BW Friends Members Blog

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2010-05-13T05:31:00.000-07:00

Curlee Raven Holton - Member Only Studio Visit

2009-05-25T08:31:00.000-07:00

Please join us for a studio visit with artist & master printmaker Curlee Raven Holton, July 25, 2009. Professor Holton earned his M.F.A. with honors from Kent State University and his B.F.A. from the Cleveland Institute of Fine Arts in Drawing and Printmaking. Since 1991 he has taught printmaking and African American art history at Lafayette Collage in Easton, Pennsylvania and is also the founding director of the Experimental Printmaking Institute.

Professor Holton has offered to provide us with a tour of the studio and a presentation of recent and current projects which includes projects with Faith Ringgold, Sam Gilliam, Moe Brooker and others.

Please respond to the evite quickly so that we can better plan for the visit. If there is sufficient interest, we will make arrangements for transportation to Lafayette. The charge for the event will be based upon cost and means of transportation. We, as always, will endeavor to make the trip as economically feasible as possible. As space is limited in a studio environment, this event is limited to members only.

Professor Holton is organizing and curating an exhibition of art by printmakers in Osaka. Running June 5-22, The Figure and Space, An Intimate Relationship will be held at the Gallery AMI&KANONO. In addition, the Centro Cultural of San Jose will present an exhibit of his work from June 21-July 21 in San Jose, Costa Rica. The exhibition is sponsored by a grant from the U.S. Embassy. Holton’s art also will be featured in the exhibition The Message is in the Medium, Experimental works from the Archives of EPI beginning July 17 at The LaGrange Art Museum of Georgia.

Check out the following sites for more information about Professor Holton. We hope you can join us for a memorable afternoon with one of our most prolific printmakers.

Lynn & Margie

http://www.lafayette.edu/news.php/view/13597/
http://www.lafayette.edu/news.php/view/13455/
http://www.artjaz.com/artists/holton/index_mb.html

Victor Ekpuk - Member Only Studio Visit

2009-05-07T07:24:00.000-07:00

Please join us for a studio visit with artist Victor Ekpuk Saturday, May 16, at 2:00 pm. You will need to RSVP by responding to this email. Since space is limited, this event is open to members only, so please respond quickly. The cost fo the event is $15.00. Victor has recently returned to the Washington, DC area from Amsterdam and currenlty has work on exhibit at the Afica Now Exhibition at the Word Bank. He is a graduate of Obefami Awolowo University at Ife (Nigeria). For over a decade, his interest has been to use elements of traditional African arts to express contemporary experiences. Many of you are familiar with his shield paintings, featured below. His current works are truly exciting. Of his work, Ekpuk states that Symbolism is the main character of my art. It greatly inspires my love for expressing with ethnic symbols, particularly those of nsibidi, an ancient system of communication that employs graphic symbols, as well as pantomime and the placement of objects to convey concepts. Check out his website at www.victorekpuk.com We hope you can join us for a memorable afternoon with one on Washington's finest artists. Lynn & Margie

2009-03-15T17:32:00.000-07:00

SAVE THE DATE - APRIL 26, 2009

The Third Annual BW Friends Tea Party

Greetings members: as spring approaches we'd like to remind you of our third annual BW Friends tea party on Sunday, April 26 at 2:00 pm. As is our established tradition, the tea is held the weekend following the Porter Colloquium, and was set forth in our annual schedule of events and on our website calendar of events. Our featured speaker will be Myrtis Bedolla of Galerie Myrtis who will speak about collecting art with a focus on contemporary African art. We hope you can join us for a afternoon of tea, art and fellowship. Please respond to this Evite if you plan to attend. Thanks for your support.

Save the Date for EJ Montgomery

2008-08-07T13:20:00.001-07:00

HELLO I just wanted to let you all know that EJ Montgomery has announced her retirement from the Department of State after many wonderful years of service to the government and the art world. A few of her close friends are planning a weekend of appreciation for EJ November 7-8, 2008. Planned events will include a restrospective art show and sale and a retirement gala. We like to have you pass on a "SAVE THE DATE" message to the many folks who know and love EJ. More informatioon will soon follow. Thanks.

--Lynn Sylvester

Fall Membership Kick-off at Serengeti Gallery

2008-07-30T09:47:00.000-07:00

Greetings Members: Where did the summer go? While we may soon mourn the end of summer, the fall will bring the beginning of the DC Friends of the Brandywine Workshop series of member events. We'd like to share with you what we have planned so far, so mark your calendars. We are working on other events for our members, so stay tuned.

- Saturday, September 20, 2008: 6:30 pm Fall Member Kick-off at Serengeti Gallery

-October 17-19, 2008: Brandywine Workshop Gala Weekend and 2008 Brandywine Achievement Awards Dinner, Philadelphia Museum of Art. (this year's hornoree is Artist Richard Mayhew, a signed copy of a limited edition print by Mayhew will be available to attendees who participateat the Individual Patron level)

-December 6, Annual Artebration Party and Raffle

-April 26, 2008 Annual Tea Party

Also, save the date for the 20th Porter Colliquim at Howard University: April 15-17, 2009

We will update you as the dates for these and other events come up. In the interim please check our website: www.bwfriendsdc.com for listing of art events around town.
--Lynn & Margie http://www.bwfriendsdc.com/

BW Friends Members event at the James E. Lewis Museum

2008-06-03T16:32:00.000-07:00

We have another wonderful event coming up Saturday, June 7th at The James E. Lewis Museum at Morgan State University in Baltimore, MD from 5-8 pm. We have arranged an exclusive pre-opening reception for BW Friends members at Janet B.Walters' show "Not Your Nana's Quilts's". Additionally, BW Friends members attending the reception will be offered BW Friends only discounts on the purchase of Ms. Walters fiber work, wearable art and wall hangings. Ms. Walters is one of those artists you should follow and get to know. We hope you can make it. Please RSVP with us by responding to this email. Thanks.

Directions are below.

Some of our members have expressed interst in carpooling, if you want a ride or can offer one, let us know by responding to this email. Please keep in mind that it will be very difficul for us to respond to last minute requests.

DIRECTIONS FROM 295 N. (BROUGHT TO YOU BY MAPQUEST)

Ø Turn RIGHT onto W PRATT ST.

Ø Turn LEFT onto S CALVERT ST/ MD-2 N. Continue to follow S CALVERT ST.

Ø Turn RIGHT onto E LEXINGTON ST.

Ø Turn LEFT onto N GAY ST.

Ø Turn SLIGHT LEFT onto ENSOR ST (ENSOR ST becomes HARFORDAVE.; HARFORD AVE becomes HARFORD RD/ MD-147)

Ø Turn SLIGHT LEFT onto HILLEN RD.

Ø Turn RIGHT onto ARGONNE DRIVE

BW FRIENDS Upcoming Events:

2008-03-09T06:58:00.000-07:00

SAVE THESE DATES:

Saturday, March 22nd, the Jennings Gallery 3135 Westover Drive, SE, Washington, D.C. will host a Special Welcoming Reception for the DC Friends of the Brandywine Workshop featuring Artist Victor Ehikhamenor’s Invasion of Privacy, f rom 3-5 pm. Light refreshments will be served. (Westover Drive can be reached from Pennsylvania Ave, SE: once you cross the Penn Ave. bridge, look for 31st Street, on your right, (about 5 blocks) there will also be a sign pointing to Westover Dr.; turn right and proceed to 3135)

Sunday, April 13th is the BW Friends DC Annual Tea party from 2-5 pm. Our invited guests are members of AfriCOBRA Space is limited, so please RSVP by responding to this email. The cost is $20.00 - http://cuip.net/~tonli/wit2002/Africobra.htm

Saturday, May 17th Artist Ted T. Ellis will speak on African American Legions: The African American Contemporary Artist. This event is from 2-6 pm. The cost is $15.00. Please RSVP by sending a response to bwfriends@comcast.net.

Saturday, June 7th is a special private opening for BW Friends DC of Fiber and Collage Artist Janet B. Waters, at the James E. Lewis Museum, Morgan State University from 5-8 pm. There will be a special discount on artwork for the BW Friends DC on the 7th prior to the public opening the following day, Sunday, June 8th

A Snowy Afternoon with Sam Gilliam - A Note From Marie Murray and Pat Waters

2008-02-17T19:46:00.000-08:00

Lunch with Sam was a wonderful experience in every way: a chance to view Sam's latest work, sparkling conversation on art and culture and a delicious lunch, elegantly presented by Lynn and Margie. Who could ask for more!
We were indeed fortunate to view Sam's latest work. The painted plywood rectang les assembled like puzzles, some side by side, others in overlapping layer. were a revelation. Some surfaces were highly glazed and shinny, others soft and ethereal; their variety was mesmerizing. We found many evocative of nature; water, mineral laden rocks, etc.
The talk was spirited, wide ranging and great fun. Sam related the chain of artistic innovations from cave paintings and ancient civilization (African, Asian, Greek, Roman) through the Renaissance to what we see today. Our discussion of the current developments in Black art and the status of art in the Black Colleges was the richer for this informed, broad background. Sam was very enthusiatic about the quality of art being produced by young Black artists today and the diversity of their production. His views on how collectors can contribute to the preservation of the works of of Black artists and to building wider audiences for these works through well considered art bequeaths was insightful.
The artful touch also extended to the lunch prepared by Lynn and Margie from the beautifully coordinated luncheon table to the marvelous food.
Many, many thanks to Sam, Lynn and Margie for an unforgettable experience.

Dateline December 16, 2007

2008-01-30T19:36:00.000-08:00

SANTA WAS GOOD
By Lynn Sylvester

On a cold December day, the DC Friends of the Brandywine Workshop gathered for the annual Holiday Art-ebration at the David Driskell Center at the University of Maryland. Most of the attending members were under the impression they were attending a holiday party. But when Santa arrived, wearing a watermelon hat, they knew they’d arrived at Santa’s Workshop! Santa looked surprising like Bob Steele, Executive Director of the Driskell Center. Santa’s gifts to the BW Friends were a lecture on collecting art and a personal tour of the David Driskell Retrospective Exhibit at the Center’s Gallery. Bob Steele, I mean Santa, was able to regale the group with personal stories about Dr. Driskell and many of the works of art in the show.

Like all good girls and boys, BW Friends received gift bags which included an original work of art by artist Gina Lewis. They in turn, generously participated in an art raffle to benefit the DC chapter. Some of the items included original works of art by artists Sheila Crider and EJ Montgomery; photographs by Oggi Ogburn, and David Harris; Lunch for two with Sam Gilliam; a signed copy of David Driskell’s book, The Other Side of Color; a copy of the book To Conserve a Legacy, and many other items. On behalf of Santa’s helpers, much thanks to the artists and BW Members who selflessly donated raffle items. These gifts to the Chapter will help us to continue chapter activities.

DATELINE NOVEMBER 4, 2007

2007-12-05T19:44:00.000-08:00

THE MAGICAL SUNDAY --PERCY MARTIN STUDIO VISIT – By Lynn Sylvester

Our DC Friends of the Brandywine Workshop are studio visit veterans, so this studio visit with DC Artist Percy Martin seemed to be par for the course. Little did we know that Percy would convert a group of art lovers into printmakers and artists! The scene of this magical conversion was the WD Print Workshop, located on a quiet street in Adams Morgan. The WD print shop is also the home of the Martin family who live above “the store.” Most importantly, it is a home where countless artists take advantage of a fully equipped print atelier to produce fine art prints.

Percy Martin, in addition to being a great artist, is a great teacher. He currently teaches art at the prestigious Sidwell Friends School. As a testimonial to Percy Martin, many of his students, instead of becoming lawyers, doctors, or captains of industry, many of his students have gone on to become full time artists. (Look for an alumni show next year at Sidwell’s 125th Anniversary.) The educator came out as Percy focused on the etching process. Of the myriad of printmaking processes, etching is his favorite. He began with an Italian lesion by defining intaglio as another word for etching; he warned us: “if there are two artworks for sale and the intaglio has a higher price than the etching – you are about to be had. He put etching into its historical context, as an innovation that followed the engraving process in the historical development of printmaking. After an etching 101 lesson, we were handed tools and told to get to work creating our own unique DC-BW Friends etching. Shyness gave way to bold artistic expression; the magical conversion occurred. This Sunday, 10 printmakers were born.

Percy’s son, Chris, was on hand to assist us in the printmaking process. An artist in his own right, Chris has been assisting his father for as long as he can remember. Chris submerged our etched plate into an acid bath and subsequently printed each “DC-BW printmaker” a copy of our collective opus. He is a son, any father would be proud of.

This Sunday would have been enough with the creation of the first DC-BW Friends print but it wouldn’t have been quite magical. While we were waiting for the acid bath to etch our plate and munching on delicious homemade sandwiches, we got into deep and ranging conversations regarding artistic philosophy, Percy’s work, digital art, and art history.

To understand Percy’s art you need to know the context in which he has worked for several decades. For several years, Percy has portrayed a mythical world of Bushmen: their lives, rituals and experiences. These are not some made up stories; rather, lurking within is a deep understanding of the human spirit. Percy said that in his examination of mythology he discovered that all cultures had the same basic myths only the parts were interchangeable. From there, he concluded that all our diverse cultures are closer than we think. This led him to create his own mythology, the World of the Bushmen. It is a real world with complex traditions, realities and practices. To delve into Percy’s work is to enter a complex and evolving world. The richness of his artistic renderings brings home a very deep understanding of human reality and mythology. The Bushman world is an ever changing world; the myths grow and expand; the characters are real. The myth will continue as long as Percy is able to tell the story. Within the Bushman world, Percy has grown artistically. For this writer, it was a joy to see Percy’s artistic evolution while remaining true to the Bushman mythology.

Yes -- the digital conversation had to come up. One of our members asked what Percy thought of digital works, thinking he was a “traditional” artist. While his answer may have surprised some, it began a thoughtful discussion on the whole “digital art” issue. Yes, Percy does digital (great title for a movie.) His appreciation for digital fine art comes form his background in the fine arts. He drew the distinction between the fine artist and the commercial artist. The concern of many collectors is the digital capacity to produce many, thousands perhaps millions, of identical copies of an image. Percy, making the modern-day analogy to printmaking, pointed out that most traditional plates are capable of making innumerable copies; which is not much different from a digital print. (A point was made that re-strikes of Rembrandt’s plates are, to this day, being made.)

To him and other artists using the digital medium, the computer is just a tool. When otherwise “fine” artists use the digital medium, there is little debate that the product it is art. What these artists are doing is cutting edge and maybe a little controversial. Make no mistake, they are coming from a traditional background, but they are using the “mouse” to push the envelope. Sam Gilliam was quoted as saying that printmakers are artists not technicians. As the conversation continued, it became more apparent that the digital world deserves more artistic respect.

In terms of multiples of a work of art, the artist’s integrity comes into play. Percy usually makes between 1-5 copies of a print; with digital prints he often makes only one copy. When he first started printing he made editions of twenty; when asked if he was making wall paper, he was cured and never does more than 5 in an edition.

As the day grew to a close, all of us newly discovered printmakers reveled in the magical day we had experienced; full of an appreciation of mythology and a new print to frame.

December 2007 - Update

2007-12-01T08:00:00.000-08:00

Greetings Members: You are invited to our annual Holiday Art-ebration on Sunday, December 16, 2007 at 2:00 pm at the David Driskell Center on the Campus of the University of Maryland. This year's Art-ebration will be extra special, featuring a lecture on collecting by fellow member and Driskell Center Director Bob Steele, a behind the scenes tour of the center, goodie bags and a raffle. Your $20 contribution will enter you in a raffle featuring prizes such as a studio visit and lunch with Sam Gilliam, art, books, and many more prizes. Light refreshments will be served. We hope you will be able to join us this year. Space is limited, so please RSVP by responding to this email as soon as possible.

The David Driskell Center is located at:
1214 Cole Student Activities Building, University of Maryland ,College Park, MD 20742 301.314.2615

The Center is conveniently located at the intersection of Campus Drive and Union Lane, right next to Stamp Student Union on campus. Enter the University on Campus Dr., this street is indicated by a gated entrance. Continue straight until you reach a circle with the letter M. Go 1/2 of the way around the traffic circle (12:00 location) and continue down Campus Drive. Proceed a 1/4 mile down Campus Dr. and you will see a building named Stamp Student Union. The David C. Driskell Center will be adjacent to Stamp Student Union.
In other news, you are encouraged to attend a series of events sponsored by the the Brandywine
Workshop December 14-15th:

*On Friday afternoon there will be a Ceremony honoring John F. Street, Mayor of Philadelphia and other elected officials on Friday afternoon;
*Friday evening there will be an Opening Reception for the Treasures of the Archives Exhibition featuring selected artworks, dating back as far as 1958 that were acquired through gifts by artists from their personal collections, from collectors, and from members of the Board of Directors, throughout the 35-year history of the organization. The collective artworks, as represented in this exhibition, have never before been shown to the public by Brandywine. They represent a glance into the diverse collection of styles, media and ethnic backgrounds of the artists as contained in the Archives, as well as Visiting Artist Prints published by the Workshop since 1975 and held in the Permanent Collection.
*Saturday afternoon features a Studio Visit and Clay Print Demonstration with artist Mitch Lyons.
*Saturday evening features and exclusive invitation only (for Friends members) fashion show of Sarai Style's Showroom 77 Aniversary Collection
PLEASE NOTE OUR NEW EASIER EMAIL ADDRESS: bwfriendsdc@comcast.net

November 2007 - Update

2007-11-01T08:00:00.001-07:00

Greetings Members: As the holiday season approaches, we want to wish all of you HAPPY HOLIDAYS. We hope you will be able to join us for our annual Holiday Event at the David Driskell Center at the University of Maryland on Sunday, December 16th. So please save the date, more details will follow.

Thanks to all of you who have renewed your memberships. We are looking forward to an exciting year of art related activities. If you haven't renewed it's not too late; a copy of our membership application is attached to this email. Please take a moment to check out our new and improved website at www.bwfriendsdc.com. The website features an improved Art Around Town. If you aren't sure what to do next Friday...just click on the day on the calendar that you're interested in and your art plans for that date are complete! If you are aware of art events in the DC - Baltimore area that we may have missed, please let us know. We also have added a members blog, there you will find our Dateline column on chapter events, articles of interest and, most importantly, your input. Your blogs can be sent to: bwfriendsdc@comcast.net or our website www.bwfriendsdc.com. While we reserve the right to edit or decline to post your blog, we know that our members are some of the most sophisticated and knowlegeable art appreciators in town. So blog on.

October 2007 - Update

2007-10-01T08:00:00.000-07:00

Greetings Members: the fall brings many good things, including the first anniversary of the DC Friends of the Brandywine Workshop. We have adopted the obelisk, an ancient Egyptian architectual element, as our Chapter symbol and inspriation. As you know, the obelist is a is a tall, narrow, four-sided, tapering moument which ends in a pyramidal top. The symbolism is more than coincidental with DC's Washington Moument; the pyramid top represents an honor to the Pyramid Club of Philidelphia, of which master printmaker Dox Thrash was a prominent member; the four sided shaft symbolizes our support of the mission of the Philadelphia Brandywine Workshop. Look to see our new obelist.

Regarding one of our member's private art sale offer, there has been a price reduction. Samela Lewis's Cleo is now offered at $1000 and Gwen Knight's print (pulled by Lou Stovall) Protrait of a Girl is now offered at $1200. If you missed the first offering, please check the attached flyer. Finally, we had a wonderful time visiting Artist and Printmaker Percy Martin on November 4th. The following is our latest Dateline column. Photos from the event are posted on our website http://www.bwfriendsdc.com/
Brandywine Workshop brings you an excellent opportunity to own an original Faith Ringgold limited edition lithograph. The print was produced at the Brandywine Workshop this year. When you join the Brandywine Workshop at the Patron level ($1200) you will receive Faith Ringgold's print, Jones Road Under a Blood Red Sky #9. The print is an original addition to Ringgold's Jones Road series of quilts about the resilience of escaped slaves in their quest for freedom. A copy of the print is attached to this email along with other information about the print. If you are interested, please act quickly by contacting the Brandywine Workshop directly.

Dateline July 6, 2007

2007-07-31T19:51:00.000-07:00

Greetings Members: As we wound up the first year of the Brandywine Friends of DC; this has been a busy year for us with many exciting art related activities.
Meanwhile, let us update you on our latest chapter event: a studio visit with chapter member and local artist Sheila Crider. On July 6, 2007 we sponsored a studio visit and artist talk with one of our artist members, Sheila Crider. Sheila is one of our great assets as a local artist; her abstract works encompass a variety of mediums from paper to roofing materials. Recently she has escaped from two to three dimensions. In addition to being a practicing artist, Sheila is a very thoughtful commentator on the art scene.

Sheila started by discussing her own work and how she has evolved as an artist. Many, who have known Sheila, know she started as a paper maker; she shared with us her evolution from making paper to abstraction. Her paper making roots are still evident in many of her works. Somehow, she incorporates the process of fabricating into her exploration of abstraction. In this writer’s estimation, this leads her work to literally jump off the page into the next dimension

During our studio visit, Sheila presented her thoughts in a paper on Blackstraction. She explored central topics such as: What is painting? How does it relate to abstraction? This author cannot do justice to Sheila’s thoughtful and intellectual concepts, a copy of her paper are attached to this email. Please read it; it will open your mind. Sheila’s presentation was followed by lively discussion of abstraction, the black aesthetic, and the artist’s role in all of this. This was a far reaching discussion that left few topics untouched. Artist Sam Gilliam contributed provocative ideas and concepts. All in all, this was a discussion worthy of any PhD candidate.

After all the heavy intellectual activity, we repaired to a lovely alfresco Asian themed reception hosted by Dr. Estelle Cooke Sampson. While dinning on sushi, fresh fruits and other goodies; intellectual and not so intellectual discussions continued.

Dateline: March 4, 2007

2007-05-31T19:49:00.000-07:00

Preston Sampson at Pyramid Atlantic Art Center, DC Friends of the Brandywine Workshop
By Lynn Sylvester

The first thing you notice about Preston Sampson is that he is a big guy, a big guy who is always moving. Looking at his work you immediately recognize that movement is very important. Some would call him an action painter, except he doesn’t paint in the traditional sense. As we enter the paper mill at Pyramid Atlantic Arts Center in Silver Spring, Maryland, for a demonstration of Preston Sampson’s techniques, the music is blasting. We are now in Preston’s world.

Pulp painting is what Preston does. Preston came to be a pulp painter reluctantly and completely by accident. It started when he showed up at Pyramid Atlantic to participate in a traditional painting event. Except, they didn’t know he was coming and didn’t have space for him. Someone suggested he try pulp painting, after all, there was space for him there. Preston was having none of that, the materials were smelly (like rotten eggs) and, after all, he was a figurative painter. He tried it, still didn’t like it; after all, he was a figurative painter. He couldn’t control the medium, like one does with paint or pencils. He loved to draw; he missed the lines traditional mediums afforded him.

He did start “splashing” around with the pulp mediums, sheets of wet paper and liquefied paper in a various colors that are held in squeeze bottles. As he worked, things still didn’t make sense. But, at some point, images began to emerge. Preston realized that pulp painting is a lot like life; sometimes you have to just let go and let things happen. The colors started taking shape; the materials began to reveal what they would become.

Well, Preston is still a figurative painter, a figurative pulp painter. He has discovered how to add lines using the squeeze bottles. Generally, he starts a painting with “movements, space and planes”. Working with pulp artist, Gretchen Schermerhorm, his demonstration for the DC Friends of the Brandywine Workshop started with what appeared to be blobs of color on a sheet of paper and the addition of what seemed to be random lines. Amazingly, an image began to emerge. It was fascinating to see how he built up the work with color and texture, sometimes using a plastic fork to scrape into the wet paper. Other times he used a paint brush to add layers of color. In the end, we all saw a painting of a lovely woman.

If you are familiar with Preston’s work you know his paintings reflect a lot of movement. What you probably didn’t know is that he literally moves between several works in progress. Actually, with the music blasting, he dances between works. This is because the paper pulp requires time for the work to dry out before adding extra layers, so working on more than one piece at a time makes sense. The dancing is extra.

Preston makes a point of telling our group, dedicated to print making, that he is not a printmaker … that he is the anti-printmaker. But, in his desire to make lines, as in painting or drawing, he went to printmaking. Preston is now using the linocut process to add lines to works he has pulp painted. Starting with a finished pulp painting, he uses transfer paper to duplicate the essential lines of the images in the pulp painting. Those images are then transferred to a linoleum type medium that he then cuts like a linoleum cut. Preston protests that he hates the cutting part, but he seems to do a good job. Once the cut is made, it is carefully lined up with the pulp painting and printed. The result is really exciting; a unique combination of the color and “looseness” of pulp painting with the exactitude of a linoleum cut. He also prints other linocuts on abstract pulp paintings. Many of our members were able to purchase some of these unique works of art.

So what moves this moving man? Love of family. He grew up in South Florida, in a very artistic family. Every member of his family, mom, dad, sister, brother did something creative, played a musical instrument, and/or drew. His work is rich with the brilliant colors of Florida fruits: yellow, red, orange and green. Today, family is still an important source of inspiration. He is currently working on a series of working men; men being strong about what they do. His works are largely autobiographical; he says, to a fault. No one who appreciates Preston’s work believes this. After he is long gone, he hopes that those looking back at the body of his work will see the story, evolution, and pulse that is Preston.

Today, we saw the pulse of Preston Sampson. We also celebrated his birthday with a photo engraved lemon cake with Preston’s likeness; a figurative cake for a figurative painter. Another medium to conquer, icing!