"LUNCH WITH A LEGACY" SERIES PRESENTS DR. ALVIA WARDLAW AT THE AFRICAN AMERICAN LIBRARY AT THE GREGORY SCHOOL




Houston Public Library’s African American Library at the Gregory School is honored to present Dr. Alvia Wardlaw, Director of the University Museum at Texas Southern University as guest speaker for its “Lunch with a Legacy” series, as part of “The Whole World Was Watching” Library program.


The community is invited to hear Dr. Wardlaw’s discusses her experiences of confronting racism as a student on the campus of Wellesley College in Massachusetts and how she became one of the founders of Ethos, a black student organization at the college.


This program is free and open to the public.


WHEN: Saturday, April 16, 2011 at 12 Noon


WHERE: The Houston Public Library African American Library at the Gregory School, 1300 Victor Street, 77019, in Freedmen’s Town, Fourth Ward, 832-393-1440.


About Dr. Alvia Wardlaw


Dr. Wardlaw grew up in Houston’s historic Third Ward neighborhood. She graduated from Jack Yates High School and went on to attend Wellesley College. In 1969, she earned a B.A. in art history. In 1989, Dr. Wardlaw was recognized as one of the leading African-American art historians in the country when she was co-curator with Barry Gaither and Dr. Regena Perry of the watershed exhibition “Black Art Ancestral Legacy: The African Impulse in African American Art” for the Dallas Museum of Art, Dallas, Texas. The catalogue for this exhibition has become widely used in the art curriculums of colleges and universities in the United States. In 1995, Dr. Wardlaw organized “The Art of John Biggers: View from the Upper Room” for the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, which traveled nationally to seven venues. In 1996, she became the first African American to receive a Ph.D. in art history from the University of Texas at Austin. Her dissertation focused on the art of John Biggers. “The Quilts of Gee’s Bend,” a collection of quilts by outstanding quilters from Alabama, an exhibit she coordinated traveled to 11 cities across the country from 2002-2006. Reviewers described the exhibit as “landmark” and “highly acclaimed” and it broke attendance records at major museums.



The list of honors and awards bestowed on Dr. Wardlaw include: Texas Southern University Research Scholar of the Year, 2009, African American Living Legend: African American News and Issues, 2008, Ethos Founders Award, Wellesley College, 2008, International Association of Art Critics Award for The Quilts of Gee’s Bend, 2003, Fulbright Award for study in East Africa, 1997, Texas Women’s Hall of Fame, 1994, The Margaret Hawkins National Arts Award, The Links, Inc., 1992, Best Exhibition of 1990 Black Art Ancestral Legacy, D. Magazine, Dallas, 1990, and Fulbright Fellow, West Africa: Liberia, Sierra Leone and Senegal, 1984.Currently, Dr. Wardlaw is an Associate Professor of Art History at Texas Southern University and Director/Curator of the University Museum at Texas Southern University.


Divine Nine, Saturday, April 30th at 9pm


Celebrate African American History



7th Annual BLACK HISTORY S H O W C A S E

Featuring: Real People * Real Artifacts * Real Stories

Take this journey through history

April 23th & 24th, 2011

Pennsylvania Convention Center Philadelphia, PA, 13th & Arch Streets • 11am - 7pm

All you can eat in an ARTFUL environment


THIS SUNDAY, APRIL 10....Sunday Brunch and Art ....11 to 5 pm Special $8


Art, music, fellowship, network and relax.

Brunch Served NOW ONLY $8 with coupon

Hours 11am - 5pm


VISIT http://www.octobergallery.com/ PRINT OUR PAGE OF THE HOME PAGE BRING TO BRUNCH FOR DISCOUNT.


Coupon Valid April 10, 2011 (only)

For more info call October Gallery 215 629-3939

Host Your Next Event At October Gallery

Wireless available


Panoramic Poetry The October Lounge A seamless blend of art, rhythm, prose and music.



Friday at 7:00pm

6353 Greene Street, Philadelphia, PA 19144

Panoramic Poetry The October Lounge A seamless blend of art, rhythm, prose and music.


Showcasing the area's artists, poets, vocalist and musicians.


Spots are going quickly !!!To get on the list to read at upcoming Panoramic Poetry : http://www.panoramicpoetry.com/


More Info: 215 629-3939


Brentwood Spring Art Show: Decorative, Derivative and Executed by Dilettantes




Navigating the twice-a-year Brentwood “Art” Show is a jovial experience for the most part. Baby strollers compete for space with dogs, but the most dangerous area is always the congregation of cyclists pounding caffeine of one sort or another by Peets.

This year the creative offerings were at best weak–and at worst decorative, derivative and executed by dilettantes.

“Art” (and you will notice the repetition of the sarcastic quotation marks) is a term that is used loosely and inclusively. Craft populates over half the street fair with jewelry, candles and tsochkes of all manner available every 50 feet over the three blocks on the south side of San Vicente from Barrington to Saltair.

There were a couple of glimmers of originality though.

Grant Searcey had a modest booth of paintings that showed a facile use of medium. He’s certainly developed a style and a voice of his own.

Strongly influenced by a graphic novel aesthetic, the paintings of hybrid animals and plants have a wit and charm. Turtles, sea horses and frogs occupy the artist’s iconography. Kudos to the artist as well for not offering countless variations in all manner of digital prints as well.


The style most reminds me of the animation on the music video for Feel Good Inc. by the band Gorillaz. [See video.] There are also overtones of Sam Keith’s artwork done for the comic book called The Maxx in the early nineties. Good stuff.

I was also surprisingly charmed by the artwork of Kicheka Sykes. The paintings predominantly depict African-American women stylized with patterned veils and dresses.

She has a nice ability to define form through the use of silhouette and an attractive palette of colors. She does traffic in reproductions a lot though, which unfortunately lessens the originals on display.

That said, she has a voice that offers a strong and flattering portrait of a community, which diverts any hint of cliché that might creep in. In a world of artists who try to tailor their offerings to what they think people will want, Skyes paints what she wants. This authenticity was on display.


Most heinous award goes Adam Stone Studios with a display of gaudy compositions that is left of velvet painting and just right of dogs playing poker.


EXTENDED HOURS -- THIS SUNDAY, APRIL 3....Sunday Brunch and Art ....11 to 5 pm Special $6



Sunday, April 3 · 10:00am - 5:00pm

6353 Greene Street, Phila, PA 19144


Live Painting Demonstration...Meet the artist ... See their new art work ...


Art, music, fellowship, network and relax.

Brunch Served NOW ONLY $6 with coupon


Hours 11am - 4pm


VISIT http://www.octobergallery.com/ PRINT OUR PAGE OF THE HOME PAGE BRING TO BRUNCH FOR DISCOUNT. Coupon Valid for April 3, 2011 (only)


For more info call October Gallery 215 629-3939


Host Your Next Event At October Gallery

Wireless available