On the grounds of LaGrange College is the Lamar Dodd Art Center. LaGrange College is the oldest private college in Georgia, and when it was founded in 1831, it was a female educational institution. Now co-ed, it is a lovely campus with majestic trees, and an overall Ivy League presence.

Lamar Dodd Art Center

Started my visit to LaGrange with this Art Center. Wondered why the museum opened at 8:30 a.m., only to find this building doubles for classrooms. Enjoyed visiting with their new Director, and learning of the collection.

What a find this museum was and free!.

Did a bit of research after visiting this Museum, and found Dodson to be fascinating. Born in LaGrange, he took art classes at the then female university at 12 years of age. From there he studied in Alabama, and later New York. While he always had a love of the South his work he extended, and grew into the abstract as he matured.

Interesting comment as this man did search. After New York he returned South becoming the Artist in Residence at the University of Georgia at Athens. There he unified the art program, and created a Masters Degree Program. This program remains nationally prominent. In 1950, he ,traveled the world as a cultural emissary for the State Department, and when NASA called he worked for them creating many intriguing works.

Dodd gifted LaGrange College with several of his works. Above, Birds, 1964, and Thoughts of a City, 1953.

Some other works at the Museum.

And speaking of unsaid, early in this writing mentioned the Museum doubled as classroom space.

Here are the classrooms where future works are birthed.

Quite a visit.