This time on Art rocks, a library exhibit introducing young people to giants in Central Louisiana's African-American history.

These stories right now on Art rocks.

West Baton Rouge Museum is proud to provide local support for this program on LPB, offering diverse exhibitions throughout the year and programs that showcase art, history, music, and more.

West Baton Rouge Museum culture cultivated.

Accommodations provided by Hotel Bentley and condos in Alexandria, Louisiana.

A hotel steeped in traditions and history since 1908.

More at visit.

Hotel bentley.com.

Art rocks is made possible by the Foundation for Excellence in Louisiana Public Broadcasting and by viewers like you.

Hello, and thank you for joining us for Art rocks with Me.

James Fox Smith from Country Roads magazine.

Today we're off to Alexandria, the central Louisiana city has a population of just over 40,000.

More than 50% of whom are African American.

And the history of the city and its surrounding rapids parish has been profoundly shaped by their accomplishments.

Alexandria artist and retired educator Morris Taft Thomas has joined forces with area artists and with the Rapids Parish Library System to showcase the achievements of Black Alexandrians at Martin Luther King Library, next to Peabody High School.

They've assembled a portrait gallery that introduces some of the city's most accomplished native sons and daughters.

Come on, man.

Potion was trying to get someone to do the work, could bring some impetus to it, and make sure that when individuals came to visit the library, that they could focus on contribution by someone who is skilled in knowledge to bring out that and the being of the individuals who have made a major contribution to society and to this community.

It is designed to inspire people from this community.

Larry David Smith, the thing about Lawrence Smith, one of the most brilliant, unusual young men that I've met.

He was the first Afro-American that served as the warden of Angola Penitentiary.

He has also been well trained and versed in the judicial system.

He worked with several governors.

He brought the first 100 black men to the Baton Rouge area, and their main objective was to try to stop crime and try to work with young people to give them a better chance in life.

They visit schools, they work with them.

They saw him on the streets like talk to them.

They consist of medical doctors, people in education, law enforcement, clergy and all those different individuals.

He brought them together.

He was an honor student at Peabody High School, and he attended school in Baton Rouge, went to Southern University, and, he went on and got advanced degrees.

And he's doing exceptional.

Well, he was the pastor here for 19 years, rose to share in Missionary Baptist Church.

He returned back to Baton Rouge after illness in the family.

And he always was a member of Shiloh, a missionary Baptist church.

He served as associate pastor at Sound of Baptist Church in Baton Rouge.

Amen.

When the one time was born in 1902, he was an author, a poet, an educator, and he was part of the Harlem Renaissance era.

I was very interested when I was presented with the project, and I was given honor, Bontemps to paint James Personnage painted by Carlo.

I know him as doctor personage.

We received several degrees in addition to today in education in biology.

He worked in Baton Rouge at Southern University as a chancellor, at one time also pregnant.

He went to purview at the same credentials and things that he did there as well.

And so he's very versed in the field of education in different venues.

An exceptional man.

He met his homegirl Jewel.

They both had similar credentials, academic good and they were true Academia's about in their question to a person was painted by Edward Bond's jewel, received at our university, and she's the first black female to receive that particular honor.

Their jewel was chairman of the Political Science department at Southern University.

In addition to that, she had a commission to work with President Jimmy Carter.

Carter arrived to do several things involving young women.

Mr.

Oliver Overton is a Peabody graduate.

He also graduated from the Teamsters Labor union.

He was president, I think, local 83, and he retired from there.

And now he is a police juror in the Wrap Peace parish government.

He has been very active with the police jury.

Joseph Anthony Pearson painted Mr.

Overton, I think was West and Tuskegee Airmen planted by Joseph Anthony Pearson.

He did go to school at Tuskegee.

He was in World War two.

He was born in 1914.

Amos Wesley, so he wasn't too concerned about becoming a pilot, but he enjoyed working on the aircrafts.

So that's what he did.

Most of the planes he worked on to work with was, see 59 Mustangs.

They had a red tail putting it, and also the wings were painted.

And the rationale for that, there was not too much trust in the airmen for being black at that time, but they were allowed to serve as escorts for the bomber planes, then World War Two, and finally they proved themselves and allowed to take action in World War Two.

Wesley returned to Alexandria and he worked at Peabody School.

He taught auto mechanics during that time.

Katrina Trina lowered the crown to return the painting by Carl Gable to his over one of the battalions in the state of Louisiana, one of the unique things about her.

She received numerous awards and won for Afghanistan.

She had been over there to have about 13 or 14 major awards to be.

The flag was painted by Carver Peabody.

His school was named for him, not him, but a philanthropist by the name of Peabody donated X number of dollars to the training school that the students were attending at the time the father was born, and of course, Parrish.

His mother, was a slave.

The stepfather adopted him and he was home taught because during that time they stressed education.

He had almost a ju a degree as a kid because they taught him the law as well.

And then when he and his family moved up here, this is when he opened up several schools as well as a newspaper.

Mr.

David Thaxton Iles was painted by Doctor Clarence Talley.

Mr.

Iles was a student of Peabody.

Mr.

Iles left here Alexandria to go to high school at Leland College in Baker, Louisiana.

There he completed high school and continued on to college at Leland College.

He came back to Lansing to get to become a social studies teacher at Peabody High.

After that, he became assistant principal, and after that he became principal, where he stayed for 35 years.

He did have quite a reputation at Peabody High School.

He was responsible for a lot of the academics.

He brought in different classes that we could take that was different from any of the other courses that Peabody had prior.

So we were very proud of Mr.

Hiles.

After his retirement, he went over to his parish school board and subsequently retired from there.

One peel was painting by Calabro.

Warren was probably one of the most productive young kids with a baseball at an early age that you ever seen.

He was fast because he did run track and screw, but you can still read the pictures.

The eyes, etc.. First baseman he would take off.

During his career.

He stole over 690 some bases.

He had experience of working with about six different major teams.

Of course one was the Dodgers.

One of his last contract was over $6.5 million.

Doctor Mel C Ren is a distinguished heart surgeon specialist based in Fairbanks, Alaska.

Joseph Anthony Pearson did the painting of doctor when Doctor Ryan was educated in private and public schools in Rapides Parish, namely Saint James Catholic School, and then graduating with honors from both in high school.

With his focus on cardiac surgery, Doctor Ryan plays a crucial role in providing life saving interventions and improving the overall cardiovascular health of his patients.

Doctor Ryan is recognized as being one of the top surgeons in his field.

Doctor Clarence Talley Senior is a native of Alexandria and a 1969 graduate of Peabody High School.

Doctor Talley is a distinguished artist, earning recognition for his accomplishments, and has made substantial contributions to the rich culture of African American art.

In addition to Doctor Talley being a fine artist, he is also at the senior pastor of Corinth Missionary Baptist Church in Heavenly Hymns.

Still texts that lead to sales grew up in Alexandria.

She attended Peabody High School, all of them are singers that dad can sing and, daddy used to sing as well as Jim was also a singer.

She's very talented.

She like drama and things.

From being a little girl.

She went to Grambling as she pursued a career in that she did exceptionally well.

She prayed Brandy would go, but she had some experience with that and several others.

Major stars.

She also appeared in several sitcoms as well as she was all around individual, well loved.

And as a first class actress, you should accepted.

Well, she died young.

When Mr.

Thomas and Miss Karen Riley Simmons approached me about the possibility of this project, I was incredibly enthusiastic.

I saw the potential, and I saw the opportunities not only to showcase the history and the success of this community, but to give hope and inspiration for the next generation of students who are literally across the parking lot from us.

Libraries are community hubs.

This will be a permanent exhibit.

We are very fortunate to have many very talented and gifted artists, researchers, authors, various individuals who have made significant contributions to society on a regional, state and national level here in our community.

So it's going to be an ongoing exhibition that we anticipate growing in leaps and bounds over the coming months and years and hopefully decades.

If the turnout for the Portrait's unveiling is any indication, the people of Alexandria take pride in their city's legacy of black achievement.

It's estimated that more than 500 came for the unveiling, even though many had to stand and others listened from their cars, where speakers was set up to broadcast the ceremony.

Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen.

I was on an active fundraising.

Service person I do know that.

Thank you for sharing that moment in history with us.

As we celebrate unveiling the 42 original portraits that were painted by six as the last two honors from across the nation, I thank y'all for taking out the time to come today.

Yes, to help us honor the past and inspire the future.

Yes, every one of us in here today and those that couldn't make it were given, is born with the talent that even if you didn't know it, then it was something speaking of you that was brought to life, that was to uplift and encourage the next person.

It's phenomenal.

Honestly, it's just the tumbling leaves me and I lost the words because, you know, you get so much as you just go back to service for the sake of the nation and to see that people that you love a so that you grew up looking up to recognize that effort, it's something that I will just out there with the significant contributions, from all of those that are actually with, Portis who are were selected to be on there.

It brings you back to as a child, you'll be grandparent making sure that you've studied with.

Hey, I'll go back to what you buddy and the reading love on my boss on different local heroes.

And that was you were all and that as a young black child and he's adopting, to be on the wall next to some of them that are that are role models that happen, role models that not only myself like, well, all of us that have grown up in this university, we've been trying to love so many on the blue.

We thank you very.

The individuals who are now standing in front of you are responsible, as I said, for today and for this project going forward.

They, though, were only able to make this possible because of all of you.

They put two feet a long held and long desired commitment from the community and contributions from the community that made today possible in the future possible.

So give yourselves and them a round of applause.

Across Louisiana, museums and galleries are presenting exhibitions that shed new light on our home state.

So here are some notable exhibitions coming soon to museums or galleries near you.

For more on these exhibitions and others, consider Country Road Magazine available in print, online or by e-newsletter.

To watch or rewatch any episode of Art rocks again, just visit lpb.org/art rocks there.

You'll also find all of the Louisiana segments available on LPB YouTube channel.

And now to Cleveland, Ohio to experience the glasswork of Earl James and learn about the process of creating it.

One of Mr.

James's passion project is the annual creation of glass sculptures, which will be presented to recipients of the Annis Field Wolf Book Awards.

The awards honor written works that contribute to better understanding of racism and our appreciation of the rich diversity of human culture.

So first thing is, we put a pipe up to get it nice and warm.

So there's the pipe warmer there, but this is the glory hole here, which is where we do all the reheating.

Once the pipes are ready, we'll go to the furnace and we will gather glass from there.

The temperature in the furnace is somewhere around, I think 1919 50.

This is my third year of making the Nashville Book Awards.

It's fun, but it's also a little bit, you want to impress, you know, and I try to do my best to make something of what they're asking for.

And there's recognition that the writers are getting and, this is a gift.

Just as a reminder, I think, of what they're offering.

So I try not to make some big, impressive thing or something too small, but just something that you can put on a shelf.

But they can also see it as an art piece.

As much as I may engrave something on it, I'd still like it to have something that's attractive to look at.

So that's how I approach it.

And one thing that was mentioned was a little reflection of the cover image or the color on the on the cover, which makes sense.

You know.

So I took it and ran with it.

We'll look inside the book too, and try to find something that speaks to us and say, all right, we'll hit the book cover idea with color and maybe some patterns, but then what else is there that may give it a little bit of, a little bit of us, you know?

I mean, it's my design, it's my look.

But still what I take away from the book a little bit.

I hope somebody can see that.

And and what I put on into the piece.

Color has always been important.

And I felt good about color.

And glass, which is color and light really brings it to life.

It was easy to do it, but if I had to paint something that turns gray so I can't paint, but I can make it work, in my opinion, in my glasswork.

And so I've become more enamored with more forms and simpler lines, not as decorative as surface.

Started with the colors on now.

So a lot of the pieces I start out with I'm a white base.

It's almost like a canvas to work on, so a lot of the colors will pop against it.

And there will speckle and put a little bit of this and that to give it some depth.

So that's what all these splotches of colors are like the book horse, a lot of it the, the face covered sort of a salmon color on the face with a lot of pastoral feel to me when I, when I see it.

And so that's what we're going to be trying to make this time the one that sort of reflects that book.

I feel really good about it.

And I've seen when they receive their gifts, it's almost like they weren't expecting to get something in addition to, their speeches.

They may already and it's on the table.

So but it's always something that they're holding and that's something I made.

And so that part reflects first I made that.

And that person, you know, is holding it.

All right.

Let's find our cool it down so we can find our spots.

So we'll look for a presentation.

Face will flatten opposite that face so that what you're looking at is the side we choose.

So we'll need to cool it down enough to see the colors.

They always look so nice when it's all this orange red glow.

Almost there.

I think we're good.

More.

I was born in Mecca.

I was about ten years old when we moved here to Rochester, New York.

And that's where I grew up.

That's how I got here.

So I went to school at the Cleveland Institute of Art.

Glass was my major with a minor in sculpture.

It was different.

I had never seen glass before, and I saw them making glass in there, and I thought, that is the most amazing thing.

It's it's one of those things that kind of gets your heart racing when you see that fluidity and it's hot, it's almost like watching someone pour bronze or metal, and it's just hot soup that will become something solid.

So it was taking that mass of product or thing and just not forcing it, but just coaxing it into something, you know?

And when they were blowing glass in the paper and the smoke and all that, now it's just beautiful to watch.

I love the material.

I love the process.

I love the, I love the making of it.

People say, you know, they look and it's like, oh my God, that looks so difficult.

And there's something to be said about that.

But in all these craft, it's a skill.

There's a skill base to it, you know that you learn it and you can keep learning it.

I just figured I'd be making work for two of my two.

My days are done, you know, some form or another.

While we're in the area, let's take a visit to the Decorative Arts Center of Ohio to catch an exhibition titled Distinctly Paramount Fashion and Costume from the Paramount Pictures Archive.

A wide assortment of Hollywood garments from both film and television were on display for the public to see, but definitely not to touch.

This collection is something I've never put together before.

There are 75 costumes in this piece, and it is basically a showcase for costumes that were purchased and used on camera, and costumes that were created in a work room, and a lot of times, museums, they don't exhibit the costumes that are purchased, but I think they're just as important as to the designer's sense of style and what they wanted to choose to represent.

The actor or represent the character in the film or television show.

Because we do have television pieces here.

This gallery has all of our black motifs.

So when you first step in here, we have Joan Collins from dynasty.

This was one of the festival costumes that she wore as Queen Elizabeth.

It is a bit taller than Joan Collins, but you still get the drama.

What I love about this is all of these pearls are hand sewn on.

This is not fabric that was already made, all hand sewn.

This gallery is where we have our solids.

This dress was designed by Naim Khan and was worn by Beyonce in the film Dreamgirls.

The costume designer for Dreamgirls was Sharon Davis, and Sharon did a remarkable job on the costumes, but this dress was worn in the very final scenes of the film.

This exhibit took me approximately a year and a half to really assemble because I added, I subtracted, I added again, I subtracted more, and I, I was heavily influenced by the Bill Cunningham Coffee table book, which documents from the 1960s through the 2000s, and Bill Cunningham, if you're not familiar with him, wrote his bicycle around other New York or Paris, taking candid photographs and in doing so of people just in their wardrobe.

Welcome to the lower level of the Decorative Arts Center of Ohio.

And down here we have a very small but important exhibit of elements from the film Rocket Man.

Now Rocket Man, the costume designer was Julian Day.

And of course, if you don't know, it's about Elton John.

So we'll start with this pair of ankle boots.

And these were worn by Taron, who played Elton John.

Now there is a whole story and a whole thought process behind these boots.

He wore these boots during the number Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, which of course is about the Wizard of Oz.

So his blue suit represented Dorothy, his silver shirt represented the Tin Man.

He was wearing a faux fur coat which represented the lion, and he was wearing a straw fedora which represented the scarecrow.

These shoes are Swarovski crystals, all of them.

And these are beautiful.

Of course, they represent the ruby red slippers.

I want people to take away from this a appreciation for the work and the thought that goes into costuming a film, not just the work from the workroom, but even on the pieces that are purchased.

The thought that goes into purchasing that piece, and how that expresses the character and defines the character that they are being worn by, whether it's a big party scene and it's a party dress or whether it's a blouse.

And I think people will get that going through here.

And seeing the wide variety of pieces we have in the exhibit.

And that is that for this edition of Art rocks.

Don't worry, though, more episodes of the show are always available online at LPB.

Morgan Art rocks!

And if you love discovering stories like these.

Country Roads Magazine makes a useful guide for learning what's taking shape in Louisiana's cultural life all across the state.

Until next week, I've been James Fox Smith and thank you for watching.

West Baton Rouge Museum is proud to provide local support for this program on LPB.

Offering diverse exhibitions throughout the year and programs that showcase art, history, music, and more, West Baton Rouge Museum culture cultivated accommodations provided by Hotel Bentley and condos in Alexandria, Louisiana.

A hotel steeped in traditions and history.

Since 1908.

More at visit.

Hotel bentley.com.

Art rocks is made possible by the Foundation for Excellence in Louisiana Public Broadcasting and by viewers like you.