Visited this Art Center today and enjoyed the works of children as well as seniors. Let’s start with the seniors and go backward. All the art was done by local folks and inspiring.
The Senior Collection – the Art Center has a Quilting By the Lake summer event and several of the wall hangings were quilted pieces.
The Center gives many classes and painting is one of their workshops.
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!.
Lamar Dodson (1909-1996)
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.
Moon, Fall 1971. Eerie, isn’t it?
Quite an individual.
Some other works at the Museum.
Hot Shot by Robert Rauschenberg, 1983Student work, Ronnie Gagnon, 1994, Untitled. Really liked this.
And speaking of unsaid, early in this writing mentioned the Museum doubled as classroom space.
Here are the classrooms where future works are birthed.
The last 10 years of Andy Warhol’s life was his most proliferative creating greater than half of his works during this time. These works depict cultural events, celebrities, cowboys, and Native Americans. The works are known as his Myths Collection.
Let’s check out a few:
Superman
Superman was AW’s idol from 8 years of age. The tale of Clark Kent intrigued the young boy plagued with the debilitating St. Vitus’ Dance.
Santa Claus
An enormous fan of Christmas, his Santa Claus portrayal. In his early days as a NYC commercial artist he was often involved in Christmas decorating.
Mammy
Hattie McDaniel was the first black actress to win an Academy Award. She won for her role as Mammy in Gone With the Wind in 1940. She was unable to accept the award as the ceremony was held in a white only theater.
“Beyond Travesty,” author comment…
Uncle Sam
Theodore Roosevelt
The Napkin
Warhol was a generous to those who requested his autograph. Often he added doodles on whatever was available. Many times it was a napkin. Here is one of his gifts.
Young Retiree Needs a Life 