Past Presence: Commemorating Juneteenth on display at ARTS Southeast’s Main Gallery at Sulfur Studios, in Savannah, Georgia, in June, 2022 featured artists from across the country whose work took into consideration their own personal history – present or past – in relation to the Black experience in the United States. Working in a variety of media from photography to sculpture, these artists explored themes of ancestry, modern media narratives, vulnerability and resilience.

This exhibition was juried by several esteemed artists, educators and curators from Savannah, Georgia: Amiri Farris, artist and educator; Antonia B. Larkin, artist, curator and Visual Arts Specialist at the Savannah Cultural Arts Center; Lisa Jackson, Education and Community Outreach Liaison at The Savannah African Art Museum; Billie Stultz, Founding Director and Head Curator at The Savannah African Art Museum.

These featured artists were awarded First, Second and Third Place in Past Presence, and were chosen for their exemplary contributions to the exhibition. In their own words, Felicia Greenlee, T. Owens Union and Danisha Edwards discuss the meaning behind their work, their process and their inspiration.

I fell in love with art as a young child growing up in Philadelphia. After seeing the paintings of J.J. on the television show “Good Times,” I knew I wanted to be an artist. I was eight years old when I moved to South Carolina with my parents and older brother in1979. No longer living in the city but a small rural town in the South was a cultural shock for me. Young still, I was aware of the differences in my new surroundings but not how it would later impact my artwork.

I wanted to capture the soul and culture of Black America like J.J.; so, I enrolled into college as a fine arts major in 1989. During college, I searched for inspiration where I could find it. Keep in mind in the early nineties, there were computers but not the internet; so, books were the only form of information. Unable to locate any books about Black artists in the libraries on campus I turned to African art. There were plenty of books to be found on African “artifacts.” Having access to a woodshop in college, I began working with wood. After graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Clemson University in 1993, I learned through the internet of Ernie Barnes, the true artist on “Good Times.” I adopted his neo-mannerist style of the Black figure as my own. I exaggerated the human form and closed their eyes in search of my own inspiration.

In 1994, I began a career as a textile designer. I married my high school sweetheart in 1995 and gave birth to our son a couple of years later. As a stay-at-home mom, I became a freelance designer and license artist. Never giving up on my dream to become a full-time artist, I continued to create art depicting the Black figure in watercolor and color pencil drawings and I began working with wood again.

I refer to my wood pieces as “wood collage” because I did not want them to be referred to as an assemblage. I also added other materials; such as metal, fabric, paper and other found objects, I borrowed from African art. I find wood to be a very versatile and forgiving medium and I can capture the smallest of detail and the simplest of shapes. I started off buying handheld tools until I was able to accommodate larger equipment. I create my work using a variety of tools: a scroll saw, band saw, miter saw, table saw, chisels, sanders, a drill press and a router. I use wood glue, wooden dowels, screws and brad nails when needed to secure my pieces together. I am able to layer images to create depth and texture that I could not achieve with pencil and paper. My art is no longer created on a flat plane, so the viewer has the opportunity to experience my work from a different perspective. I began to omit the human form altogether and the chain and the American flag became dominant in most of my wood pieces. I became focused on my wood collages and worked less and less in pencil and paper.

In 2021, I brought together my two greatest inspirations. I reintroduced the figure into my work and combined my drawings with my wood collage. I abandoned the “closed eyes” previously found in my work and opened the eyes of my subjects. No longer “eyes wide shut,” the eyes, now open, represent an awakening. I decided to open the eyes with the many social movements being addressed in the country but mainly in awareness of the Black Lives Matter movement. Growing up, I have always been aware of racism. It is impossible to ignore something that impacts your life. It has always been important for me to bring awareness to those that choose not to see.

My intent is to create a portrait that captures a moment in time in which the viewer truly sees the subject. The chain, a symbol of our past and our ancestors, represents the unspoken truth about slavery and its impact on America and how it links us together. I also place a target front and center to bring attention to the racial discrimination that Black Americans face. The target, not necessarily to be interpreted as an actual target but the viewfinder of a camera lens. I am inspired by the world around me. Influenced by both the past and present, I believe the past affects the present and the present repeats the past. I also cannot ignore current social issues that face our nation. My creative process usually starts with a sketch. My ideas are never etched in stone but tend to evolve during the entire process; usually, taking a month or less to complete a piece depending on size and subject.

Black Americans have been forgotten and I want to show our many faces. Black Americans have built, fought and died for this country and it still tries to deny us our fundamental rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

– Felicia Greenlee www.feliciagreenlee.com

I am a career scientist with a visual orientation towards things in general. I explore aspects of the African American experience, influenced by my personal history and current and past events that have affected communities of color. I use our past history to inform a present voice for ancestors who too often were silenced and a face for those who have been rendered invisible by our society. Some artworks are inspired by those who were treated as something less than human by governmental agencies, medical institutions, or existing societal norms. Others are portraits that convey the strength, beauty, and perserverance of people of color despite what has been experienced by these communities over decades.

As an artist, I believe it’s important to acknowledge the privilege of being a spokesperson for my ancestors through art. There is an upcoming exhibition on missing and murdered indigenous women and girls at the Augusta Savage Gallery at UMassAmherst. The notice for the exhibition includes a statement that “the past has a way of returning if not properly healed.” American society, as related to people of color, has not properly healed. I am hoping that by bringing aspects of African American cultural history into current focus, America can begin to litigate its true history and become whole.

Research is fundamental to my work. I study aspects of African American history, some which have not historically been properly taught in educational institutions, and the ideas come. I add these ideas to my visual journal, and the ones that begin to develop often have some connection to my own journey. For example, my paternal grandmother from Alabama made tied, patchwork quilts for us, and I often incorporate quilts as a cultural symbol of protection, guidance, and strength into the artworks. Once a concept is developed, a variety of materials including vintage dolls, African sculptures, textiles, text and images from old documents, drawings, and found objects are photographed and digitally rendered into photomontages.

– T. Owens Union www.owensunion.com

Tell us a bit about yourself and your artistic practice.

My name is Danisha Edwards and I am an artist from Jacksonville, Florida. I started out studying architecture in college and switched over to art. The plan was to complete my undergraduate degree in art and attend graduate school for architecture, however, I continued with my passion. I work with different media, but I am in love with metal. I enjoy telling stories through sculpture as well as painting and printmaking.

What is important to you as an artist?

My freedom of expression is the most important thing to me as an artist. Sometimes you feel the strain from society, family, and your cultural community about what you can and can’t say through your art. It can hinder you from expressing yourself or telling your story. When you learn to push past those barriers, it is a beautiful thing.

What themes do you pursue in your work?

My dreams and how I feel as an individual in this world.

What is your process as an artist?

I sleep with a sketchbook and notebook near my bed. There are times I may wake up from something to document it. This could be sketches or very detailed notes. I will experiment with an idea as a painting, a print, or a sculpture. Different materials and forms of art speak differently with storytelling.

What advice would you give to an emerging artist?

Take business classes in college! There is so much art school did not teach me. Also, do not compare your success to others. You will drive yourself mad.

www.danishaedwardsart.com

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