by Eric Kelly III, December 10 – January 31, 2010.

The Lyda Moore Merrick Gallery at Hayti Heritage Center will host the work of Durham native Eric Kelly III, December 10 – January 31, 2010 entitled Obama the 44th President: The Faces of Change. A closing reception and gallery talk and fundraiser will be held January 23, 2010 from 6pm – 11pm. The public is invited to attend.

Eric Kelly III expressionistic style and tradition was significantly, rose to the emergence in 1975 with a series of drawings and paintings of the late 19th century. His style and art was recognized during his heightened emotional state at Hillside High School. One of the earliest examples of his style was exhibited in his first show “The Women of Dreams” series, a pencil series that brought both excitement and notoriety to his unique style of art. Kelly’s work dealt with different fears and emotions that capture his journey and imagination of expressions.

Eric began to explore color and shape and to paint an entire canvas. These works were produced in an extremely specific geographical setting and revealed a specific attitude. His work can be broadly divided into two groups: action painting and color field or hard-edge painting. His significant drawings and painting were done in acrylic and pastel.

When the Hayti Heritage Center opened its doors he was one of the two artists featured in the gallery. As the years have passed he has continued to draw and finally he retired from his advertising agency to draw and paint full time. It is ironic the place where he started drawing is also the place where he will show his most recent pieces of art along with some of the great piece of the past. This year’s show titled Obama, the Face of Change! Presenting portraits of change from historian Carter G. Woodson to Barack Obama, this promises to be a show that is unique and expressive to those who have yet to experience his brand of artwork.

The Hayti Heritage Center is located at 804 Old Fayetteville Street, Durham, NC. Gallery hours are Tuesday – Friday 10am – 5pm, Saturday 10 am – 3pm. For more information  call (919) 683-1709.

Lyda Moore Merrick Gallery @ Hayti Heritage Center Host
“Color Me Blue”: A Contemporary Portrait of Blues Musicians by Jackie Merritt
October 9 – December 6, 2009

St. Joseph’s Historic Foundation, Inc. will host the work of talented visual artist and musician Jackie Merritt in the Lyda Moore Merrick Gallery October 9 through December 6, 2009. Her exhibition “Color Me Blue”: A Contemporary Portrait of Blues Musicians. A series of paintings and drawings portraying blues musicians has travel the southeastern United States and lands here in Durham, the home of the Piedmont Blues.

Portraits of musicians such as Etta James, Elizabeth Cotton, Warner Williams, Odetta, Betty Carter (jazz and blues) Rese Gibbs, Toni Lynn Washington, Mike Baytop, Gaye Adegbalola, Willie Foster, Albert Adams and others will be displayed. A special portrait of the late John Cephas, also a past performer at the Bull Durham Blues Festival will be shown.

Jackie exhibited her first series of the music based blues portraits called “Women of the Blues” at the Chrysler Museum in Norfolk, VA in 2004. Since then, she has shown several of these blues themed exhibits at locations such the Cultural Arts Center Gallery in Smithfield, VA.; The Charles Taylor Art Center in Hampton, VA; The House of Musical Traditions in Takoma Park, MD. And most recently gave a one Woman Exhibit at the Tinner Hill Blues Festival in Alexandria, VA.

Jackie holds a BA, Bachelor of Arts in Education from Norfolk State University and a MA, Masters of Arts in Painting from the University of Wisconsin in Madison. She has taught undergraduate and graduate painting/drawing classes at several universities: Norfolk State University, Elizabeth City State University, Virginia Common Wealth University, University of Wisconsin-Madison and most recently Thomas Nelson Community College.

She is a member of the M.S.G.-The Acoustic Blues Trio, which performed at the 2008 Bull Durham Blues Festival. Featured during this exhibition schedule the group will conduct a Blues in the Schools residency in Durham Public Schools sponsored by the Foundation.

……….
Music:
M.S.G.-The Acoustic Blues Trio (harmonica, guitar and bones)
Blues Xchange (bass)
Miz A & The Freedom Band (Gaye Adegbalola’s NEW electric blues band) (bass)
Singer/Songwriter

Jackie Merritt – is an accomplished musician and visual artist
August 2009 received the First John Cephas Memorial Scholarship to carry on the Legacy of Piedmont Blues at “Centrum,” in Port Townsend, WA.

In 2006, she was asked to play harmonica on the syndicated PBS series “Cultivating Life”, which is still being aired on PBS and now FOX. She was also for several years Phil Wiggins’ harmonica teaching assistant at Augusta Heritage Center’s “Bluesweek” at Davis and Elkins College in Elkins, WV.

The St. Joseph’s Historic Foundation is pleased to host a collection of 19th century photography from the collection of Attorney Craig James entitled “The Unfolding of Negron History: Through the Eye of a Lens”, February 6 – March 31st in the Lyda Moore Merrick Gallery (upper level) at Hayti Heritage Center, 804 Old Fayetteville Street, Durham.

With the click of a button, time stands still and a moment of time is captured within the borders of a photograph. When works are insufficient to describe the events, the photograph speaks volumes. American history is vividly expressed through photography, and when it was taboo or unconstitutional to speak of the Negro as human, photography validated his history and substantiated the Negro plight. The Negro is found in all 19th Century photographic mediums like: Daguerreotypes, Tintypes, Ambrotypes, Cabinet Cards, and Carte De Visites (CDV). See many of these mediums in an exhibition from James’ collection.

The public is invited to attend “Jazzy Friday” on February 6 from 6pm -8pm with live jazz entertainment and light refreshment.

February 13- March 31, 2009

Unlovable: Paintings and Illustrations by King are currently on display in the Lyda Moore Merrick Gallery at Hayti Heritage Center through March 31, 2009. The exhibitor is locally recognized artist and North Carolina Central University graduate. Unlovable provides a glimpse into the bitter world of an unassuming bachelor who fears that perpetual solitude will prove to be his fated end. King’s energetic works are filled with overlapping images recalling past breakups and awkward missteps. He utilizes otherworldly mazes as the backdrop to complete each surreal narrative.

King Kenney’s untrained artistry has never been stronger than in this intrepid display of vulnerability.

King Kenney is a conceptual expressionist whose inimitable style of surreal caricature has afforded him the occasion of fully devoting his life to a vacillating matrimony with professional artistry. His experimental invention celebrates a youthful exuberance often mislaid in the chaotic uncertainty of young adulthood. King finds solace transcribing his copious emotions affront the dizzying lure of vivid labyrinths. Vulnerable titles highlight a modicum of the riotous passion that suffuses his defenseless works. His visual language is an avant-garde recommencement. King’s vague narcissism and contradictorily self-destructive disposition make for a compelling performer.

For information contact:
king_kenney@hotmail.com
www.artistsites.org/king/
919.641.6846

St. Joseph’s Historic Foundation, Inc. is pleased to announce the opening of Piedmont Pioneers: Works of Wonder featuring artist Nellie Ashford Rawls in the Lyda Moore Merrick Gallery. This exhibition opens Friday, October 3 through December 6, 2008. The public is invited to attend. A meet the artist reception at Jazzy Friday on December 5 from 6pm-9pm or join us for the Durham Art Walk Weekend, November 1-2, 2008.

Ms. Ashford Rawls is a self-taught folk artist that uses the stories in her childhood to create hundreds of art collages on board, paper and canvas. She uses acrylic paints of bright colors along with found objects of fabric, sand, wood filings, and other natural things to create her paintings. “I began to paint because of my third oldest grandson. I paint about people, places and things that don’t matter to anyone anymore. Yes, I am a folk artist and the advantage is that I tell people I am allowed to break the rules that the trained artist would not dare do.” is often quoted by Ashford.

Her works can be located in a variety of places in the US, Canada and Swaziland, Africa.

In North Carolina you can find her works of art in Charlotte galleries Picture Perfect Framing, Studio 7, and Coffey & Thompson Gallery, Unity Place in St. Stephens AME Zion Church, Gastonia, The Foster’s Art and Frame Gallery, Huntersville, Red Piano Gallery Too, St. Helena’s Island, and La Benson’s Art Gallery, Beauford, SC. Her works have been collected by Harvey Gant, Mel Watts, Huge McColl and many other Charlotte notables.

Works of her art have been commissioned by a number of organizations in Charlotte, NC. She also has been a guest of friends of the arts in News Orleans, Louisiana. Most recently, the Afro American Cultural Center in Charlotte, NC presented her with the Artist Achievement Award. She resides in a rural area in Charlotte where she paints in her home. To contact Ms. Rawls: E-Mail: nelliewashford@yahoo.com. Limited addition artist proofs and prints of her work are available for purchase.

Born: Charlotte, NC Education: Carver Junior College and North Carolina Central University, Durham, NC, and Shaw University, Raleigh, NC Degree: B.S, Psychology and Social Science

This exhibition is curated by Lisa Roland, of Mariama’s Fine Art Consultants. She brings with her over 13 years of experience in working with both emerging and professional artists through her extensive professional career at Art 1 Gallery in Gastonia, NC, the African American Museum in Philadelphia, the St. Joseph’s’ Historic Foundation of Durham, NC, the Afro-American Cultural Center of Charlotte, NC and Avaunt-Virtu Galleries also in Charlotte, NC . She served as executive director, director of operations, education associate, marketing assistant and gallery curator successively.

She received her masters degree in non- profit management from Drexel University in Philadelphia, PA and obtained her undergraduate degree from North Carolina A&T State University where she majored in Communications and minored in Art. She is active in Gastonia, NC with Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., her church family of Tabernacle Baptist Church. For the past 5 years she has served as the Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools Youth Art Judge for Festival in the Park. She has also served as juror and panelist with many review boards and visual arts competitions.

She works extensively with artists Jim Biggers, Winford Galmon, Rev. L.D. Flournoy and Marlon Hunt.

Mariama’s Fine Art Consulting is available for interior decorating, office outfits, private parties, fundraisers and more!