The Lyda Moore Merrick Gallery at Hayti Heritage Center will host the works of the multi-talented and knowledgeable artist Spencer Lawrence August 7 – November 13, 2010 in celebration of the 23rd annual Bull Durham Blues Festival the public is invited. Lawrence has created a blues and church series of large scale paintings which will be on display not only in Durham but half of his work will be seen at the Arts Council of Wayne County in Goldsboro from August 7th – September 18th as an addition to their New Harmonies: Celebrating American Roots Music, a Smithsonian Traveling Exhibition.

James Cotton
An opening reception and meet the artist will be held at the Blues After Hours on August 20th from 6pm – 8pm, live blues entertainment and refreshments, the public is invited to attend. The St. Joseph’s Historic Foundation has commissioned Spencer Lawrence to paint a special portrait that will be unveiled at the opening reception on August 20th.

Robert Johnson
Spencer Lawrence, the artist, is probably best known for his portraits. His portraits of the literary giants, Maya Angelou, James Baldwin, Amira Baraka, Tony Morrison and others, 12 in all, commissioned in 1990 for the “Gallery of Greats” by the Miller Brewing Company toured the country and introduced, informed, inspired, a nation to more fully recognize the achievements and contributions of African American writers to the country and to the world. A 1990 Washington Post article documented the beginning of the national tour and its impact in the community. Lawrence’s portraits not only captured the writer’s likenesses but reveal the writer in ways that “they do not see themselves…” expanding and furthering our views and understanding of artists’ and their work.
The series of portraits, titled “Black Authors: A Voice for the People” was the eighth in the series of Miller Brewing Company’s highly visible and successful outreach programs. Each artist commissioned for the portraits won the opportunity after a special competition. Lawrence earned this opportunity from his training at the New York School of Visual arts and a B.F.A from the prestigious Rhode Island School of Design. In addition, previous work, research and a series of portraits of the Civil Rights movement entitled “King Series: It Was Only Yesterday” created with an earlier grant and portraits of blues musicians from “The Blue Series: A Gift of the Spirit” further contributed to receiving this commission.

Sonny Terry
In the introduction to the catalog and calendar “Black Authors: A Voice for the People”, Noel Hankin, Director of Marketing Relations notes that “Storytelling is part of a rich African-American tradition. Tales, some real and some imagined have brought continuity…. and help to establish a sense of identity and worth ….” Spencer Lawrence’s visual stories, engaging and expansive portraits document and add to these rich traditions.
His work has been exhibited and is in permanent collections in the United States and abroad.
The public is invited to share in both exhibitions at the Hayti Heritage Center and at the Arts Council of Wayne County to experience the work of Spencer Lawrence. For more information on programs and events to be held in Goldsboro visit there website at www.artsinwayne.org or call (919) 736-3300.




May 20- July 31, 2010




