| by Yasmine Regester Carolina Peacemaker In 1991, nine local artists opened an African American art gallery in downtown Greensboro. 20 years later, it is still going strong. The African American Atelier, located in the Greensboro Cultural Center, is celebrating its 20th Anniversary, “The Dream, The Vision, The Reality: Celebrating Two Decades of the African American Atelier” on January 15, at 6:30 p.m. with a gala and a Founding Members exhibit at the atelier. The Founding Members Invitational Exhibition will showcase art submitted by the founding members and invited artists. According to Atelier curator, Alma Adams, 43 artists have been invited to submit art for the celebration exhibit, which will run from January 15 – February 25. The celebration will also serve as the venue for the atelier to announce its new fundraising and membership drive efforts to raise $50,000 in nine months. “The arts have taken a hard economic hit. When you look at the arts and its economic impact, a lot of people still look at art as a luxury, not a necessity,” said Adams. The gallery was opened on January 13, 1991 by Adams, the late Eva Hamlin-Miller and seven other local artists and community members. Included among the founding board of directors were: Vandorn Hinnant, James C. McMillan, Floyd Newkirk, Candice Ray, John Rogers, Henry Sumpter, and PaulaYoung. The gallery opened to the public on January 13, 1991 in an 800 square foot space in the Greensboro Cultural Center. After 13 years, the gallery was moved to a larger space in the same facility. The current space the atelier occupies was formerly known as the Mattie Reid African Heritage Center, which was a part of N.C. A&T. Eleven months after it’s opening, the atelier lost one of its co-founders, Miller. “Eva Miller was my mentor and teacher at N.C. A&T. We got together in 1990 with the idea of opening the African American Atelier in this cultural center. Its because of all that I was able to absorb from her that I have felt a dedication to what this gallery does,” said Adams. Miller was quoted in the May 27, 1989 edition of the Carolina Peacemaker commenting on African American art, saying that she, “believes that the art of a people should be preserved by that people, for that people.” Adams, who is also an art professor at Bennett College, says that 20 years ago she never would have thought the atelier would be what it is today. “I think this has filled a void in this community,” said Adams. When Adams first toured the building in 1990 as a Greensboro City Council member, she said she inquired about the African American art presence because she saw none. “When Eva Miller and I first came up with the idea for the gallery, we felt that there needed to be more visibility and more exposure given to African American artists. Majority of other galleries around the state do showcase African American art, but in a seasonal way. Our mission is to promote the work of African American artists and to support other ethnic artists and work in harmony with them.” The Atelier’s longest running program is the Youth Program, which has been operating for 18 years. As the longest running visual arts youth program in the community, it began as a summer program and has since expanded to Saturday Enrichment Workshops and it promotes visual arts in the schools. “We wanted them (youths) to use the arts as a way to enhance themselves, learn about their culture, and to appreciate the arts more. I believe we have been very successful in doing so,” said Adams. She added, “This gallery was just something we wanted to do and we didn’t have a time frame for how long we would exist but I think the more you do it, the more you see how you touch people.” Special guest speaker for the Birthday Celebration and Exhibition opening will be Linda Carlisle, Secretary of the Department of Cultural Resources in Raleigh, N.C. The 20th Anniversary Honorary Chairs are Drs. Gerald and Althea Truesdale and Senator Don Vaughan and Mayor Pro Tem Nancy Vaughan. The Birthday Gala and Exhibition will feature live music and hors d’oeuvres. The event is free and open to the public. For more information contact the African American Atelier at (336) 333-6885. |
African American Atelier Celebrates 20 Years
