Joel Silver. Walter Hill was the director and he subsequently cast Angela in another movie, "Crossroads", opposite Ralph Macchio. In 1983, she traveled to Cuernavaca, Mexico where she spent five weeks filming "Jungle Warriors" for German director, Ernst R. Von Theumer. She did all her own stunts and had the pleasure of working with Dennis Hopper and firing an AK-47.In 1985, she traveled to the Cannes Film Festival and had dinner with director Howard Avedis, who later cast her in "Kidnapped," a Warner Bros. film starring David Naughton, where she would meet her future husband, John Witherspoon. Angela continued to work in film and television in "Ugly Betty", "Joan of Arcadia", "Soul Plane", "The Wayans Bros.", "L.A. Law", "Criminal Minds," "My Crazy Ex-Girlfriend," "Black Jesus," and a starring role in "The Moment After."She later married legendary comedic actor John Witherspoon on June 27, 1988 and they had two children together. Her husband passed away on October 29, 2019, aged 77.In 2013, she directed her first short film, "Last Call". Soon after, she produced and directed a short documentary on artist Betye Saar. She then wrote and directed the short silent film "Sunset & Neverland." She also produced and directed "Wish Me Luck." Angela's first documentary was well received in 2017. In 2021, she looks forward to releasing a full-length documentary about artist Betye Saar, which she is producing and directing. She is currently working with young talent such as Juhahn Jones, Maia Modeste and director Abdul Malik Abbott. Angela is a dynamic force and devoted patron of the arts and supporters of artists through The Angela and John Witherspoon Family Foundation; who's mission is to help artist's in their time of need. About Eric's Perspective: A podcast series on African American art with Eric Hanks — African American art specialist, owner of the renowned M. Hanks Gallery and commissioner on the Los Angeles County Arts Commission; offers his perspective on African American art through in-depth conversations with fellow art enthusiasts where they discuss the past, present & future of African American art.For more on Eric's Perspective, visit www.ericsperspective.comLISTEN ON: Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/2B6wB3USpotify: https://spoti.fi/3j6QRmWGoogle Podcasts: https://bit.ly/3fNNgrYiHeartRadio: https://ihr.fm/2KtYGXv Pandora: https://pdora.co/38pFWAmConnect with us ONLINE: Visit Eric's Perspective website: https://bit.ly/2ZQ41x1Facebook: https://bit.ly/3jq5fXPInstagram: https://bit.ly/39jFZxGTwitter: https://bit.ly/2OMRx33
In this episode, Eric sits down with talented and celebrated artist, illustrator and author… Kadir Nelson! They discuss how he first discovered his artistic inclination and how it had been fostered from an early age; having been mentored by artist and art teacher Michael Morris; his uncle. His educational journey in art — having received a scholarship to study art at the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn and upon graduating with highest honors, how he was summoned by DreamWorks Pictures to create conceptual artwork for Steven Spielberg's Oscar® nominated feature, “Amistad” and the animated feature “Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron”. They explore his artistic style and how it evolved through the years. From creating paintings and portraits, to illustration and sculpture! His distinct style of urban realism and how it's reminiscent of turn of the century American painters and historical subjects, often telling a story with his art and emphasizing the heroic. They discuss Nelson's process — what moves him and where he draws inspiration from. How he's displayed his works at notable exhibitions and in the permanent collections of several esteemed institutions… including the United States House of Representatives, The National Baseball Hall of Fame, the World Trade Center, the Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery, the National Museum of African American History and Culture and most recently, the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art. They delve into exciting stories about how Nelson was commissioned by a host of distinguished clients including music legend John McClain; creating works in honor of Marvin Gaye... painting the cover artwork for Michael Jackson's posthumously released album, “Michael” and recording artist Drake's multi-platinum selling album, “Nothing Was the Same”. His experience of creating cover artwork for the New Yorker magazine; that pay tribute to historical and contemporary American figures in New York City and abroad. How Nelson has authored and illustrated several award-winning New York Times Best Selling picture books including, “WE ARE THE SHIP: The Story of Negro League Baseball” and the great honor he had of becoming the recipient of the prestigious Caldecott Medal for illustration..! Guest Bio: Kadir Nelson (b. 1974) is an award-winning American author and artist based in Los Angeles, California. He is the recipient of multiple awards from the Society of Illustrators in New York, including the prestigious Hamilton King Award as well the 2020 recipient of the Caldecott Medal and Coretta Scott King Award for illustration. He adds this to multiple Caldecott Honors, Coretta Scott King Author and Illustrator Awards, New York Times Best Illustrated Book Awards, several NAACP Image Awards and an Olympic Art Bronze medal, among others. Mr. Nelson has also created artwork for a host of distinguished clients, including but not limited to National Geographic, HBO, Nike, Disney, Hennessy, and Sony Music, for whom he painted the cover artwork for Michael Jackson's posthumously released album, “Michael,” which was listed in the Guinness Book of Records® for the largest poster in the world. Nelson's artwork was also featured on the cover of recording artist Drake's multi-platinum selling album, “Nothing Was the Same”; over a dozen commemorative US postage stamps honoring American legends, such as Major League All-Stars Ted Williams and Joe DiMaggio, NBA great Wilt Chamberlain, and most recently Motown's Prince of Soul Marvin Gaye, which altogether have sold several million stamps. Nelson's primarily figurative paintings and sculptures focus on historical narratives and heroic subjects in American culture and are often informed by the Old Masters like Ingres, Michelangelo, Hopper, and Tanner. His sumptuous settings and characters, rich palette, and realistic, yet painterly technique speaks to both modern urban realism and masterly works of turn-of-the century American painters.
In this episode, Eric sits down with the talented and accomplished singer, songwriter, filmmaker, author, lecturer and photographer... Byron Motley. They discuss his early years; being raised in Kansas Missouri, his early exposure to music and singing and the love that he developed for performance -- to eventually having a musical career, working on Broadway and performing and recording with such luminaries as Dionne Warwick, Celine Dion, John Legend and Barry Manilow. They explore the fascinating and rich history of the Negro Baseball League… and how it's draped in a fabric that mirrors America's culture. The celebrated legacy of his late father; Negro League chief umpire Bob Motley. How Byron co-authored his father's memoir — which he made into a documentary entitled THE LEAGUE, the fascinating interviews he conducted with prominent figures including Maya Angelou and how the film is a tribute that honors Byron's late father and is an effort to keep the memory and history of the Negro Baseball League alive — and share it with future generations..! Guest Bio: Byron Motley is a modern day Renaissance Man with diverse interests and talent… An accomplished singer/songwriter/filmmaker/lecturer/author and photographer. As a performer Byron has worked on Broadway and performed and recorded with such luminaries as Natalie Cole, Dionne Warwick, Celine Dion, Barbra Streisand, Barry Manilow, Kelly Clarkson, John Legend, Mary J. Blige, and the Boston Pops Orchestra. Byron's most recent CD “Jazz & Cocktails” (Cocoa Blu Records) has garnered impressive reviews and received attention both stateside and internationally. His one-man musical show "Hitmakers, Heroes & Homeruns” has dazzled audiences nationwide honoring the Negro Baseball Leagues & Jazz. An avid baseball fan, Byron co-authored his father's memoir THE NEGRO BASEBALL LEAGUES: Tales of Umpiring Legendary Players, Breaking Barriers, and Making American History. (Simon & Schuster/Skyhorse/Sports Publishing, LLC). Byron's documentary, "THE LEAGUE", about the history and legacy of the Negro Baseball League, was featured at the Tribeca Film Festival in June 2023 in NYC. The project is now streaming on various platforms including, Apple, Amazon, Vudu, Spectrum Dish and other outlets! An award-winning photographer, Byron's work has shown in galleries, boutiques and museums in the United States, Europe and Cuba. His exhibit “Viva Cuba Beisbol: A Photographic Journey into the heart and soul of Cuban Baseball” recently enjoyed a six-month gallery exhibit at the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY. Byron's award-winning photographic book, EMBRACING CUBA (University Press of Florida), contains nearly 200 color images (with essays) exploring the richness of the island. His photography has been featured in Vanity Fair, The Advocate, New York Daily News, Los Angeles Times, 3Sixty magazines and Bruno Gmünder books and have shown in galleries, boutiques and museums in the United States, Europe, Puerto Rico and Cuba. Some of his notable subjects include: Hank Aaron - Baseball Hall of Famer and Dr. Maya Angelou - The People's Poet.For more on Eric's Perspective, visit www.ericsperspective.com#ERICSPERSPECTIVE #AFRICANAMERICAN #ARTSUBSCRIBE: http://bit.ly/2vVJkDnConnect with us ONLINE: Visit Eric's Perspective website: https://bit.ly/2ZQ41x1Facebook: https://bit.ly/3jq5fXPInstagram: https://bit.ly/39jFZxGX: https://bit.ly/2OMTikTok: https://bit.ly/4cv8zfg
In this episode, Eric sits down with the talented and celebrated artist Bernard Stanley Hoyes. They discuss his experience of growing up in Jamaica and discovering his passion for art. Working in carpentry, to transitioning into sculpture and painting. His unique upbringing and exposure to the Revival culture and spirituality… moving to the United States, his education in the arts and being taught by renowned artists. How he transitioned into becoming a professional artist; exhibiting and selling his works to prestigious collectors. His notable 'Rag series', how his work has evolved through the years… and the exciting works he is creating today..! Guest Bio: Bernard Stanley Hoyes is primarily recognized as a contemporary painter whose work evolves from a highly intuitive space. He is heralded for his ability to capture spiritual realms on canvas in radiant and brilliant essence. His celebration of traditional African religion and spirituality continues to find universal appeal, exciting audiences worldwide. Oprah Winfrey, Natalie Cole, Steve Harvey, Keenan Ivory Wayans and the National Urban League are among his collectors. Selections of Hoyes' work have been featured in several television shows including the Showtime cult classic series, "Dexter." President Barack Obama has even been photographed in front of his work.Hoyes' professional artist career began at the early age of nine in his home town of Kingston, Jamaica. Bernard's mother sold his wood carvings and watercolors to visitors at the Jamaica Tourist Board to help maintain the household and support his creative efforts. Hoyes first exposure to professional art education was at the institute of Jamaica, Junior Art Centre. At age 15 he moved to New York to live with his father, attend school and continue his art endeavors. He attended evening classes at the Art Students League, excelling quickly. Hoyes matured as a painter and a sculptor under the apprenticeship of established artists such as Norman Lewis, Huie Lee Smith and John Torres. A Ford Foundation Scholarship was received which allowed him to study with professional artists in a Summer Arts program at Vermont Academy in Saxtons River, Vermont.Hoyes received a scholarship to finish his academic studies at Vermont Academy for the next two years. There he was instrumental in the development of a formal Art Department and at graduation was given a solo exhibition at the Shepardson Center Gallery on Campus. Upon graduation Hoyes received the Frederick Stanley Art Award. He participated in the Graduate art show and received a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in painting and design. During the period of the late 70's, Hoyes worked intensively on his "RAG SERIES," encompassing over 150 pieces. He formed Caribbean Cultural Institute and Caribbean Arts, Inc. to Further expose Caribbean culture to America. Hoyes has participated in numerous solo exhibitions here and abroad. He has created murals in the inner city of Los Angeles, CA. He has curated exhibitions and held a position on the board at the Museum of African American Art in Los Angeles and won awards of Excellence for his famous “Revival Series,” nationally and internationally. Since 2013 Hoyes has made his Studio in the Desert his permanent resident. Syncona Mesa, has for 25 years his Artistic Sanctuary, now it has a new Chapter. The Vortex which have been a safe haven for the Creative spirits to permeate his work, has convened. For more on Eric's Perspective, visit www.ericsperspective.com#ERICSPERSPECTIVE #AFRICANAMERICAN #ARTSUBSCRIBE: http://bit.ly/2vVJkDnConnect with us ONLINE: Visit Eric's Perspective website: https://bit.ly/2ZQ41x1Facebook: https://bit.ly/3jq5fXPInstagram: https://bit.ly/39jFZxGTwitter: https://bit.ly/2OM
In this episode, Eric sits down with AAA certified art appraiser, friend and colleague… Pamela Brown. They discuss her educational background and her love of history, research and learning… especially related to African American culture. How she first became interested and exposed to the arts including new and emerging artists. Her educational background, working in the corporate world — to eventually devoting herself to art full-time. How her love of research and learning lead to becoming an art appraiser.. fueled by her passion for exposing African American artists. Eric and Pamela discuss the factors that are considered in order to determine the value of a piece of art and the excitement and fun that the challenge of each assignment brings..! They discuss the significance of getting artwork appraised.. the process it involves, while offering valuable advice for art collectors to consider; including tips, pitfalls to avoid and debunk frequent myths and misconceptions related to appraising..! Guest Bio: Pamela Brown has spent the last twenty-three years as a private art dealer and gallery owner specializing in artists of the African Diaspora. With sixteen years of professional appraising of African American Fine Art, African and Decorative Art; she is a certified Member of the Appraisers Association of America, New York, NY through June 2023 and Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP) compliant. Brown has many years of experience in African, Contemporary African American Fine Art as an art dealer, gallerist, collector, advisor, and curator. Her clients include Private Collectors, Museums, Institutions, and Businesses. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Delaware, 1976. She was awarded the University of Delaware Presidential Citation Award for Professional Achievement in 1996. Ms. Brown earned her Certificate in Fine and Decorative Arts, New York University, (NYU), 2006. About Eric's Perspective: A podcast series on African American art with Eric Hanks — African American art specialist, owner of the renowned M. Hanks Gallery and commissioner on the Los Angeles County Arts Commission; offers his perspective on African American art through in-depth conversations with fellow art enthusiasts where they discuss the past, present & future of African American art.For more on Eric's Perspective, visit www.ericsperspective.com#ERICSPERSPECTIVE #AFRICANAMERICAN #ART SUBSCRIBE: http://bit.ly/2vVJkDn LISTEN ON: Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/2B6wB3USpotify: https://spoti.fi/3j6QRmWGoogle Podcasts: https://bit.ly/3fNNgrYiHeartRadio: https://ihr.fm/2KtYGXv Pandora: https://pdora.co/38pFWAmConnect with us ONLINE: Visit Eric's Perspective website: https://bit.ly/2ZQ41x1Facebook: https://bit.ly/3jq5fXPInstagram: https://bit.ly/39jFZxGTwitter: https://bit.ly/2OMRx33 www.mhanksgallery.com
In this episode, Eric sits down with renowned author Peter J. Harris. They discuss his early beginnings; from having been born in Washington D.C, studying journalism at Howard University to eventually pursuing a career as a writer. They discuss his personal life and how he first developed an interest in poetry — meeting influential artists and master poets who inspired him. How poetry served as a vehicle to express himself in order to explore social and personal ideas… and cultivating his own voice as an a writer. His journey as a published author, creating both fictional and non-fiction work and the challenges he's had to face and overcome along the way. They discuss The Black Man of Happiness Project; a creative, intellectual and artistic exploration that seeks to answer one elemental question: What is a happy Black man?… that examines the state of joy, dignity and happiness that exists in African American life and history in the face of adversity. The various books he has authored and what he has in store for the future!For more visit: www.ericsperspective.comGuest Bio: Peter J. Harris is a graduate of Howard University. He is the author of various books, including Safe Arms: 20 Love & Erotic Poems (w/an Ooh Baby Baby moan) (FlowerSong Press, 2022), featuring Spanish translations by Francisco Letelier ; SongAgain (Beyond Baroque Books, 2022); Bless the Ashes (Tia Chucha Press, 2014), which won the PEN Oakland/Josephine Miles Award; The Black Man of Happiness: In Pursuit of My Unalienable Right (The Black Man of Happiness Project, 2014), winner of the American Book Award; and Hand Me My Griot Clothes: The Autobiography of Junior Baby (Black Classic Press, 1993), winner of the PEN Oakland/Josephine Miles Award. Harris and his daughter, Adenike A. Harris, are contributors to Love WITH Accountability: Digging up the Roots of Child Sexual Abuse (AK Press, 2019), edited by Aishah Shahidah Simmons. Harris is the founding director of The Black Man of Happiness Project and writes the blog Wreaking Happiness: A Joyful Living Journal. Harris is a fellow of the Los Angeles Institute for the Humanities at the University of Southern California, a 2023 artist in residence at The Nicholson Project in Washington, D.C., and was the 2018 City of Los Angeles (COLA) Fellow in literary arts. Since 1992, Harris has been a member of the Anansi Writers Workshop at the World Stage in Los Angeles's Leimert Park. A native of Washington, D.C., Harris lives in Altadena, California, where he serves as Altadena's poet laureate editor in chief through 2024, alongside Carla Sameth, who is Altadena's poet laureate for community events. About Eric's Perspective: A podcast series on African American art with Eric Hanks — African American art specialist, owner of the renowned M. Hanks Gallery and commissioner on the Los Angeles County Arts Commission; offers his perspective on African American art through in-depth conversations with fellow art enthusiasts where they discuss the past, present & future of African American art.For more on Eric's Perspective, visit www.ericsperspective.com#ERICSPERSPECTIVE #AFRICANAMERICAN #ART SUBSCRIBE: http://bit.ly/2vVJkDn LISTEN ON: Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/2B6wB3USpotify: https://spoti.fi/3j6QRmWGoogle Podcasts: https://bit.ly/3fNNgrYiHeartRadio: https://ihr.fm/2KtYGXv Pandora: https://pdora.co/38pFWAmConnect with us ONLINE: Visit Eric's Perspective website: https://bit.ly/2ZQ41x1Facebook: https://bit.ly/3jq5fXPInstagram: https://bit.ly/39jFZxGTwitter: https://bit.ly/2OMRx33 www.mhanksgallery.com
In this episode, Eric sits down with Executive Director of the nonprofit Museum of African American Art in Los Angeles; Keasha Dumas Heath. They discuss her passion for storytelling, affinity for poetry and the interconnectivity of the arts. The history and legacy of the museum, including the founder Dr. Samella Lewis… the role that MAAA has played in the community as a cultural institution and sharing African American art and culture with the public. The various permanent collections in their possession, including an extensive archive and their important restoration work. The current exhibition on show “From the HeArt”, the exciting activities and upcoming events in store. . For more visit: www.ericsperspective.comGuest Bio: Keasha Dumas Heath is Executive Director of the Museum of African American Art in Los Angeles; a small nonprofit museum where she helps guide communications, member engagement, visitor experience, community outreach, and program development. Keasha is also a member of the board of directors for the California Association of Museums, a statewide museum advocacy organization, where she is a Vice President and serves on the Government Relations, Membership, and Executive committees. She is a past participant in the annual Museums Advocacy Day hosted by the American Alliance of Museums in Washington, DC, and her interests include arts education, museum/school collaborations, public/private partnerships in the arts, and issues affecting community arts organizations. Keasha holds an M.A. in English from Howard University, and she is an alumna of the Getty Foundation's Multicultural Internship Program.MAAA was founded in 1976 by noted artist and art historian Dr. Samella Lewis and a group of academic, artistic, business, and community leaders whose goal was to increase public awareness of and support for African American art.About Eric's Perspective: A podcast series on African American art with Eric Hanks — African American art specialist, owner of the renowned M. Hanks Gallery and commissioner on the Los Angeles County Arts Commission; offers his perspective on African American art through in-depth conversations with fellow art enthusiasts where they discuss the past, present & future of African American art.For more on Eric's Perspective, visit www.ericsperspective.com#ERICSPERSPECTIVE #AFRICANAMERICAN #ART SUBSCRIBE: http://bit.ly/2vVJkDn LISTEN ON: Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/2B6wB3USpotify: https://spoti.fi/3j6QRmWGoogle Podcasts: https://bit.ly/3fNNgrYiHeartRadio: https://ihr.fm/2KtYGXv Pandora: https://pdora.co/38pFWAmConnect with us ONLINE: Visit Eric's Perspective website: https://bit.ly/2ZQ41x1Facebook: https://bit.ly/3jq5fXPInstagram: https://bit.ly/39jFZxGTwitter: https://bit.ly/2OMRx33 www.mhanksgallery.comAbout Eric Hanks: African American art specialist and owner of the renowned M. Hanks Gallery, Eric Hanks is one of the leading representatives of Black artists, promoting and selling their works nationally to individual and museum collections, publishing exhibition catalogues, teaching art appreciation classes, and writing articles and essays appearing in prestigious art books and various other publications.
In this episode, Eric sits down with author, media personality and art collector; Alvin Hall. They discuss his early beginnings — growing up in Florida during the Jim Crow era, his educational journey and early exposures to art. The artists who inspired him and helped cultivate his knowledge and appreciation for the artistic process. How he began collecting black and white photography and prints, his passion for writing, his career as a financial writer and becoming a patron of the arts. The works in his collection; what motivates his decision making when buying art and how his collection has evolved through the years. They discuss abstract art, art as an investment... the books he has written, his recent podcast series and research on the Green Book, his new book and upcoming projects. For more visit: www.ericsperspective.comGuest Bio: Alvin Hall is an internationally renowned financial educator, television and radio broadcaster, bestselling author and regular contributor to magazines, newspapers and websites. For five years on the BBC, he hosted the highly rated and award-winning series, Your Money or Your Life, on which he offered both practical financial and psychological advice to people about how to take control of and fix their financial problems. His radio program, Jay-Z: From Brooklyn to the Boardroom, won the Wincott Foundation Press and Broadcasting Award for the best radio program for 2006. In the US, he is a regular contributor on personal finance and the economy on NPR's Tell Me More with Michel Martin.Among Hall's bestselling books are: You and Your Money: It's More than Just the Numbers, Your Money or Your Life (winner of the WHSmith 2003 People's Choice Award), What Not to Spend, Getting Started in Mutual Funds 2nd Edition, and Getting Started in Stocks 3rd Edition. His children's book, Show Me the Money, has been published in over 20 foreign-language editions. Hall lives in New York City where he designs and teaches classes about the investment markets for financial services companies, banks, regulatory authorities, as well as information and technology vendors. He is also on the Acquisitions Committee of the Studio Museum in Harlem.About Eric's Perspective: A podcast series on African American art with Eric Hanks — African American art specialist, owner of the renowned M. Hanks Gallery and commissioner on the Los Angeles County Arts Commission; offers his perspective on African American art through in-depth conversations with fellow art enthusiasts where they discuss the past, present & future of African American art.For more on Eric's Perspective, visit www.ericsperspective.com#ERICSPERSPECTIVE #AFRICANAMERICAN #ART SUBSCRIBE: http://bit.ly/2vVJkDn LISTEN ON: Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/2B6wB3USpotify: https://spoti.fi/3j6QRmWGoogle Podcasts: https://bit.ly/3fNNgrYiHeartRadio: https://ihr.fm/2KtYGXv Pandora: https://pdora.co/38pFWAmConnect with us ONLINE: Visit Eric's Perspective website: https://bit.ly/2ZQ41x1Facebook: https://bit.ly/3jq5fXPInstagram: https://bit.ly/39jFZxGTwitter: https://bit.ly/2OMRx33 www.mhanksgallery.comAbout Eric Hanks: African American art specialist and owner of the renowned M. Hanks Gallery, Eric Hanks is one of the leading representatives of Black artists, promoting and selling their works nationally to individual and museum collections, publishing exhibition catalogues, teaching art appreciation classes, and writing articles and essays appearing in prestigious art books and various other publications.
In this episode, Eric sits down with acclaimed artist Kenneth Gatewood. They discuss the role that his parents played in encouraging him to pursue art and his early beginnings as an artist. Growing up in South Central LA and the artists that influenced him. Being an artist, managing himself and the importance of presentation. Gatewood's artistic process, working with watercolor and his signature work; including his iconic "Baby Series" that use children as a subject matter. Creating artwork with athletes including figures from Boxing and college sports as a subject matter. Being the first African American to hold licenses to major sports leagues simultaneously; including the NBA, NFL, MLB, NHL and MLS. His experience of meting Muhammed Ali, who signed works of his and his most recently — the art mentorship program that he teaches; working with children at the Richardson Foundation in Inglewood.For more visit: www.ericsperspective.comGuest Bio: Kenneth Gatewood is an acclaimed watercolor artist. His masterful paintings have been prized and treasured by celebrities throughout the globe. From Michael Jackson, Tyler Perry, Jack Nicklaus, Dan Marino, Muhammad Ali, Michael Jordan, Queen Latifah, Magic Johnson, and countless others.About Eric's Perspective: A podcast series on African American art with Eric Hanks — African American art specialist, owner of the renowned M. Hanks Gallery and commissioner on the Los Angeles County Arts Commission; offers his perspective on African American art through in-depth conversations with fellow art enthusiasts where they discuss the past, present & future of African American art.For more on Eric's Perspective, visit www.ericsperspective.com#ERICSPERSPECTIVE #AFRICANAMERICAN #ART SUBSCRIBE: http://bit.ly/2vVJkDn LISTEN ON: Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/2B6wB3USpotify: https://spoti.fi/3j6QRmWGoogle Podcasts: https://bit.ly/3fNNgrYiHeartRadio: https://ihr.fm/2KtYGXv Pandora: https://pdora.co/38pFWAmConnect with us ONLINE: Visit Eric's Perspective website: https://bit.ly/2ZQ41x1Facebook: https://bit.ly/3jq5fXPInstagram: https://bit.ly/39jFZxGTwitter: https://bit.ly/2OMRx33 www.mhanksgallery.comAbout Eric Hanks: African American art specialist and owner of the renowned M. Hanks Gallery, Eric Hanks is one of the leading representatives of Black artists, promoting and selling their works nationally to individual and museum collections, publishing exhibition catalogues, teaching art appreciation classes, and writing articles and essays appearing in prestigious art books and various other publications.
In this episode, Eric sits down with artist, curator and professor; Jamaal Sheats. They discuss his background — growing up in Nashville, Tennessee, his interest in the arts, his educational background, attending Fisk University and ultimately ending up at Fisk University as a faculty member! Sheats sheds light on how at first he ‘ran' from the arts — wanting to be a business major, an entrepreneur but how he ultimately pursued his artistic passions and the role his parents played in encouraging him on his artistic path. They discuss the mentors he had that were instrumental in his life, the technique of repoussé, training and developing as an artist. The artists that helped inform his work and how he pays homage to his lineage and ancestors through it. They discuss his involvement at the prestigious institution of Fisk University — a historically black university, the art department that was established by Aaron Douglas, the impressive long list of alumni and its mission to educate and inspire the next generation of art leaders and advocates. The extensive collections held by Fisk, his role as an art professor, the programs and exhibitions that Sheats has curated throughout the years and his exciting plans for the future.For more visit: www.ericsperspective.comGuest Bio: Jamaal B. Sheats, MFA is Director and Curator of the Fisk University Galleries and an Assistant Professor in the Fisk University Art Department. An alumni of Fisk, both positions enable Sheats to work with students, faculty and the community in ways that integrate his expertise and passion for the arts, education, and mentorship. As a member of the Art Department he has taught Sculpture, Arts and Ideas, Drawing, and Independent Study courses for students with an interest in sub-specialties. In his director and curatorial appointment with the Fisk University Galleries, he successfully integrated the Arts into all academic disciplines and increased engagement with the Middle Tennessee community through novel and innovative approaches. Sheats' implementation of multi- and inter- disciplinary programs, such as the Fisk University STEAM (Science Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) Series, Babies in the Gallery (BIG), Visiting Lecturer Series, and Gallery Ambassador Program for Fisk students and community members, are outcomes of this goal. During Sheats' 3-year tenure as Director and Curator of the Fisk University Galleries, he has also curated 15 art exhibitions; welcomed over 16,000 visitors from across the globe; created the Fisk University Galleries Fellowship for post-doctoral scholars; and built a continuous pipeline of charitable giving from the annual Friends of the Gallery Campaign that he instituted in 2016. In 2017 Sheats' led efforts to secure funding from the Ford Foundation and Walton Family Foundation to establish the Fisk University Museum Leadership Program, which is a 2-year certificate program that aims to diversify art museum leadership. Within the arts community Sheats is a well-known and respected artist who has maintained a strong and consistent domestic and international exhibition record for nearly two decades. Jamaal B. Sheats, MFA obtained his Bachelor of Arts degree in Art from Fisk University and a Master of Fine Arts degree with a concentration in Studio Art from the School of the Museum of Fine Art (SMFA)-Boston and Tufts University. He completed a postgraduate Teaching Fellowship at SMFA-Boston and Tufts University, as well as a Teaching Artist-in-Residence at the Nashville Public Library. For more on Eric's Perspective, visit www.ericsperspective.com#ERICSPERSPECTIVE #AFRICANAMERICAN #ART SUBSCRIBE: http://bit.ly/2vVJkDnConnect with us ONLINE: Visit Eric's Perspective website: https://bit.ly/2ZQ41x1Facebook: https://bit.ly/3jq5fXPInstagram: https://bit.ly/39jFZxGTwitter: https://bit.ly/2OMRx33
In this episode, Eric sits down with the talented Christen Austin; California native visual artist. They discuss her early exposures to art, artistic influences and how her Mother is also an artist. She sheds light on her educational background, studying Biology, how it lends to her artistic approach. How she transitioned into becoming a full-time artist and the challenges faced by up and coming artists. She describes her process, the media she uses and how she characterizes her style of work — being mostly figurative and the themes she explores in her work that she describes as representational; using people of color as her subjects to illustrate what people of color experience on a daily basis and expressing that in a symbolic and psychological way. They delve into various works she has created to date, how she promotes her work, manages her career… her upcoming projects and solo show!For more visit: www.ericsperspective.comGuest Bio: As a black female artist living in America, Christen Austin feels that it is important to provide imagery that represents the black community in a way that encompasses positivity and relatability. Much of the legacy of African American art and expression has been based on the experiences and truths of black people and has often been created in opposition to the images and perceptions forced upon them by eurocentric ideologies. Her current focus is building a body of work that captures the beauty of black culture and explores the depths of its universal qualities. Throughout the development of Austin's art career, she has have worked with many different types of media such as colored pencil, pastel, pen and ink, watercolor, graphics and design, and sculpture. However, her primary medium of choice is acrylic paint which has enabled me to create works with a broad range of color and complexity. Every piece incorporates narration through human figures and portraits and embodies the artistic movement of surrealism. Her goal is to tell stories, inspire new ideas, and challenge the way that people see the world through a perspective that is rooted in my own personal experiences as well as my understanding and connection with the experiences of others. She wants the viewer to connect with her work on a level that exceeds its visual appeal and allows for them to interact with each piece psychologically and emotionally as well. Art has always been her passion and has since become her voice in a society that seems to limit and silence you at every turn. She has learned that in art, the possibilities are endless and this very idea of possibility is what she wants to represent through my work. As an expansion of her focus, she wants to communicate the importance of representation in art, especially when it comes to art in the black community, and illustrate that we as black people can occupy any and every space, real and imaginary.For more on Eric's Perspective, visit www.ericsperspective.com#ERICSPERSPECTIVE #AFRICANAMERICAN #ART SUBSCRIBE: http://bit.ly/2vVJkDn LISTEN ON: Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/2B6wB3USpotify: https://spoti.fi/3j6QRmWGoogle Podcasts: https://bit.ly/3fNNgrYiHeartRadio: https://ihr.fm/2KtYGXv Pandora: https://pdora.co/38pFWAmConnect with us ONLINE: Visit Eric's Perspective website: https://bit.ly/2ZQ41x1Facebook: https://bit.ly/3jq5fXPInstagram: https://bit.ly/39jFZxGTwitter: https://bit.ly/2OMRx33
In this episode, Eric sits down with the talented artist Aiseborn at the Museum of African American Art at the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza in Los Angeles. They discuss how he first began making art that included drawing from comic books, magazines, tv shows and super hero characters to eventually developing into an exhibiting. The various media he uses and his special affinity for graffiti and artists that have influenced him. Graffiti as an art form, the role of letter writing throughout history, the art of mural making and how murals throughout Los Angeles are like landmarks. The many murals he has created and his dear friend and collaborator — the legendary late Noni Olabisi… thinking about the art that artists make; as marking time periods in history and leaving something behind. They reflect on what it means to be a “black artist” and “making black art” and his desire of wanting to be seen firstly and foremost as an artist — beyond the color of his skin. They discuss the remarkable, almost 'magical' process of the act of making art and his fabulous solo exhibition on display entitled “From the HeArt”, including various pieces, his artistic process, technique, where he drew inspiration from and the messages he intended to communicate through this body of work.For more visit: www.ericsperspective.comGuest Bio: Aiseborn ["Ace-born"] developed as illustrator, graffiti writer, and fine painter in Los Angeles. His work defies physical boundaries, illuminating the essence of One. Known for his murals, which often include aerosol portraits, adorned with his classic one brush stroke techniques, he creates geometric illusions that propagate at rhythms intrinsic to nature. Captivating enough to stand alone, his circular framework, replicates the ingenuity of world symbols such as the Adinkranhene, Mandala, Flower-of-Life, Dream Catcher, etc. Through study and practice, he demonstrates the fluid movements of an organism, capturing the morphological process of plant life and the emotional appearance of physiological expressions from the human subject. Foresight with design is fueled by observing the order in which organisms naturally grow while his portraits employ the human form with enriched motifs that radiate the essence of One.. For more on Eric's Perspective, visit www.ericsperspective.com#ERICSPERSPECTIVE #AFRICANAMERICAN #ART SUBSCRIBE: http://bit.ly/2vVJkDn LISTEN ON: Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/2B6wB3USpotify: https://spoti.fi/3j6QRmWGoogle Podcasts: https://bit.ly/3fNNgrYiHeartRadio: https://ihr.fm/2KtYGXv Pandora: https://pdora.co/38pFWAmConnect with us ONLINE: Visit Eric's Perspective website: https://bit.ly/2ZQ41x1Facebook: https://bit.ly/3jq5fXPInstagram: https://bit.ly/39jFZxGTwitter: https://bit.ly/2OMRx33
In this episode, Eric sits down with Lauren Cross, Ph.D Gail-Oxford Associate Curator of American Decorative Arts at The Huntington. They discuss how she was encouraged to express herself artistically as a young girl and that she comes from a creative family. Her educational journey; interdisciplinary studio art background including photography, different media and installations. How she first became drawn to quilting as an art form; to eventually learn that she comes from a family of quilt makers herself! Her personal work that dealt with the history, gender, hierarchies and dynamics within society.. discovering Gee's Bend while working on a documentary about quilting. They explore the traditions and social and cultural impact of quilt making in this isolated community; the different styles of quilting — from utilitarian purposes, improvisational and story quilt style that is very prominent in the African American community and the role it played in self-expression and body image. How Cross began curating and her passion for acknowledging, celebrating and creating opportunities for other artists from different backgrounds that deserve a platform including her recent appointment as curator of American Decorative Arts; and The Huntington's efforts in the desire to bring more artists of color into the collection. For more visit: www.ericsperspective.comGuest Bio: Lauren Cross is a curator, interdisciplinary artist and critical scholar whose research has focused on American decorative arts and material culture with a special emphasis on African American traditions. As an interdisciplinary artist, her work has been exhibited and screened across the country. Her first feature documentary, The Skin Quilt Project, was an official selection for the 2010 International Black Women's Film Festival which explored the intersections of skin color politics in African American quilting traditions. Cross is the Founder and Curator of WoCA Projects art gallery in Fort Worth, Texas; a nonprofit arts organization which aims to highlight and support women artists of color and diversify the contemporary art landscape through exhibitions and community arts programming. Lauren has curated exhibitions and art programs throughout the United States and was recently appointed as the new Gail-Oxford Associate Curator of American Decorative Arts where she will develop programs and propose acquisitions, engage in exhibitions and research projects, foster public engagement, and help broaden the collection to include more works by artists of color. Working from The Huntington's outstanding collection strengths in American folk art, Arts and Crafts, Greene and Greene, and Colonial-era material, Cross will help grow previously underrepresented areas of the collection and shift to a more hemispheric context by highlighting the global exchange between the Americas, Asia, and Europe. Cross earned a Ph.D. in multicultural women's and gender studies from Texas Woman's University; an M.F.A. in visual arts from Lesley University; and a B.A. in art, design, and media from Richmond, the American International University in London; and she studied photography and media arts at the University of Texas at Arlington. About Eric's Perspective: A podcast series on African American art with Eric Hanks — African American art specialist, owner of the renowned M. Hanks Gallery; offers his perspective on African American art through in-depth conversations with fellow art enthusiasts where they discuss the past, present & future of African American art.For more on Eric's Perspective, visit www.ericsperspective.comConnect with us ONLINE: Facebook: https://bit.ly/3jq5fXPInstagram: https://bit.ly/39jFZxGTwitter: https://bit.ly/2OMRx33
African American art specialist and owner of the renowned M. Hanks Gallery; Eric Hanks — offers his perspective on African American art through in-depth conversations with fellow art enthusiasts… on the past, present & future of African American art. For more visit: www.ericsperspective.comAfrican American art specialist and owner of the renowned M. Hanks Gallery, Eric Hanks is one of the leading representatives of Black artists, promoting and selling their works nationally to individual and museum collections, publishing exhibition catalogues, teaching art appreciation classes, and writing articles and essays appearing in prestigious art books and various other publications.For over 34 years Eric Hanks has performed art appraisals for a variety of clients across the country. He is a certified member of the Appraisers Association of America and maintains compliance with the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP). Donations of art, buying the right amount of insurance, estate planning, selling art, or simply wanting to know the current value of one or more works of art are some of the reasons collectors seek Hanks's appraising expertise.Utilizing his knowledge, experience, and extensive connections with artists, collectors, and art professionals Hanks helps collectors locate and invest in best works of art that fit their needs and tastes.#ERICSPERSPECTIVE #AFRICANAMERICAN #ARTLISTEN ON: Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/2B6wB3USpotify: https://spoti.fi/3j6QRmWGoogle Podcasts: https://bit.ly/3fNNgrYiHeartRadio: https://ihr.fm/2KtYGXv Pandora: https://pdora.co/38pFWAmConnect with us: Facebook: https://bit.ly/3jq5fXPInstagram: https://bit.ly/39jFZxGTwitter: https://bit.ly/2OMRx33
In this episode, Eric sits down with Los Angeles based Postwar & Contemporary sculptor Charles Dickson. They discuss his first exposure to art, how he was specifically drawn to carving at a very young age to, eventually become a child prodigy.. his educational path, involvement in various organizations and the great artists who inspired and mentored him including the legendary Charles White, William Pajaud, John Ottobridge and Noah Purifoy; how they inspired him, informed his work and helped him overcome challenges that he faced along the way. They discuss his artistic journey including his unique process and innovative approach to making art; the numerous mediums he has worked with, his fascination with technology and the chemical make-up of materials. The various “phases” he has gone through and concepts he has dealt with throughout his career that fuel his creative and inventive process. The camaraderie he shares with fellow artists and his desire to empower through teaching; exchange of knowledge, technique and experience with others!For more visit: www.ericsperspective.comGuest Bio: Postwar & Contemporary sculptor Charles Dickson is an African American Los Angeles native who sculpts in a variety of media including wood, stone, and bronze and is known for incorporating a potpourri of objects and media into his prolific creation of art. He grew up in Watts and had the good fortune to attend an excellent High School with an extremely advanced wood shop/applied arts department. He was given a scholarship to study at Otis Art Institute with Charles White over the summer. Largely self-taught, Dickson is inspired by classical art and the ancient cultures of Africa and Mexico. A master wood carver, Dickson's work is ancestrally driven. The artist incorporates his unique life experiences and surrounding urban environment to create pieces that express different perspectives of the African American experience. Charles Dickson seeks to create a language that conveys what he terms, “the black American aesthetic”. Dickson's work with Black Nudes was also the precursor for a much larger artistic dialogue on the politics of beauty and how the consequences of slavery reverberated in contemporary society that has extended throughout his entire career.For the last fifty years, Charles Dickson has practiced the art of sculpting and has participated in one hundred Professional Exhibitions, including numerous key galleries and museums such as California African American Museum having featured Charles Dickson's work. He has participated in numerous Television Shows and has been written about in various art Magazines, newspaper articles. Charles Dickson has been awarded several public commissions throughout Southern California and works with the Los Angeles Neighborhood Land Trust and Offices of The Trust for Public Land LA River Center to create sculptures within the community… and has received numerous Honors and Awards throughout his celebrated career. Today Dickson is an Artist in Residence at Watts Towers Art Center and the Grounds Keeper for LACMA and the Watts Towers Monument. Dickson continues to sculpt in his Compton studio where he has created a peaceful environment that is open to the public. For more on Eric's Perspective, visit www.ericsperspective.com#ERICSPERSPECTIVE #AFRICANAMERICAN #ART SUBSCRIBE: http://bit.ly/2vVJkDn LISTEN ON: Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/2B6wB3USpotify: https://spoti.fi/3j6QRmWGoogle Podcasts: https://bit.ly/3fNNgrYiHeartRadio: https://ihr.fm/2KtYGXv Pandora: https://pdora.co/38pFWAmConnect with us ONLINE: Visit Eric's Perspective website: https://bit.ly/2ZQ41x1Facebook: https://bit.ly/3jq5fXPInstagram: https://bit.ly/39jFZxGTwitter: https://bit.ly/2OMRx33
In this episode, Eric speaks with artist, actor & singer; Suesan Stovall. They discuss how she first became exposed to the arts and artists and the role her family played in surrounding her with art and immersing her into the art world. They discuss her artistic journey -- beginning with acting and the performing arts; her training and education and how she transitioned into making art, which began as a way to sustain her performing career.. from collage as a hobby, to selling her work, to eventually building a following, clientele.. and showing her work at galleries! How she eventually moved to Los Angeles, fell into the music scene, doing music for movies and commercials. They discuss the art scene in LA and how Black Artists are gaining more and more recognition and explore her artists process, what inspires her and the thematic nature of her work; that pays homage to her ancestors. For more visit: www.ericsperspective.comGuest Bio: Born and raised in New York City; Suesan Stovall is an important American artist of memory and message. Strong statements of history, injustice and longing are delivered with humor, irony and love in mixed media and collage.. performance and music. A common theme of her work is remembrance. She often documents the past, from an old building being torn down to African American slavery to Native American land displacement. The daughter of the civil rights pioneer and newswoman Charlayne Hunter-Gault, Stovall frequently incorporates themes from the African American experience into her work. She is a homeless advocate, has been photographing homeless people for years. Owner of the Groovy Sue Gallery: the tiny boutique gallery, a converted garage in Martha's Vineyard that hosts her work. About Eric's Perspective: A podcast series on African American art with Eric Hanks — African American art specialist, owner of the renowned M. Hanks Gallery; offers his perspective on African American art through in-depth conversations with fellow art enthusiasts where they discuss the past, present & future of African American art.For more on Eric's Perspective, visit www.ericsperspective.com#ERICSPERSPECTIVE #AFRICANAMERICAN #ART SUBSCRIBE: http://bit.ly/2vVJkDn LISTEN ON: Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/2B6wB3USpotify: https://spoti.fi/3j6QRmWGoogle Podcasts: https://bit.ly/3fNNgrYiHeartRadio: https://ihr.fm/2KtYGXv Pandora: https://pdora.co/38pFWAmConnect with us ONLINE: Visit Eric's Perspective website: https://bit.ly/2ZQ41x1Facebook: https://bit.ly/3jq5fXPInstagram: https://bit.ly/39jFZxGTwitter: https://bit.ly/2OMRx33 www.mhanksgallery.comAbout Eric Hanks: African American art specialist, owner of the renowned M. Hanks Gallery was one of the leading representatives of Black artists through his Santa Monica gallery, M. Hanks Gallery, founded in 1988. By selling their works nationally, contributing to museum collections, and publishing catalogs, Hanks has helped create an audience and market for these artists.
In this episode, Eric speaks with artist and educator La Monte Westmoreland. They discuss his experience of growing up in Wisconsin, his early exposure to art and what lead him to move to Los Angeles.. his educational background, to serving in the Marine Corps during the Vietnam war and what eventually lead him into an impressive career as an art educator in the secondary, college and university levels; that spanned over many decades. They discuss Westmoreland's artistic influences and journey.. discovering and developing his unique style; including subject matter, process to exhibiting his work and where he finds himself today.For more visit: www.ericsperspective.comGuest Bio: Born in Wisconsin, La Monte Westmoreland moved to California as a young adult and studied art at Los Angeles City College (AA). He continued his studies at California State University, Los Angeles, with an emphasis in painting (BA); completed his fine art studies, focusing on collage and assemblage (MA; MFA). He has been an active artist for the past forty plus years. His work has been included in over 170 prestigious art collections nationally and internationally and has appeared in over 50 books and catalogs. Additionally, art magazines, periodicals and newspapers have published numerous articles and reviews of his art. La Monte Westmoreland's art is humanistic and is personally connected to his African American experience. The focus of his art encompasses the social, political and humorous perceptions of his African American life experiences. His selection of a variety of pop icons that illustrate the racial stereotypes that represent black imagery, such as watermelons, Cream of Wheat man, Uncle Ben, Aunt Jemima and others.La Monte Westmoreland has provided leadership in the visual arts by serving as an art educator at the secondary, college and university levels. He has provided artistic leadership as curator and art gallery director. La Monte Westmoreland has served on the Board of Directors for several art organizations. He was honored by Washington Park High School in Racine, Wisconsin, where he was born and raised, inducted him into their Hall of Fame as an Artist and Art Educator and an art scholarship was offered in his name.About Eric's Perspective: A podcast series on African American art with Eric Hanks — African American art specialist, owner of the renowned M. Hanks Gallery; offers his perspective on African American art through in-depth conversations with fellow art enthusiasts where they discuss the past, present & future of African American art.For more on Eric's Perspective, visit www.ericsperspective.com#ERICSPERSPECTIVE #AFRICANAMERICAN #ARTSUBSCRIBE: http://bit.ly/2vVJkDn LISTEN ON: Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/2B6wB3USpotify: https://spoti.fi/3j6QRmWGoogle Podcasts: https://bit.ly/3fNNgrYiHeartRadio: https://ihr.fm/2KtYGXv Pandora: https://pdora.co/38pFWAmConnect with us ONLINE: Visit Eric's Perspective website: https://bit.ly/2ZQ41x1Facebook: https://bit.ly/3jq5fXPInstagram: https://bit.ly/39jFZxGTwitter: https://bit.ly/2OMRx33 www.mhanksgallery.comAbout Eric Hanks: African American art specialist, owner of the renowned M. Hanks Gallery was one of the leading representatives of Black artists through his Santa Monica gallery, M. Hanks Gallery, founded in 1988. By selling their works nationally, contributing to museum collections, and publishing catalogs, Hanks has helped create an audience and market for t
In this episode, Eric speaks with Sandra Jackson-Dumont — director and CEO of the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art. They discuss her experience of growing up in San Francisco, her initial exposure and relationship to art.. her academic journey and what eventually lead her into a career path in the art and museum world. Her distinctly creative approach to making art and museums more accessible to the public, by weaving it into the social fabric of society and making it more of an inclusive experience for all. She sheds light on her most recent project, being the building of a new museum in Los Angeles' Exposition Park; devoted to the narrative arts and her vision for the future and utilizing art and cultural spaces as a means to make a more ‘just society'.For more visit: www.ericsperspective.comGuest Bio: Curator, author, educator, administrator, and public advocate for reimagining the role of art museums in society, Sandra Jackson-Dumont has served as Director and Chief Executive Officer of the new Lucas Museum of Narrative Art since January 2020. Tasked with leading the museum through its opening and beyond, Jackson-Dumont oversees all curatorial, educational, public, and operational affairs for the fast-developing institution, including realization of the currently under construction 11-acre campus in Los Angeles's Exposition Park, which includes a nearly 300,000-square-foot museum building designed by Ma Yansong of MAD Architects and an expansive new park designed by Mia Lehrer of Studio-MLA. Known for her ability to blur the lines—whether between academia and popular culture or traditional and non-traditional museum audiences—Jackson-Dumont has also held positions at the Whitney Museum of American Art, The Studio Museum in Harlem, and the Seattle Art Museum. Throughout her career, she has collaborated extensively with living artists, communities, creatives, and historical materials. Her work catalyzes the presence of increasingly dynamic and diverse audiences in cultural spaces while exploring issues of relevance. A native of San Francisco, Jackson-Dumont earned her B.A. in art history from Sonoma State University and received her M.A. in art history from Howard University. While pursuing her career in museums, she has also taught at the Rhode Island School of Design, New York University, and the University of Washington. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and two godchildren.About Eric's Perspective: A podcast series on African American art with Eric Hanks — African American art specialist, owner of the renowned M. Hanks Gallery; offers his perspective on African American art through in-depth conversations with fellow art enthusiasts where they discuss the past, present & future of African American art.For more on Eric's Perspective, visit www.ericsperspective.com#ERICSPERSPECTIVE #AFRICANAMERICAN #ART SUBSCRIBE: http://bit.ly/2vVJkDn LISTEN ON: Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/2B6wB3USpotify: https://spoti.fi/3j6QRmWGoogle Podcasts: https://bit.ly/3fNNgrYiHeartRadio: https://ihr.fm/2KtYGXv Pandora: https://pdora.co/38pFWAmConnect with us ONLINE: Visit Eric's Perspective website: https://bit.ly/2ZQ41x1Facebook: https://bit.ly/3jq5fXPInstagram: https://bit.ly/39jFZxGTwitter: https://bit.ly/2OMRx33 www.mhanksgallery.comAbout Eric Hanks: African American art specialist, owner of the renowned M. Hanks Gallery was one of the leading representatives of Black artists through his Santa Monica gallery, M. Hanks Gallery, founded in 1988. By selling their works nationally, contributing to museum collections, and publishing catalogs, Hanks has helped create an audience and market for these artists.
In this episode, in this episode, Eric sits down with rapper, producer, songwriter, entrepreneur, activist and founder of Think Watts... STIX aka "Watts Stix"! They discuss his family history and how they first settled in Watts, California and the impactful cultural figures that have emerged from the region throughout history. How he first began making music and how he eventually reevaluated his purpose in life.. how he first began giving back to his community in Watts, California; to eventually establishing his foundation "Think Watts". They discuss all of the inspiring and impactful initiatives that he has led, the various collaborations with corporations and institutions, his entrepreneurial endeavors.. all with the mission of doing good and bringing about positive change in the world. For more visit: www.ericsperspective.comGuest Bio: Born and raised in Watts, California, Brandon “Stix”; Salaam-Bailey has worked his way to become a rapper, record producer, songwriter, and entrepreneur over the last 16 years. However, his involvement with music is a jumping off point to his advocacy to giving back to his community through his THINK WATTS Foundation; with a primary focus on community grassroots activations along with developing financial literacy programs, custom container housing solutions, and charitable fundraising through entertainment industry efforts. As a staple in the community, Stix has formed deep rooted community relationships building bridges from the community to some of its professional residents such as LAFC, LA Clippers, and the LA Rams.About Eric's Perspective: A podcast series on African American art with Eric Hanks — African American art specialist, owner of the renowned M. Hanks Gallery and commissioner on the Los Angeles County Arts Commission; offers his perspective on African American art through in-depth conversations with fellow art enthusiasts where they discuss the past, present & future of African American art.For more on Eric's Perspective, visit www.ericsperspective.com#ERICSPERSPECTIVE #AFRICANAMERICAN #ART SUBSCRIBE: http://bit.ly/2vVJkDn LISTEN ON: Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/2B6wB3USpotify: https://spoti.fi/3j6QRmWGoogle Podcasts: https://bit.ly/3fNNgrYiHeartRadio: https://ihr.fm/2KtYGXv Pandora: https://pdora.co/38pFWAmConnect with us ONLINE: Visit Eric's Perspective website: https://bit.ly/2ZQ41x1Facebook: https://bit.ly/3jq5fXPInstagram: https://bit.ly/39jFZxGTwitter: https://bit.ly/2OMRx33 www.mhanksgallery.comAbout Eric Hanks: African American art specialist, owner of the renowned M. Hanks Gallery and commissioner on the Los Angeles County Arts Commission… was one of the leading representatives of Black artists through his Santa Monica gallery, M. Hanks Gallery, founded in 1988. By selling their works nationally, contributing to museum collections, and publishing catalogs, Hanks has helped create an audience and market for these artists. Hanks is currently a commissioner on the Los Angeles County Arts Commission.
In this episode, Eric sits down with accomplished musician, composer, essayist and abstract artist Todd Cochran. They discuss how he was born in San Francisco and raised in a household of deep love for the arts; filled with music and conversations about art and culture. Growing up in the Lakeview district; a largely Black but racially mixed neighborhood and community.. and the influential role that his maternal grandmother, an ordained minister, evangelist and protofeminist played throughout Todd's childhood. They discuss his musical training and private study in piano and performing arts in classical music and theory; to eventually attending Trinity College of Music in London. He sheds light on his experience of living in San Francisco during the 60s and 70s, his exposure to jazz and how his musical development was impacted by the cultural, political and community atmosphere of the civil rights movement; which fueled his passion for creating art that mirrored the socio-cultural moment and set the path for his prolific and inspiring musical career. They discuss Todd's fascination with the visual arts; the interconnectivity between art forms.. the power that art has to make a difference and the responsibility that comes with being an artist.For more visit: www.ericsperspective.comGuest Bio: Todd Cochran is an American pianist, composer, keyboardist, essayist and conceptual artist. Early in his career he was also professionally known as Bayeté. Cochran started his career as a teenager with saxophonist John Handy. Two years later he joined vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson's Quartet, and made his jazz recording debut composing and performing on a benchmark album for Hutcherson, "Head On" (on Blue Note Records) that featured a nineteen-piece ensemble. The recording was critically hailed as cross-pollinating the evolving contemporary modal jazz, avant-garde sound of the 1970s. Cochran's first solo project "Worlds Around the Sun" became a #1 jazz album and marked his entree into the jazz discussion. From the mid 1970s forward Todd has experimented with and incorporated synthesizers, electronic and mixed-media concepts in his creative projects while collaborating with a wide range of artists in the genres of jazz, art rock, pop, R&B, and twenty-first-century classical. Cochran's best-known jazz compositions include "At The Source" (Bobby Hutcherson), "Free Angela" (Bayeté Todd Cochran, Santana), "Eternal Worlds" Julian Priester, "My Pearl", "Geni-Geni" (Automatic Man), "Monte Carlo Nights" Grover Washington Jr., "Spanish Rose", "Back To Lovin' Again" (Freddie Hubbard), and "Secret Places" (Todd Cochran). He released two albums on Prestige Records in 1972 and 1973. He was keyboardist and lead singer of Automatic Man from 1976 - 1978. He was also a member of Fuse One, a coalition of jazz musicians who released two albums on CTI Records in 1980 and 1981.About Eric's Perspective: A podcast series on African American art with Eric Hanks — African American art specialist, owner of the renowned M. Hanks Gallery and commissioner on the Los Angeles County Arts Commission; offers his perspective on African American art through in-depth conversations with fellow art enthusiasts where they discuss the past, present & future of African American art.For more on Eric's Perspective, visit www.ericsperspective.com SUBSCRIBE: http://bit.ly/2vVJkDnLISTEN ON: Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/2B6wB3USpotify: https://spoti.fi/3j6QRmWGoogle Podcasts: https://bit.ly/3fNNgrYiHeartRadio: https://ihr.fm/2KtYGXv Pandora: https://pdora.co/38pFWAmConnect with us ONLINE: Visit Eric's Perspective website: https://bit.ly/2ZQ41x1Facebook: https://bit.ly/3jq5fXPInstagram: https://bit.ly/39jFZxGTwitter: https://bit.ly/2OMRx33 www.mhanksgallery.com
In this episode, Eric sits down with the legendary artist Artis Lane… where they discuss her life as a young girl having emigrated from Canada to Michigan and formative experiences she had that later informed her artwork. They discuss her travels as a young adult to South Africa and exposure to apartheid.. Her prolific and celebrated artistic career that includes her exceptional portrait work, her focus on social issues and sculpture including her bust of Abolitionist and Suffragette Sojourner Truth that was unveiled by First Lady Michelle Obama and most recently her contemporary work that deals in the realm of Metaphysics. For more visit: www.ericsperspective.comGuest Bio: Artis Lane is a Black Canadian sculptor and painter who was born in North Buxton, a small town near Chatham in Ontario, Canada, in a community largely populated by the descendants of slaves who emigrated to Canada on the Underground Railroad. At two years old her family moved to Ann Arbor, Michigan where she started developing her interests in drawing and painting. Upon graduating high school, she received a scholarship to attend the Ontario College of Art in Toronto, Ontario. After receiving her degree, she moved to Detroit, Michigan newly married to her husband, journalist Bill Lane. While there, she continued her education at the Cranbrook Academy of Art. Artis Lane's sculpture are primarily concerned with portraying what she sees as enduring spiritual truths. These truths are that the growth of spiritual awareness is continuous and that nobody ever arrives at perfection. In addition, spiritual awareness connects humans with a universal force." Her commissions include a series of bronze portraits for the Soul Train Awards, a bronze portrait of Rosa Parks for the Smithsonian Institution and designing the original logo for the Dance Theatre of Harlem. She has made sculptures of prominent people as former President George H. W. Bush, Bill Cosby, Walter Annenberg, Michael Jordan, Gordon Getty, Nelson Mandela and Henry Kissinger. The National Congress of Black Women commissioned Lane to create a bronze bust depicting women's-right advocate and abolitionist Sojourner Truth. The bust was unveiled on April 28, 2009 by First Lady Michelle Obama for permanent display in the Emancipation Hall at the Capitol Visitor Centre. The Women's Caucus for Art, making Truth the first black woman to be honored with a bust at U.S. Capitol. Lane was honored in 2013 as recipient of the Women's Caucus for Art Lifetime Achievement Award.About Eric's Perspective: A podcast series on African American art with Eric Hanks — African American art specialist, owner of the renowned M. Hanks Gallery and commissioner on the Los Angeles County Arts Commission; offers his perspective on African American art through in-depth conversations with fellow art enthusiasts where they discuss the past, present & future of African American art.For more on Eric's Perspective, visit www.ericsperspective.com#ERICSPERSPECTIVE #AFRICANAMERICAN #ART SUBSCRIBE: http://bit.ly/2vVJkDn LISTEN ON: Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/2B6wB3U Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3j6QRmW Google Podcasts: https://bit.ly/3fNNgrY iHeartRadio: https://ihr.fm/2KtYGXv Pandora: https://pdora.co/38pFWAmConnect with us ONLINE: Visit Eric's Perspective website: https://bit.ly/2ZQ41x1 Facebook: https://bit.ly/3jq5fXP Instagram: https://bit.ly/39jFZxG Twitter: https://bit.ly/2OMRx33 www.mhanksgallery.com
In this episode, Eric sits down with multidisciplinary artist and activist Yrneh Gabon who opens up about growing up in Jamaica, how his passion for art and expression grew, studying art, music and theatre as a young boy.. to eventually competing in national competitions, leaving school and entering the professional world of filmmaking, art and performance which lead him to an exciting and multifaceted global career in the arts. What lead him back to higher education and the mentors that have inspired and supported him along the way. They discuss Gabon's travels to Africa and how it has informed his artwork.. that combines various missions that he has advocated for; including people affected by Albinism, visiting Tanzania for research and ultimately lobbying for and even testifying at the United Nations about his findings.. his ecological activism and his exciting upcoming projects and exhibitions. For more visit: www.ericsperspective.comGuest Bio: Yrneh Gabon Brown is a Jamaican born, Multi-disciplinary, Mixed media and performance artist based in Los Angeles. He graduated from the University of Southern California (USC) BFA with (Hons) and Otis College of Arts and Design, (MFA). Yrneh is a multi-disciplinary artist that seeks to balance and intersect artistic representation with social activism and social commentary, particularly regarding issues pertinent to Africa and people within its Diaspora. In 2014, after travels and research in Tanzania, Jamaica and across America, Gabon was given his first solo and major body of work at the California African American Museum CAAM entitled “Visibly Invisible”; Albinism in Tanzania, Jamaica, and the USA through his eyes. “Visibly Invisible” Focused on the killings, the hunting and mistreatment of people born with Albinism, and brought attention to the plight of people living with Albinism particularly in East Africa and was instrumental in speaking at the United Nation, in New York advocating for the passing of the bill that protects people with Albinism around the world. His ongoing project is an Operetta on ecological Climate Change entitled “Memba Mi Tell Yu/Listen Up Take Note” bringing awareness to the nexus of ecological climate change dealing with fire and water. His current project phase 2 “Ditched the Salt” focuses on salt consumption, sensitivity and its relationship and history with people of color. About Eric's Perspective: A podcast series on African American art with Eric Hanks — African American art specialist, owner of the renowned M. Hanks Gallery and commissioner on the Los Angeles County Arts Commission; offers his perspective on African American art through in-depth conversations with fellow art enthusiasts where they discuss the past, present & future of African American art.For more on Eric's Perspective, visit www.ericsperspective.com#ERICSPERSPECTIVE #AFRICANAMERICAN #ART SUBSCRIBE: http://bit.ly/2vVJkDn LISTEN ON: Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/2B6wB3USpotify: https://spoti.fi/3j6QRmWGoogle Podcasts: https://bit.ly/3fNNgrYiHeartRadio: https://ihr.fm/2KtYGXv Pandora: https://pdora.co/38pFWAmConnect with us ONLINE: Visit Eric's Perspective website: https://bit.ly/2ZQ41x1Facebook: https://bit.ly/3jq5fXPInstagram: https://bit.ly/39jFZxGTwitter: https://bit.ly/2OMRx33 www.mhanksgallery.comAbout Eric Hanks: African American art specialist, owner of the renowned M. Hanks Gallery and commissioner on the Los An
In this episode, Eric speaks with artist, gallerist, teacher & advocate Alonzo Davis; where they discuss Davis' childhood; growing up in a community of educators near Tuskeege University campus in Alabama, to moving to Los Angeles as a teen… his education in the arts and a life changing road trip that he took with is brother, Dale where they visited with various artists of color around the United States.. which eventually inspired them to open the iconic Brockman Gallery in Leimert park with a mission of spotlighting artists that had been overlooked. They discuss the challenges the Davis brothers faced in making the gallery a reality, the artwork that they displayed, famous visitors and the impact that it had on the community. They discuss Davis' journey as a teacher, mentor and his commitment to his art practice.. his most recent works and upcoming shows. For more visit: www.ericsperspective.comGuest Bio: Alonzo J. Davis' career as an artist spans four decades. A native of Tuskegee, Alabama, Davis moved with his family to Los Angeles in his early teens. After acquiring an undergraduate degree at Pepperdine College he earned an MFA in Printmaking and Design at Otis Art Institute. Influenced early on by the assemblagists, Davis soon took wing and began to experiment with a variety of mediums, techniques and themes. At the suggestion of artist and former professor, Charles White, Davis began to produce prints and paintings in series.While he was inspired by travel to Africa, the Caribbean and American Southwest—the colors and patterns of the Pacific Rim cultures also seeped into Davis' artwork. During the ‘70's and early ‘80's, Davis' involvement in the California mural movement culminated with the 1984 Olympic Murals project. His Eye on '84 is one of ten murals on the walls of the downtown Los Angeles Harbor Freeway.About Eric's Perspective: A podcast series on African American art with Eric Hanks — African American art specialist, owner of the renowned M. Hanks Gallery and commissioner on the Los Angeles County Arts Commission; offers his perspective on African American art through in-depth conversations with fellow art enthusiasts where they discuss the past, present & future of African American art.For more on Eric's Perspective, visit www.ericsperspective.com#ERICSPERSPECTIVE #AFRICANAMERICAN #ART SUBSCRIBE: http://bit.ly/2vVJkDn LISTEN ON: Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/2B6wB3USpotify: https://spoti.fi/3j6QRmWGoogle Podcasts: https://bit.ly/3fNNgrYiHeartRadio: https://ihr.fm/2KtYGXv Pandora: https://pdora.co/38pFWAmConnect with us ONLINE: Visit Eric's Perspective website: https://bit.ly/2ZQ41x1Facebook: https://bit.ly/3jq5fXPInstagram: https://bit.ly/39jFZxGTwitter: https://bit.ly/2OMRx33 www.mhanksgallery.comAbout Eric Hanks: African American art specialist and owner of the renowned M. Hanks Gallery, Eric Hanks is one of the leading representatives of Black artists, promoting and selling their works nationally to individual and museum collections, publishing exhibition catalogues, teaching art appreciation classes, and writing articles and essays appearing in prestigious art books and various other publications.
In this episode Eric sits down with the wonderful author Lynne Thompson where they discuss her childhood, family roots and fascination with African American history. How she transitioned from being a lawyer, to eventually following her dream to write and become a poet. They discuss how Thompson was recently appointed Poet Laureate for the City of Los Angeles and the many activities she has done in that role; to promote literacy for Angelinos! They discuss her writing process; her use of sound and rhythm and how she has been influenced by renowned musicians and artists such as Miles Davis and William Pajaud. Lynne shares inspiring words of wisdom to writers.. and even recites one of her beautiful poems.. “The House of Many Pleasures! For more visit: www.ericsperspective.comGuest Bio: Lynne Thompson is the 2021-2022 Poet Laureate for the City of Los Angeles. The daughter of Caribbean immigrants, her poetry collections include Beg No Pardon (2007), winner of the Perugia Press Prize and the Great Lakes Colleges Association's New Writers Award; Start With A Small Guitar (2013), from What Books Press; and Fretwork (2019), winner of the Marsh Hawk Press Poetry Prize. Thompson's honors include the Tucson Festival of Books Literary Award (poetry) and the Stephen Dunn Prize for Poetry as well as fellowships from the City of Los Angeles, Vermont Studio Center, and the Summer Literary Series in Kenya. Her work has appeared in Ploughshares, Poetry, Poem-A-Day (Academy of American Poets), New England Review, Colorado Review, Pleiades, Ecotone, and Best American Poetry, to name a few. A lawyer by training, Thompson sits on the boards of the Los Angeles Review of Books and Cave Canem and is the Chair of the Board of Trustees at Scripps College, her alma mater. She facilitates private workshops, most recently for Beyond Baroque, Poetry By the Sea Conference, Moorpark College Writers Festival, and Central Coast Writers' Conference. Thompson is a native of Los Angeles, California, where she resides.About Eric's Perspective: A podcast series on African American art with Eric Hanks — African American art specialist, owner of the renowned M. Hanks Gallery and commissioner on the Los Angeles County Arts Commission; offers his perspective on African American art through in-depth conversations with fellow art enthusiasts where they discuss the past, present & future of African American art.For more on Eric's Perspective, visit www.ericsperspective.com#ERICSPERSPECTIVE #AFRICANAMERICAN #ART SUBSCRIBE: http://bit.ly/2vVJkDn LISTEN ON: Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/2B6wB3USpotify: https://spoti.fi/3j6QRmWGoogle Podcasts: https://bit.ly/3fNNgrYiHeartRadio: https://ihr.fm/2KtYGXv Pandora: https://pdora.co/38pFWAmConnect with us ONLINE: Visit Eric's Perspective website: https://bit.ly/2ZQ41x1Facebook: https://bit.ly/3jq5fXPInstagram: https://bit.ly/39jFZxGTwitter: https://bit.ly/2OMRx33 www.mhanksgallery.comAbout Eric Hanks: African American art specialist and owner of the renowned M. Hanks Gallery, Eric Hanks is one of the leading representatives of Black artists, promoting and selling their works nationally to individual and museum collections, publishing exhibition catalogues, teaching art appreciation classes, and writing articles and essays appearing in prestigious art books and various other publications.
In this episode, Eric speaks with celebrated artist Richard Wyatt Jr. about how he first discovered art at a young age and becoming a prodigy. He describes his educational journey and experience whilst studying at the Watts Towers Art Center and being mentored by great artists... his connection with music and how it relates to art, his passion for exploring various mediums and collaboration, his work in the space of public art and his unique process when creating his beautiful murals among the region of Los Angeles. For more visit: www.ericsperspective.comGuest Bio: Richard Wyatt Jr. was born in Lynwood and raised in Compton and the Crenshaw district of Los Angeles, California. He is one of the region's most noted muralists and is known for his realistic figurative works which honor both common people and historic figures. His series of works on the history of the Central Avenue jazz scene were exhibited at the Santa Monica Museum of Art. His public works can be seen at the Capitol Records Building, the Watts Towers Art Center, and Spike's Joint on Melrose in Los Angeles. Featured art on display: Robert Colescott, Death of a Mulatto Woman1991, Acrylic on canvas, 213.3 x 182.8 cm (84 x 72 in.)About Eric's Perspective: A podcast series on African American art with Eric Hanks. Eric Hanks — African American art specialist, owner of the renowned M. Hanks Gallery and commissioner on the Los Angeles County Arts Commission; offers his perspective on African American art through in-depth conversations with fellow art enthusiasts where they discuss the past, present & future of African American art.For more on Eric's Perspective, visit www.ericsperspective.com#ERICSPERSPECTIVE #AFRICANAMERICAN #ART SUBSCRIBE: http://bit.ly/2vVJkDn LISTEN ON: Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/2B6wB3U Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3j6QRmW Google Podcasts: https://bit.ly/3fNNgrY iHeartRadio: https://ihr.fm/2KtYGXv Pandora: https://pdora.co/38pFWAmConnect with us ONLINE: Visit Eric's Perspective website: https://bit.ly/2ZQ41x1 Facebook: https://bit.ly/3jq5fXP Instagram: https://bit.ly/39jFZxG Twitter: https://bit.ly/2OMRx33 www.mhanksgallery.comAbout Eric Hanks: African American art specialist, owner of the renowned M. Hanks Gallery and commissioner on the Los Angeles County Arts Commission… was one of the leading representatives of Black artists through his Santa Monica gallery, M. Hanks Gallery, founded in 1988. By selling their works nationally, contributing to museum collections, and publishing catalogs, Hanks has helped create an audience and market for these artists. Hanks is currently a commissioner on the Los Angeles County Arts Commission.
In this episode, Eric speaks with historian, scholar and advocate Dr. Alison Rose Jefferson who talks about her family tree, history and the journey of her anscestors who migrated to and settled in Los Angeles, the African American experience in Southern California during the twentieth century during the Jim Crow era and how this changed California. Eric and Dr. Jefferson discus her recent book entitled Living the California Dream: African American Leisure Sites during the Jim Crow Era and how African Americans pioneered leisure in American's “frontier of leisure” through their attempts to create communities and business projects, in conjunction with the growing African American population of Southern California during the nation's Jim Crow era.. and how African Americans helped define the practice and meaning of leisure for the region and the nation, confronted the emergent power politics of leisure space, and set the stage for the sites as places for remembrance of invention and public contest.For more visit: www.ericsperspective.comGuest Bio: Alison Rose Jefferson is a third generation Californian. Presently her research and professional interests revolve around the intersection of historical memory, American history, the history of the African American experience in Southern California during the twentieth century great migration and Jim Crow era, heritage conservation, spatial justice and cultural tourism. She is also interested in her work's intersections with the experiences of people of African descent in other global settings.Along with other work activities utilizing her knowledge and skills expertise, she has written a book, Living the California Dream: African American Leisure Sites during the Jim Crow Era. This study examines how African Americans pioneered leisure in American's “frontier of leisure” through their attempts to create communities and business projects, in conjunction with the growing African American population of Southern California during the nation's Jim Crow era. The places Jefferson examines illustrate a range of recreation and relaxation production purposes and societal encounters at beach and inland locations. Through struggle over these places described in her book, African Americans helped define the practice and meaning of leisure for the region and the nation, confronted the emergent power politics of leisure space, and set the stage for the sites as places for remembrance of invention and public contest. Her research and applied history projects illuminating these stories extend the narrative of the African American experience in American historical writings and memory of California, and the U.S. in general by expanding the examination of the struggle for leisure and public space for all Americans in long freedom rights struggle. Her applied history project work and book, Living the California Dream…, were honored with the 2020 Miriam Matthews Ethnic History Award by the Los Angeles City Historical Society for its exceptional contributions to the greater understanding and awareness of Los Angeles history. Jefferson has participated in numerous public programs, including ongoing history public engagement events, lectures, museum exhibitions, oral history interview research, the creation of commemorative monuments, landmark site designations and documentary films.About Eric's Perspective: A podcast series on African American art with Eric Hanks. Eric Hanks — African American art specialist, owner of the renowned M. Hanks Gallery and commissioner on the Los Angeles County Arts Commission; offers his perspective on African American art through in-depth conversations with fellow art enthusiasts where they discuss the past, present & future of African American art.For more on Eric's Perspective, visit www.ericsperspective.com
In this episode, Eric speaks with the delightful scholar, writer and curator Dr. Bridget R. Cooks; who shares about how she became fascinated with art and exposed to museums at a young age and how it inspired her to become involved in the art world. They discuss how she explored many paths from becoming an artist.. to having found her direction; a dedication and passion for her mission of spotlighting and educating the world on African American culture through art, exhibiting 'blackness' and wanting to make the history of exhibitions of art by African American artists known. The mentors that took her under their wings, her influential body of work, teaching and exciting upcoming projects. Dr. Cooks and Eric discuss the challenges experienced by African American artists wanting to exhibit their works and the expectations they faced.. to collecting and curating African American art and Dr. Cooks' hope to deepen the research on African American artists and the field as a whole. For more visit: www.ericsperspective.com Guest Bio: Dr. Bridget R. Cooks. is a scholar, writer, curator, and academic. She is a professor who holds a joint appointment in the Department of African American Studies and the Department of Art History at the University of California, Irvine. Cooks holds a PhD in Visual and Cultural Studies from the Department of Art History at University of Rochester. Douglas Crimp advised her dissertation, for which she received a Henry Luce Dissertation Fellowship in American Art. Prior to UCI, she taught in the Department of Art and Art History and the Program of Ethnic Studies at Santa Clara University. About Eric's Perspective: A podcast series on African American art with Eric Hanks. Eric Hanks — African American art specialist, owner of the renowned M. Hanks Gallery and commissioner on the Los Angeles County Arts Commission; offers his perspective on African American art through in-depth conversations with fellow art enthusiasts where they discuss the past, present & future of African American art. For more on Eric's Perspective, visit www.ericsperspective.com#ERICSPERSPECTIVE #AFRICANAMERICAN #ART SUBSCRIBE: http://bit.ly/2vVJkDn LISTEN ON: Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/2B6wB3U Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3j6QRmW Google Podcasts: https://bit.ly/3fNNgrY iHeartRadio: https://ihr.fm/2KtYGXv Pandora: https://pdora.co/38pFWAmConnect with us ONLINE: Visit Eric's Perspective website: https://bit.ly/2ZQ41x1 Facebook: https://bit.ly/3jq5fXP Instagram: https://bit.ly/39jFZxG Twitter: https://bit.ly/2OMRx33 www.mhanksgallery.com About Eric Hanks: African American art specialist, owner of the renowned M. Hanks Gallery and commissioner on the Los Angeles County Arts Commission… was one of the leading representatives of Black artists through his Santa Monica gallery, M. Hanks Gallery, founded in 1988. By selling their works nationally, contributing to museum collections, and publishing catalogs, Hanks has helped create an audience and market for these artists. Hanks is currently a commissioner on the Los Angeles County Arts Commission.
In this episode, Eric speaks with Robert C. Davidson, Jr; successful entrepreneur, art collector and philanthropist. He and Eric discuss his experience as a young boy; growing up in the Jim Crow era of the 1950s in Memphis, Tennessee and how his parents were both entrepreneurs and great inspirations to him: His mother opened a restaurant for black patrons in 1944 after seeing that African American soldiers had nowhere to eat in public. His father opened the first and only black-owned bank, Tri State Bank. They discuss his education and entrepreneurial journey and how, after investing thirty years in business, he turned his attention to art and philanthropy. Mr. Davidson talks about his and his wife's mission in building their art collection; one which Eric deems as one of the greatest African American art collections in the country! Eric and Mr. Davidson delve into the collection; and take us on a journey where they discuss works by Palmer Hayden, Jacob Lawrence, Charles White, Betye Saar, Joshua Johnson, Elizabeth Catlett and Meta Warrick Fuller while offering valuable insight and expertise on purchasing art and building a collection. For more visit: www.ericsperspective.comGuest Bio: Robert C. Davidson, Jr. formed Surface Protection Industries, Inc. (SPI) in 1978. Under his leadership, SPI became one of the largest African American-owned manufacturing companies in California, ranking in the top 100 on the Black Enterprise list of America's top black-owned industrial/service companies.Davidson has a strong entrepreneurial résumé. In the early 1970s, he headed his own management consulting firm and, prior to that, served as chief executive officer of Avant Garde Enterprises, a Los Angeles-based entertainment holding company.In Boston, Davidson co-founded and served as vice president of the Urban National Corporation, a private venture capital company that was established to increase mainstream industry's investment in minority-controlled businesses. The organization raised $10 million in capital from many Fortune 500 companies.The entrepreneurial spirit of Davidson's career path is also reflected in his commitment to community involvement. He is the Chair of the Board of Directors for the Ray Charles Foundation and currently sits on the Board of Directors for the following organizations: Jacobs Engineering Group, Inc. (NYSE); Broadway Federal Bank (NASDAQ); Cedars-Sinai Hospital Los Angeles; University of Chicago Graduate School of Business Advisory Council; The Huntington; and the Smithsonian American Art Museum. He is also Chairman Emeritus at Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia. In 1998, Morehouse College honored Davidson, one of its most distinguished alumni, by naming the President's home and its executive center Davidson House. Davidson was the 1997 recipient of the Ronald H. Brown Award and the 1990 recipient of the Raoul Wallenberg Save the Children Award from the Shaare Zedek Medical Center Jerusalem. He was also named Black Businessman of the Year by the Los Angeles Chapter of the Black MBA Association and Outstanding Entrepreneur of the Year by the National Association of Investment Companies. Davidson earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from Morehouse College and his MBA from the University of Chicago. He is a recipient of an Honorary Doctorate of Laws degree from Morehouse College. In 2007, Davidson received the distinguished Benjamin E. Mays Award, which is named in honor of Morehouse College's famous former President. Davidson and his wife, Faye, are parents of three sons, one of whom is an ArtCenter alumnus. The Davidsons are art collectors and Faye is a member of the Pasadena Art Alliance. Davidson joined the ArtCenter Board of Trustees in 2004 and served as Chair of the Board for five-terms (2010-2020). He is the first African American to serve in this role at ArtCenter, and among the first African Americans to assum
In this episode, Eric speaks with Kristin Sakoda; director of the Los Angeles County Department of Arts and Culture, where they discuss her journey in the arts; beginning as a child performer in Chicago, to professional dancer in New York with the Urban Bush Women dance company to performing in musicals on Broadway including the famed show Rent.. to original cast member of Mamma Mia! and later completing her studies in Law where she specialized in entertainment law. They discuss how she eventually transitioned into the public sector, where she was able to blend her passion for the arts and performance with public arts programs and making art more available to all. She sheds light on the mission and vision of LA County Department of Art and Culture and making access to art more equitable, with a focus on diversity and representation... using the power of art a as a vehicle to uplift and inspire communities, to learn about different cultures, to channel and overcome adversity and heal together.For more visit: www.ericsperspective.comGuest Bio: Kristin Sakoda is Director of the Los Angeles County Department of Arts and Culture, a local arts agency which fulfills a mission to advance arts, culture, and creativity throughout the largest county in the U.S. The Department of Arts and Culture provides grants and technical assistance to hundreds of nonprofit organizations; runs the largest arts internship program in the nation; coordinates countywide public-private arts education initiatives; increases access to creative career pathways; commissions civic artwork; supports free community programs; leads the LA County Cultural Equity and Inclusion Initiative; and advances cross-sector cultural strategies to address civic issues. Appointed by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, Ms. Sakoda previously served as Executive Director of the Los Angeles County Arts Commission. Under her leadership, she led the organization during its historic transition into the County's first Department of Arts and Culture.Ms. Sakoda is an arts executive, attorney, and performing artist with more than 25 years in the field. She has appeared on national and international stages including with dance and social justice company Urban Bush Women and in musicals Rent and Mamma Mia! on Broadway. Prior to her work at the Department of Arts and Culture, she served in key leadership roles at the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs overseeing a portfolio of strategic, programmatic, policy, legislative, and funding programs with a $200 million annual budget, and was instrumental in advancing diversity and inclusion; public art; creative aging; cultural facilities; and affordable workspace for artists. She holds a J.D. from NYU School of Law with honors in Entertainment Law, and B.A. from Stanford University with a specialization in Race and Ethnicity and a secondary major in Feminist Studies. As of 2021, she is a Board member of Grantmakers in the Arts, the national association of public and private arts funders in the U.S. About Eric's Perspective: A podcast series on African American art with Eric Hanks. Eric Hanks — African American art specialist, owner of the renowned M. Hanks Gallery and commissioner on the Los Angeles County Arts Commission; offers his perspective on African American art through in-depth conversations with fellow art enthusiasts where they discuss the past, present & future of African American art.For more on Eric's Perspective, visit www.ericsperspective.comSUBSCRIBE: http://bit.ly/2vVJkDnConnect with us ONLINE: Website: https://bit.ly/2ZQ41x1Facebook: https://bit.ly/3jq5fXPInstagram: https://bit.ly/39jFZxGTwitter: https://bit.ly/2OMRx33
In this episode, Eric speaks with artist Mark Steven Greenfield; about his journey and education in the arts and the great artists who mentored him. They discuss his experience of growing up and living in the Philippines and Germany and how that shaped his outlook on life and ideas of racism and oppression. They discuss his body of work that deals with themes such as African American stereotypes, spiritual practices, social justice, meditative practices and abstraction. The life of an artist, the importance of craft, the need to find a way to support their passion and the delicate balance of making a living and staying true to one's artistic integrity. Greenfield's thought-provoking and controversial series "Blackatcha" and his intention of 'reappropriating the appropriated' in order to neutralize the effects of racist stereotypes, his most recent work focuses on the mystery surrounding “The Black Madonna”. They discuss the role of the artist in society and the power of art to make an impact for generations to come. For more visit: www.ericsperspective.comGuest Bio: A native Angeleno, Mark Steven Greenfield studied under Charles White and John Riddle at Otis Art Institute in a program sponsored by the Golden State Life Insurance Company. He went on to receive his Bachelor's degree in Art Education in 1973 from California State University, Long Beach. To support his ability to make his art, he held various positions as a visual display artist, a park director, a graphic design instructor and a police artist before returning to school, graduating with Master of Fine Arts degree in painting and drawing from California State University, Los Angeles in 1987. From 1993 through 2010 he was an arts administrator for the Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs; first as the director of the Watts Towers Arts Center and the Towers of Simon Rodia and later as the director of the Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery. In 1998 he served as the Head of the U. S. delegation to the World Cup Cultural Festival in Paris, France and in 2002 he was part of the Getty Visiting Scholars program. He has served on the boards of the Downtown Arts Development Association, the Korean American Museum, and The Armory Center for the Arts , and was past president of the Los Angeles Art Association/Gallery 825. He currently serves on the boards of Side Street Projects, The Harpo Foundation and Los Angeles Contemporary Exhibitions. Greenfield's work has been exhibited extensively throughout the United States most notably at the Museum of Contemporary Art of Georgia, the Wignall Museum of Contemporary Art and the California African American Museum. Internationally he has exhibited in Thailand at the Chiang Mai Art Museum, in Naples, Italy at Art 1307, Villa Donato , the Gang Dong Art Center in Seoul, South Korea and the Blue Roof Museum in Chengdu, PRC. He is represented by the Ricco Maresca Gallery in New York and the William Turner Gallery in Santa Monica, California. His work deals primarily with the African American experience and in recent years has focused on the effects of stereotypes on American culture stimulating much-needed and long overdue dialog on issues of race. He is a recipient of the L.A. Artcore Crystal Award (2006), Los Angeles Artist Laboratory Fellowship Grant (2011), the City of Los Angeles Individual Artist Fellowship (COLA 2012), The California Community Foundation Artist Fellowship (2012), the Instituto Sacatar Artist Residency in Salvador, Brazil (2013), the McColl Center for Art + Innovation Residency in 2016 and the Loghaven Artist Residency (2021). He was a visiting professor at the California Institute of the Arts in 2013 , and was artist-in-residence at California State University, Los Angeles in 2016. He currently teaches at Los Angeles City College.
In this episode, Eric speaks with art and culture nonprofit consultant Charmaine Jefferson who talks about how her passion for the arts came about; from training in ballet and tap dancas a child and always having been surrounded by art — her uncle renowned artist John Riddle, her brother who is an artist and her aunt who had an artistic inclination. She talks about her days as a professional dancer, her experience as an African American and the challenges she faced during the “Black is Beautiful Era”, her education in Dance, followed by law school — which paved the way for her prolific career in Arts Administration and engaging with various institutions; museums, dance companies, performing houses, botanical gardens, science centers, including capital renovation, construction projects and board service, arranging charitable and public art programs… to eventually becoming the Executive Director of the California African American Museum. They discuss her late uncle John Riddle and his iconic works, being related to Carter G. Woodson, the founder of Negro History Week and coming from a family of war protestors; that would engage in political debates and the importance of researching and documenting one's family tree. And her most recent venture her consulting firm Kélan Resources that enables her to consult with a variety of organizations; International Associations of Blacks and Dance, museums and historic houses around the country. For more visit: www.ericsperspective.comGuest Bio: Native Angelino; Charmaine is an arts and culture advocate and administrator. She serves nonprofits through Kélan Resources, her cause driven consulting firm dedicated to integrating art, history, culture, business and diversity into the DNA of education, community, philanthropy, and public and private collaborations. As an active volunteer, she recently completed 8 years as a gubernatorial appointee on the California Arts Council, and as a Director on the Board of Arts for LA. She continues to serve as a college trustee and academic committee chair for the California Institute of the Arts, as a mayoral appointee and vice chair of the City of Los Angeles' Cultural Affairs Commission, on the African American Advisory Council for PBS SoCal, on the Advisory Board of Children Mending Hearts and on the Advisory Committee for the Los Angeles County Cultural Affairs Commission's “Cultural Equity and Inclusion Initiative.” Charmaine received her B.A. in Dance from the University of California, Los Angeles; M.A. in Dance Education from New York University and J.D. from Georgetown University Law School. About Eric's Perspective: A podcast series on African American art with Eric Hanks. Eric Hanks — African American art specialist, owner of the renowned M. Hanks Gallery and commissioner on the Los Angeles County Arts Commission; offers his perspective on African American art through in-depth conversations with fellow art enthusiasts where they discuss the past, present & future of African American art.For more, visit www.ericsperspective.comSUBSCRIBE: http://bit.ly/2vVJkDnLISTEN ON: Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/2B6wB3USpotify: https://spoti.fi/3j6QRmWGoogle Podcasts: https://bit.ly/3fNNgrYiHeartRadio: https://ihr.fm/2KtYGXv Pandora: https://pdora.co/38pFWAmConnect with us: Visit Eric's Perspective website: https://bit.ly/2ZQ41x1Facebook: https://bit.ly/3jq5fXPInstagram: https://bit.ly/39jFZxGTwitter: https://bit.ly/2OMRx33www.mhanksgallery.com
In this episode, Eric speaks with celebrated artist Gustave Blache III who talks about his journey as an artist; his education, working with gallerists and establishing his unique style of painting -- combining traditional painting methods of portraiture with journalism in a brand of art which he affectionately terms, Visual Journalism: series of paintings that documents the lives of and highlights the process and unique labors of everyday society from mop makers to prison entertainment... the process of discovering and the challenges of gaining access these unique stories and occupations... and how he develops a relationship of trust with his subjects. He discusses some of his most notable work; including the Leah Chase series that documented national culinary star chef in the kitchen and the dining room in one of New Orleans' most famous restaurants, Dooky Chase Restaurant and his most recent project "Rodeo Lifers". Gustave discusses the establishment of the Gustave Blache Art Scholarship with The School of Visual Arts and the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities; and Blache's commitment to community and education.For more visit: www.ericsperspective.comGuest Bio: Gustave Blache III is an American figurative artist from New Orleans, Louisiana, currently residing in Brooklyn, New York. He is best known for his works in series that highlight the process and unique labors of everyday society. Blache is largely credited for combining traditional painting methods of portraiture with journalism in a brand of art which he affectionately terms, Visual Journalism. His documentary style format uses a series of paintings, dedicated to one subject, to tell the story of an overlooked individual or process. Labor is usually at the center of Blache's series' and depiction of laborers including The Curtain Cleaners, The Mop Makers, Leah Chase: Paintings by Gustave Blache III, and Simon Parkes Art Conservation (SPAC). From April 24, 2012 to September 16, 2012, the New Orleans Museum of Art exhibited Blache's most notable series up to date, Leah Chase: Paintings by Gustave Blache III. The exhibition documented national culinary star chef Leah Chase in the kitchen and the dining room in one of New Orleans' most famous restaurants, Dooky Chase Restaurant. In 2018 Gustave established the Gustave Blache Art Scholarship with The School of Visual Arts and the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities. The scholarship covers half the tuition for two students from Louisiana chosen to attend the School of Visual Arts in New York City. The scholarship is an extension of a Blache's commitment to community and education.Eric's Perspective : A podcast series on African American art with Eric HanksSUBSCRIBE: http://bit.ly/2vVJkDn
In this episode, Eric speaks with renowned actress, collector, activist and art patron CCH Pounder; who talks about her passion of the arts and opens up about the dilemma she once faced about as a young girl -- on whether to pursue acting or become a visual artist. Although she decided to pursue acting, she speaks about her long time commitment to art and artists.. collecting artwork of artists from Africa and the African diaspora and the wonderful journey of establishing the first contemporary art museum in Dakar, Senegal with her late husband a native of Senegal, with the intention of showing Mother Africa what her children had been up to.. which the couple ended up donated the museum and its collections to the country. She discusses what she calls the "collectors story", the importance of having a direction and focus when collecting and the role she plays as an art detective; taking the time to research each artist and piece before acquiring an artwork. For more visit: www.ericsperspective.comGuest Bio: Guyanese–American actress Carol Christine Hilaria Pounder was born on December 25, 1952, in Georgetown, British Guiana (now Guyana). She was educated in England, and in 1970, at age 18, she moved to the United States, where she attended Ithaca College. She has appeared in numerous plays, films, television shows, and miniseries including the medical drama series ER, the FX police drama series The Shield, Sons of Anarchy and NCIS: New Orleans. All That Jazz (1979), Face/Off (1997), Orphan (2009), Avatar (2009) and Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019).When the cameras aren't rolling, Pounder plays active roles in the art world, as a patron, collector, former gallery owner. Pounder (whose collection in total includes about 500 pieces of art) and her late husband of 26 years, anthropologist Boubacar Kone had an art gallery in Los Angeles called the Pounder-Kone Art Space. Over the years, as they were buying pieces with the museum in mind, Pounder said their focus was on collecting work by African artists and artists from the African diaspora. "The idea was that we were looking to bring back the seeds from where they had spread," she said. "That way Africans could see what other people were doing in the world and see their influences.” In 1993, Pounder and her husband, a native of Senegal, founded and built the Musee Boribana, the first contemporary art museum in Dakar. In 2014, after a chance of meeting with the president of Xavier, Pounder easily convinced Dr. C. Reynold Verret to share his university walls with her and the couple donated the museum and its collections to the country.As one of the founders of Artists for a New South Africa, Pounder has energized awareness of post-apartheid and HIV/AIDS issues. In an interview, she said about the pandemic: "...We use actors and artists with the biggest voices so they can use every opportunity to talk about AIDS."
In this episode, Eric speaks with esteemed scholar and writer Dr. Halima Taha. She shares her experience of how she first came into contact with the arts, her experience as co-owner of the Onyx Art Gallery, the first gallery in Gramercy Park to sell abstract art by African American artists New York City, combating the historic limitations and stereotypes that have been projected on artists of African descent… to her journey of getting her book published, paving the way for creating a market for African American art and her perspective on the recent boom and interest in African American art. For more visit: www.ericsperspective.comGuest Bio: Halima Taha is recognized throughout the United States as a leading authority on collecting African American art and arts management. For more than twenty years, she continues to contribute to the field as an appraiser, art advisor, educator and speaker. Author of best selling book, “Collecting African American Art: Works on Paper and Canvas” (1998, 2005) the first book to validate collecting African American fine art and photography as an asset and commodity in the marketplace and “Three Decades of American Printmaking: the Brandywine Collection”. The success of this publication also inspired the National Gallery of Art to create a Collecting African American Art Symposium and was a catalyst for major museums worldwide to pursue collections of African American art to exhibit, catalogue and travel. In addition it provided solid market criteria for publishers to print more monographs about African American artists and collections independents of museum shows, which had not previously been the norm. Currently — Taha has a professional arts and education service company in art advisory, appraisal, collection management and curatorial services for more than 25 years. Corporate, academic and civic lectures include; Collecting, Protecting and Appraising Fine Art, Building Bridges between Art School and the Art World, Corporate Collection Strategies & Ethics, Intellectual Property & Diversity in Art. About Eric's Perspective: A podcast series on African American art with Eric Hanks. Eric Hanks — African American art specialist, owner of the renowned M. Hanks Gallery and commissioner on the Los Angeles County Arts Commission; offers his perspective on African American art through in-depth conversations with fellow art enthusiasts where they discuss the past, present & future of African American art.For more on Eric's Perspective, visit www.ericsperspective.com#ERICSPERSPECTIVE #AFRICANAMERICAN #ARTSUBSCRIBE: http://bit.ly/2vVJkDnLISTEN ON: Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/2B6wB3USpotify: https://spoti.fi/3j6QRmWGoogle Podcasts: https://bit.ly/3fNNgrYiHeartRadio: https://ihr.fm/2KtYGXv Pandora: https://pdora.co/38pFWAmConnect with us ONLINE: Visit Eric's Perspective website: https://bit.ly/2ZQ41x1Facebook: https://bit.ly/3jq5fXPInstagram: https://bit.ly/39jFZxGTwitter: https://bit.ly/2OMRx33www.mhanksgallery.comAbout Eric Hanks: African American art specialist, owner of the renowned M. Hanks Gallery and commissioner on the Los Angeles County Arts Commission… was one of the leading representatives of Black artists through his Santa Monica gallery, M. Hanks Gallery, founded in 1988. By selling their works nationally, contributing to museum collections, and publishing catalogs, Hanks has helped create an audience and market for these artists. Hanks is currently a commissioner on the Los Angeles County Arts Commission.
In this episode, Eric sits down with the talented and celebrated June Edmonds who describes her journey of becoming an artist... from deciding to pursue art, majoring in art at college, to furthering her studies under the mentorship of esteemed artists, to eventually developing her own unique style and exhibiting her work at renowned galleries and art fairs around the world. For more visit: www.ericsperspective.comGuest Bio: June Edmonds uses abstract painting to explore how color, repetition, movement, and balance can serve as conduits to spiritual contemplation and interpersonal connection to her African-American roots. Exploring the psychological construct of skin color or tone through pattern and abstract painting has proven to be a revealing gesture and these ideas are explored in her two ongoing series: the Energy Wheel Paintings inspired by her meditation practice and her Flag Paintings, which explore the alignment of multiple identities such as race, nationality, gender, or political leanings.June Edmonds was born 1959 in Los Angeles, where she lives and works. Edmonds received her MFA from Tyler School of Art, Philadelphia, and a bachelor’s degree from San Diego State University. She also attended Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture and is the recipient of the inaugural 2020 AWARE Prize, presented by the French non-profit Archive of Women Artists Research and Exhibitions; a 2018 City of Los Angeles Individual Artist Grant (COLA) and Exhibition at the Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery; a California Arts Council Individual Artist Grant. Edmonds has exhibited at the California African American Museum, the Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery, Luckman Fine Art Gallery at CalState Los Angeles, Watts Tower Art Center in Los Angeles, CA; Angels Gate Art Center in San Pedro, CA; and the Manhattan Beach Art Center in Manhattan Beach, CA. Edmonds has completed several works of public art with the city of Los Angeles and the Department of Cultural Affairs, including an installation at the MTA Pacific Station in Long Beach, CA. Her paintings are held in collections throughout the United States including the California African American Museum, Los Angeles; Mead Art Museum, Amhurst College, Amhurst, MA; as well as Rodney M. Miller Collection, New York, NY; Michael Rubel Collection, Los Angeles, CA and Andrew Forsyth Collection, Palm Beach, FL among others. About Eric's Perspective: A podcast series on African American art with Eric HanksEric Hanks — African American art specialist, owner of the renowned M. Hanks Gallery and commissioner on the Los Angeles County Arts Commission; offers his perspective on African American art through in-depth conversations with fellow art enthusiasts where they discuss the past, present & future of African American art.For more on Eric's Perspective, visit www.ericsperspective.com#ERICSPERSPECTIVE #AFRICANAMERICAN #ARTSUBSCRIBE: http://bit.ly/2vVJkDnLISTEN ON: APPLE PODCASTS: https://apple.co/3hlR0RQSPOTIFY: https://spoti.fi/3fTsB5YGOOGLE PODCASTS: https://bit.ly/3fNNgrYConnect with us ONLINE: Visit ERIC'S PERSPECTIVE WEBSITE: https://bit.ly/2ZQ41x1FACEBOOK: https://bit.ly/3jq5fXPINSTAGRAM: https://bit.ly/39jFZxGTWITTER: https://bit.ly/2OMRx33www.mhanksgallery.comAbout Eric Hanks: African American art specialist, owner of the renowned M. Hanks Gallery and commissioner on the Los Angeles County Arts Commission… was one of the leading representatives of Black artists through his Santa Monica gallery, M. Hanks Gallery, founded in 1988. By selling their works nationally, contributing to museum collections, and publishing catalogs, Hanks has helped create an audience and market for these artists. Hanks is currently a commissioner on the Los Angeles County Arts Commission.
In this episode, Eric sits down with the lovely Evelia Jones, direct descendant of Sally Hemings; intimate companion of Thomas Jefferson for nearly four decades with whom he had six children. They discuss her experience as a child growing up in the South, her exposure to art and performance as a young girl, her Father -- the late, talented but somewhat unsung hero; artist Lawrence A. Jones, the road he paved in the world of African American art and role he played in the community... They discuss her life as an Arts Educator and her mission to promote her Father's creative legacy. For more visit: www.ericsperspective.comGuest Bio: Evelia Jones is a direct descendant of Sally Hemings and Thomas Jefferson. Before retiring she was a teacher in the Los Angeles public schools for 34 years; following in her parents' footsteps, teaching art in underserved communities. Jones wrote an Op-Ed piece with historian Harvey Wasserman for the Los Angeles Times in 2019 entitled “It’s time to recognize Sally Hemings as a first lady of the United States”. About Eric's Perspective: A podcast series on African American art with Eric HanksEric Hanks — African American art specialist, owner of the renowned M. Hanks Gallery and commissioner on the Los Angeles County Arts Commission; offers his perspective on African American art through in-depth conversations with fellow art enthusiasts where they discuss the past, present & future of African American art.For more on Eric's Perspective, visit www.ericsperspective.com #ERICSPERSPECTIVE #AFRICANAMERICAN #ART SUBSCRIBE: http://bit.ly/2vVJkDn LISTEN ON: APPLE PODCASTS: https://apple.co/3hlR0RQ SPOTIFY: https://spoti.fi/3fTsB5Y GOOGLE PODCASTS: https://bit.ly/3fNNgrY Connect with us ONLINE: Visit ERIC'S PERSPECTIVE WEBSITE: https://bit.ly/2ZQ41x1 Like ERIC'S PERSPECTIVE on FACEBOOK: https://bit.ly/3jq5fXP Follow ERIC'S PERSPECTIVE on INSTAGRAM: https://bit.ly/39jFZxG Follow ERIC'S PERSPECTIVE on TWITTER: https://bit.ly/2OMRx33 www.mhanksgallery.com About Eric Hanks:African American art specialist, owner of the renowned M. Hanks Gallery and commissioner on the Los Angeles County Arts Commission… was one of the leading representatives of Black artists through his Santa Monica gallery, M. Hanks Gallery, founded in 1988. By selling their works nationally, contributing to museum collections, and publishing catalogs, Hanks has helped create an audience and market for these artists. Hanks is currently a commissioner on the Los Angeles County Arts Commission.
In this episode, Eric sits down with his lovely wife Kelly Vlahakis-Hanks at their residence where they discuss her great love of African American art... how being of African descent lead her to study African American art to help her connect with her history and heritage and how art enriches her life and work environment. They discuss the power of art as a weapon to tell a story beyond the history text books and make the world a better place. For more visit: www.ericsperspective.comGuest Bio: Kelly Vlahakis-Hanks is the President and CEO of Earth Friendly Products®, maker of ECOS® Laundry Detergent and over 200 other environmentally friendly products that are safer for people, pets and the planet. Made with plant-powered ingredients, ECOS® cleaners are thoughtfully sourced, pH balanced, readily biodegradable, easily recyclable, and never tested on animals.Kelly has been recognized for her highly effective leadership and influential voice in the green movement and in corporate social responsibility. She is outspoken in her commitment to sustainability in her products, her facilities, and her employment practices. Under Kelly’s leadership, Earth Friendly Products achieved carbon neutrality at all four of its manufacturing facilities in 2013 through a series of major sustainability initiatives, including the switch to 100% renewable electricity. She has been instrumental in making Earth Friendly Products a model for green business practices and a leader in the green cleaning products market.About Eric's Perspective: A podcast series on African American art with Eric HanksEric Hanks — African American art specialist, owner of the renowned M. Hanks Gallery and commissioner on the Los Angeles County Arts Commission; offers his perspective on African American art through in-depth conversations with fellow art enthusiasts where they discuss the past, present & future of African American art.For more on Eric's Perspective, visit www.ericsperspective.com #ERICSPERSPECTIVE #AFRICANAMERICAN #ART SUBSCRIBE: http://bit.ly/2vVJkDn LISTEN ON: APPLE PODCASTS: https://apple.co/3hlR0RQ SPOTIFY: https://spoti.fi/3fTsB5Y GOOGLE PODCASTS: https://bit.ly/3fNNgrY Connect with us ONLINE: Visit ERIC'S PERSPECTIVE WEBSITE: https://bit.ly/2ZQ41x1 Like ERIC'S PERSPECTIVE on FACEBOOK: https://bit.ly/3jq5fXP Follow ERIC'S PERSPECTIVE on INSTAGRAM: https://bit.ly/39jFZxG Follow ERIC'S PERSPECTIVE on TWITTER: https://bit.ly/2OMRx33 www.mhanksgallery.com About Eric Hanks:African American art specialist, owner of the renowned M. Hanks Gallery and commissioner on the Los Angeles County Arts Commission… was one of the leading representatives of Black artists through his Santa Monica gallery, M. Hanks Gallery, founded in 1988. By selling their works nationally, contributing to museum collections, and publishing catalogs, Hanks has helped create an audience and market for these artists. Hanks is currently a commissioner on the Los Angeles County Arts Commission.
In this episode, Berlinda Fontenont-Jamerson (now former) President of the Museum of African American Art describes how she transitioned from a successful career in corporate America, to becoming a leading figure in sharing African American stories and uplifting communities through the power of art and economic development. For more visit: www.ericsperspective.comGuest Bio: Born in raised in Los Angeles, Berlinda Fontenont-Jamerson is the President of the Museum of African American Art at Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza. Prior to leading the museum, Fontenot-Jamerson had a long and distinguished corporate career in Human Resources Management and Community Affairs. She championed diversity in the workplace and marketplace of key corporations in Southern California. She is highly regarded as a trailblazer in the field of diversity management. Through her leadership and direction, she and the companies for whom she has worked have received several prestigious awards in the fields of diversity and community relations, including: Sempra Energy, Health Net Corporation, and Disney ABC Television Group. Fontenont-Jamerson has been involved in numerous professional and community-based organizations and has a demonstrated track-record of championing causes that bolster, mentor, and coach minorities, women, and the youth. Berlinda received a Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Psychology and a Master’s degree in Business Administration. About Eric's Perspective: A podcast series on African American art with Eric HanksEric Hanks — African American art specialist, owner of the renowned M. Hanks Gallery and commissioner on the Los Angeles County Arts Commission; offers his perspective on African American art through in-depth conversations with fellow art enthusiasts where they discuss the past, present & future of African American art. #ERICSPERSPECTIVE #AFRICANAMERICAN #ART SUBSCRIBE: http://bit.ly/2vVJkDn LISTEN ON: APPLE PODCASTS: https://apple.co/3hlR0RQ SPOTIFY: https://spoti.fi/3fTsB5Y GOOGLE PODCASTS: https://bit.ly/3fNNgrY Connect with us ONLINE: Visit ERIC'S PERSPECTIVE WEBSITE: https://bit.ly/2ZQ41x1 Like ERIC'S PERSPECTIVE on FACEBOOK: https://bit.ly/3jq5fXP Follow ERIC'S PERSPECTIVE on INSTAGRAM: https://bit.ly/39jFZxG Follow ERIC'S PERSPECTIVE on TWITTER: https://bit.ly/2OMRx33 www.mhanksgallery.com About Eric Hanks:African American art specialist, owner of the renowned M. Hanks Gallery and commissioner on the Los Angeles County Arts Commission… was one of the leading representatives of Black artists through his Santa Monica gallery, M. Hanks Gallery, founded in 1988. By selling their works nationally, contributing to museum collections, and publishing catalogs, Hanks has helped create an audience and market for these artists. Hanks is currently a commissioner on the Los Angeles County Arts Commission.
In this episode, LA native George Evans describes his lifelong relationship with art; having being raised in an artistic home, to receiving mentorship from renowned African American artists and how his art has continued to evolve throughout the years.For more visit: www.ericsperspective.comGuest Bio: George was born in Watts and grew up on 89th Street in an artistic family thatnurtured a love of art, books, music and nature. His brother is a jazz musician and one of his sisters, Wanda Coleman, was a renowned LA poet. According to Evans, there were two important opportunities that informed his career: art classes in Watts after the rebellion in 1965 and a gift of LACMA membership from his mother. Evans has served nearly 2 decades as a professor of Graphic Design at Los Angeles Trade-Technical College. His artworks are reflective of his academic training from Chouinard Art Institute (CalArts) and apprenticeship with the late renowned watercolorist William Pajaud. The trajectory of his practice spans fifty years with artworks proficiently executed in the media of watercolors, acrylics, pencil, photography, and digital. Through the application of these various media, Evans explores the absence of boundaries to develop and reconstruct his concepts about figure and form.www.georgeevans.site About Eric's Perspective: A podcast series on African American art with Eric Hanks Eric Hanks — African American art specialist, owner of the renowned M. Hanks Gallery and commissioner on the Los Angeles County Arts Commission; offers his perspective on African American art through in-depth conversations with fellow art enthusiasts where they discuss the past, present & future of African American art. For more on Eric's Perspective, visit www.ericsperspective.com #ERICSPERSPECTIVE #AFRICANAMERICAN #ART SUBSCRIBE: http://bit.ly/2vVJkDn LISTEN ON: APPLE PODCASTS: https://apple.co/3hlR0RQ SPOTIFY: https://spoti.fi/3fTsB5Y GOOGLE PODCASTS: https://bit.ly/3fNNgrY Connect with us ONLINE: Visit ERIC'S PERSPECTIVE WEBSITE: https://bit.ly/2ZQ41x1 Like ERIC'S PERSPECTIVE on FACEBOOK: https://bit.ly/3jq5fXP Follow ERIC'S PERSPECTIVE on INSTAGRAM: https://bit.ly/39jFZxG Follow ERIC'S PERSPECTIVE on TWITTER: https://bit.ly/2OMRx33 www.mhanksgallery.com About Eric Hanks:African American art specialist, owner of the renowned M. Hanks Gallery and commissioner on the Los Angeles County Arts Commission… was one of the leading representatives of Black artists through his Santa Monica gallery, M. Hanks Gallery, founded in 1988. By selling their works nationally, contributing to museum collections, and publishing catalogs, Hanks has helped create an audience and market for these artists. Hanks is currently a commissioner on the Los Angeles County Arts Commission.
In this episode bestselling author Terry McMillan opens up about her early days as an up-and coming author to ultimately achieving great success.. what art means to her and how her relationship with art has evolved over the years. For more visit: www.ericsperspective.comGuest Bio: Terry McMillan is an American novelist. Born and raised in Port Huron, Michigan., she discovered her love of literature while shelving books at the local library. She burst on to the literary scene in 1987 with her wildly acclaimed New York Times bestseller Mama, which won the Doubleday New Voices in Fiction award in 1986 and an American Book Award from the Before Columbus Foundation in 1987. Terry’s signature humor, wisdom, and warmth made Waiting to Exhale, A Day Late and A Dollar Short, The Interruption of Everything, How Stella Got Her Groove Back, Getting to Happy, Disappearing Acts and Who Asked You? all New York Times Best Sellers. Waiting to Exhale and How Stella Got Her Groove Back were made into award winning major motion pictures that proved huge at the box office, and Disappearing Acts and A Day Late and A Dollar Short were adapted into successful made-for-TV movies. Terry was awarded an Essence Lifetime Achievement Award in 2008. Beloved by her fans, Terry’s books have sold millions of copies worldwide. She is known to have contributed to a shift in Black popular cultural consciousness and the visibility of a female Black middle-class identity in popular culture.www.terrymcmillan.com About Eric's Perspective: A podcast series on African American art with Eric Hanks Eric Hanks — African American art specialist, owner of the renowned M. Hanks Gallery and commissioner on the Los Angeles County Arts Commission; offers his perspective on African American art through in-depth conversations with fellow art enthusiasts where they discuss the past, present & future of African American art. For more on Eric's Perspective, visit www.ericsperspective.com #ERICSPERSPECTIVE #AFRICANAMERICAN #ART SUBSCRIBE: http://bit.ly/2vVJkDn LISTEN ON: APPLE PODCASTS: https://apple.co/3hlR0RQ SPOTIFY: https://spoti.fi/3fTsB5Y GOOGLE PODCASTS: https://bit.ly/3fNNgrY Connect with us ONLINE: Visit ERIC'S PERSPECTIVE WEBSITE: https://bit.ly/2ZQ41x1 Like ERIC'S PERSPECTIVE on FACEBOOK: https://bit.ly/3jq5fXP Follow ERIC'S PERSPECTIVE on INSTAGRAM: https://bit.ly/39jFZxG Follow ERIC'S PERSPECTIVE on TWITTER: https://bit.ly/2OMRx33 www.mhanksgallery.com About Eric Hanks:African American art specialist, owner of the renowned M. Hanks Gallery and commissioner on the Los Angeles County Arts Commission… was one of the leading representatives of Black artists through his Santa Monica gallery, M. Hanks Gallery, founded in 1988. By selling their works nationally, contributing to museum collections, and publishing catalogs, Hanks has helped create an audience and market for these artists. Hanks is currently a commissioner on the Los Angeles County Arts Commission.
Eric sits down with professor and longtime civil rights activist Paul Von Blum, who describes his experiences during the civil rights movement and his involvement in helping to pave the way for the recognition of African American art and the establishment of African American studies. For more visit: www.ericsperspective.comGuest Bio: Paul Von Blum is Senior Lecturer in African American Studies and Communication Studies at UCLA. He has taught at the University of California since 1968, serving 11 years at UC Berkeley before arriving at UCLA in 1980. He is the author of six books and numerous articles on art, culture, education, and politics. His most recent book is “A Life at the Margins: Keeping the Political Vision,” his 2011 memoir that chronicles almost 50 years of political activism, starting with his civil rights work in the South and elsewhere in the early 1960s. He is the author of three books on art and society as well as numerous articles on art, politics, culture, education and law including "Resistance Art in Los Angeles," Unmasking L.A.: Third Worlds and the City. "Decades of Dignity: The Art of William Pajaud," The Sights and Sounds of My New Orleans, in conjunction with an art exhibition of the same name at the California African American Museum, Los Angeles, curated by Samella Lewis, "Not as Strange as it Seems: Bioethics and Art," Bioethics: Thresholds of Corporeal Completeness, in conjunction with an art exhibit of the same name at Side Street Projects, Santa Monica, California, Side Street Press. His book "Resistance, Dignity and Pride: African American art in Los Angeles" was published by the UCLA Center for African American Studies.About Eric's Perspective: A podcast series on African American art with Eric HanksEric Hanks — African American art specialist, owner of the renowned M. Hanks Gallery and commissioner on the Los Angeles County Arts Commission; offers his perspective on African American art through in-depth conversations with fellow art enthusiasts where they discuss the past, present & future of African American art.For more on Eric's Perspective, visit www.ericsperspective.com#ERICSPERSPECTIVE #AFRICANAMERICAN #ARTSUBSCRIBE: http://bit.ly/2vVJkDnLISTEN ON: APPLE PODCASTS: https://apple.co/3hlR0RQSPOTIFY: https://spoti.fi/3fTsB5YGOOGLE PODCASTS: https://bit.ly/3fNNgrYConnect with us ONLINE: Visit ERIC'S PERSPECTIVE WEBSITE: https://bit.ly/2ZQ41x1Like ERIC'S PERSPECTIVE on FACEBOOK: https://bit.ly/3jq5fXPFollow ERIC'S PERSPECTIVE on INSTAGRAM: https://bit.ly/39jFZxGFollow ERIC'S PERSPECTIVE on TWITTER: https://bit.ly/2OMRx33www.mhanksgallery.comAbout Eric Hanks:African American art specialist, owner of the renowned M. Hanks Gallery and commissioner on the Los Angeles County Arts Commission… was one of the leading representatives of Black artists through his Santa Monica gallery, M. Hanks Gallery, founded in 1988. By selling their works nationally, contributing to museum collections, and publishing catalogs, Hanks has helped create an audience and market for these artists. Hanks is currently a commissioner on the Los Angeles County Arts Commission.
In this episode, Eric sits down with art collector and patron of African American art; Dr. Joy Simmons who describes her journey of discovering art at a young age while in Medical school. They explore her passion for collecting and supporting African-American artists.Guest Bio: A radiologist at Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Medical Center for 37 years, Joy masterfully juggles her passion for patients with her love of art. She has been an avid collector of contemporary African-American art for three decades. A committed supporter of AfricanAmerican artists, she is a passionate advocate of arts patronage and civic engagement. In addition to serving on boards for Santa Monica Museum of Art (SMMoA), Stanford University, and The Mistake Room, her extensive and growing collection has been featured in exhibitions around the world from the Tate Modern in London to California African American Museum in Los Angeles. Furthermore, her eye for spotting talent has earned her recognition in NY Magazine's The Cut, W Magazine, Ebony Magazine, and The Wall Street Journal. Whether traveling to Cuba, Berlin or Harlem to visit artists’ studios and art biennials, Joy is deeply committed to supporting the work of both established and emerging African-American artists. Joy is currently working as the Senior Art and Exhibition Advisor for Destination Crenshaw.About Eric's Perspective: A podcast series on African American art with Eric HanksEric Hanks — African American art specialist, owner of the renowned M. Hanks Gallery and commissioner on the Los Angeles County Arts Commission; offers his perspective on African American art through in-depth conversations with fellow art enthusiasts where they discuss the past, present & future of African American art.For more on Eric's Perspective, visit www.ericsperspective.com
In this episode, Eric sits down with renowned artist and longtime friend Phoebe Beasley, for an intimate conversation about her art and what drives her to create. They discuss her journey… from an aspiring young artist to gaining recognition as a celebrated American artist. For more visit: www.ericsperspective.comAbout the Artist Phoebe Beasley (born June 3, 1943) in Cleveland, Ohio. Beasley is the only artist whose art has been awarded the Presidential Seal under two different U.S. Presidents - George H. W. Bush, and Bill Clinton. Beasley was the first African-American woman to become president of the Los Angeles County Arts Commission. She was the official artist of the 1987 and 2000 Los Angeles Marathons. Specializing in oils-on-canvas, as well as prints and collages. Beasley's collage artwork was part of two major touring museum exhibitions, including a 2003 group show mounted by the Smithsonian Institution entitled In the Spirit of Martin , honoring the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and a museum show entitled Portraying Lincoln: Man of Many Faces in 2008. Beasley’s works are also featured in the homes of Oprah Winfrey, Anita Baker, Dr. William Burke and Los Angeles County Supervisor Yvonne Brathwaite Burke, Dr. Maya Angelou, LaTanya Richardson and Samuel L. Jackson, Tavis Smiley, Byron Allen, Grant Hill, Marla Gibbs, Roger Penske and Tyler Perry.www.phoebebeasley.comAbout Eric's Perspective: A podcast series on African American art with Eric HanksEric Hanks — African American art specialist, owner of the renowned M. Hanks Gallery and commissioner on the Los Angeles County Arts Commission; offers his perspective on African American art through in-depth conversations with fellow art enthusiasts where they discuss the past, present & future of African American art.For more on Eric's Perspective, visit www.ericsperspective.com#ERICSPERSPECTIVE #AFRICANAMERICAN #ARTSUBSCRIBE: http://bit.ly/2vVJkDnLISTEN ON: APPLE PODCASTS: https://apple.co/3hlR0RQSPOTIFY: https://spoti.fi/3fTsB5YGOOGLE PODCASTS: https://bit.ly/3fNNgrYConnect with us ONLINE: Visit ERIC'S PERSPECTIVE WEBSITE: https://bit.ly/2ZQ41x1Like ERIC'S PERSPECTIVE on FACEBOOK: https://bit.ly/3jq5fXPFollow ERIC'S PERSPECTIVE on INSTAGRAM: https://bit.ly/39jFZxGFollow ERIC'S PERSPECTIVE on TWITTER: https://bit.ly/2OMRx33www.mhanksgallery.comAbout Eric Hanks:African American art specialist, owner of the renowned M. Hanks Gallery and commissioner on the Los Angeles County Arts Commission… was one of the leading representatives of Black artists through his Santa Monica gallery, M. Hanks Gallery, founded in 1988. By selling their works nationally, contributing to museum collections, and publishing catalogs, Hanks has helped create an audience and market for these artists. Hanks is currently a commissioner on the Los Angeles County Arts Commission.
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