Dr. Myrtle Glascoe - My Beginning

Awhile back I wrote a tribute to one of my art mentors, Dr. Leo Twiggs. In that post I wrote about our first meeting in my apartment when he curated my first real exhibition at the Halsey Gallery on the College of Charleston's campus. I briefly mentioned that the exhibit was a part of the opening celebration of the Avery Research Center, which at that time was under the leadership and guidance of Dr. Myrtle Glascoe. It has often become cliche to state that 'this thing, event or person' changed one's life, but in this case, cliche is fact. That cliche was Dr. Myrtle Glascoe.

 

Dr. Myrtle Glascoe

In 1990, I worked at an art gallery one block from the College of Charleston and was in the earliest phase of pursuing an art career. I had little to no direction and was doing what every early artist does, trying different styles and pursuing sales in any medium you thought the public would glom onto. I was exhibiting some art at the gallery where I worked, but was growing dissatisfied with the resultant work and was desperately trying to find a voice to call my own. There were a few pieces that I was playing around with that would eventually morph into my current visual state, but I couldn't see it at the time.

Fate would show up in the form of Beki Crowell, another local artist that had a vision for the disenfranchised mass of artists seeking to show their work and legitimize themselves in the Charleston art market. Beki envisioned an exhibition called 'Freedom Space' and enlisted my help in putting that together. The idea was to rent a space and invite any and all artists to display their work. No one would be turned down and guaranteed at least 2 works would be exhibited (dependent on size constraints). I had two works of art in that exhibition.

Dr. Glascoe was organizing an exhibit, curated by Dr. Twiggs, as part of the opening festivities of Avery. There were to be 5 artists exhibiting and 4 of international renown had already been selected. She was on the lookout for a local artist to join the fray and stumbled upon 'Freedom Space' and chose my work to be a part of the exhibition. I received a phone call from her in which she outlined the exhibit and asked to meet with me in her office a few days later.

On occasion, I had seen Dr. Glascoe on the campus and at a few events, but had never met her and couldn't place the name with the face. From those earlier sightings I had quickly surmised in a single glance that she was a woman of deep substance. She carried that 'no nonsense' aura one associates with people of great intellect and purpose - the kind you didn't approach lest you waste their time with your foolish prattling - and if introduced, you immediately know that it was best that you to kept your mouth shut and offer only the most fleeting of responses to any questions tossed your way. I imagine I would react the same way today upon meeting Toni Morrison or Maya Angelou. In a word, the woman scared the hell out of me.

I knocked on Dr. Glascoe's door with the bravado and arrogance of youth. After all, hadn't she been so impressed with my art that she had chosen me to display with this so-called international cast of characters? The moment I entered and saw her seated behind the desk, the wind left my sails. She glanced up at me over her reading glasses and motioned for me to sit in a chair opposite her desk, then continued to read and pen notes on a document that was clearly more important than my visit. This simple act reinforced my fear of the woman and I sat straight backed like a fourth grader in the Principal's office and tried not to fidget while she worked. I sat there for what seemed like a lifetime until she afforded me her attention. She told me about the exhibition and the history of Avery Normal, then informed me that Dr. Leo Twiggs, the curator, would call and stop by my 'studio' (I was too embarrassed to tell her that I didn't have a studio and worked in my livingroom) to select works for the exhibition. I was so green at the time I had no idea that 'curators' were in charge of exhibits and selected or commissioned works for display. 

I wrote about that painful visit with Dr. Twiggs earlier. It can be read by clicking here.

The day after Dr. Twiggs left, I met Dr. Glascoe outside the entrance to the Halsey Gallery to deliver my art. While she was unlocking the door, I looked through the glass entrance and was humbled and floored by one vision - an immense work of art by Tarleton Blackwell titled  'Green Dragon 1'. The massive triptych looked like it was moving before my very eyes. I had never seen anything that intense in my life and knew at once that I was in above my head. His work dominated the first floor of the gallery. My work was to be hung on the second floor and upon arrival, what little dignity I had left was mocked into submission by the sculptural work of Winston Wingo, hand dyed and woven silk garments by Carol Anderson and the multi-color woodcuts of Bahamian, Maxwell Taylor. I literally felt weak and sick and wanted to cry. My art was a sad joke compared to these artists and I wanted to run and hide. If I could have pulled out of the exhibit I would have. What a fool I had been to believe that I had the goods or ability to display in the same space as these artists! Dr. Glascoe glanced at me and saw my distress. She edged closer, hugged me around the waist and patted my back. I remember telling her that I didn't belong here and asking her why? She told me words that I have never forgotten to this day: 

"I see something in you, young man. You have the potential to become a great artist one day, but you must start taking your art more seriously. Maybe this will give you the incentive to study harder and apply yourself."

The rest of that afternoon was a blur. I remember going home (what a long drive that was), crawling in bed and putting the pillow over my head, wondering if I should even bother to show up at the opening. I did. I found a corner and remained there, trying not be noticed while watching Tarleton Blackwell hold court with his many admirers. I wanted to say something to him but was too afraid to approach him lest he find out that I was the artist who ruined the exhibit by putting my crap on the walls. I revered the man and it would take 5 years before I had the courage to speak to him during a group exhibition at SC State College.

Dr. Glascoe's call to arms did not go unheeded. In the following months I destroyed nearly all of the decorative work I had previously created and embarked upon the path of discovery outlined by her and Dr. Twiggs. Since I never went to art school, I picked up every book I could find and read the biographies of many artists - my favorites being Aaron Douglas, William Johnson, Warhol, Matisse and Modigliani. I was not concerned with the how of their art, but by the why. Why did they do what they did? What were they trying to convey in their work and how had their lives and experiences influenced and informed their art? I turned my back on the commercial art market and took the road less traveled which has brought me to where I am today. It has not been a financially successful journey, but creatively, it has yielded riches and I wouldn't trade the journey for anything. This is where I belong and if I remain true to the art it will all work out. I believe that.

I lost track of Dr. Glascoe sometime in the mid 90's when she moved to the Midwest and I to Los Angeles to write for television. We reconnected last year at the funeral of Charleston's legendary jazz enthusiast, Jack McCray. She's moving a bit slower these days but the intensity and intellect remains, now equaled by the respect and depth of gratitude I owe this woman who singularly pulled me from obscurity and set my feet on the path. My heart rose and skipped a beat when I saw her at the panel discussion for my current exhibit. I will cherish the photo above and have it framed - not for the sake of reminiscence - but as a reminder that within each of us resides an opportunity to encourage and challenge the potential we see in others, and in doing so, perhaps change the course of a misdirected life for the better. Thank you, Dr. Myrtle Glascoe. 

AAA Monday's - Dr. Leo Twiggs

I'm starting something new on Monday's that from henceforth shall be called 'Triple-A Monday's'. Triple A may stand for 'African American Artist' but I will not confine myself to that narrow scope. The goal is to tell you about artists of all persuasions that I hold personally responsible for turning me into the caustic bastard I have become ;-). Many of them have not only had a tremendous impact on the look and feel of my art, but my approach to it as well. I never went to art school, instead, I've simply picked up what little I know about artists and movements in art from the occasional library book. I scrolled through until I saw something that compelled me to stop and started reading. I've charted many names over the years. Some I have explored thoroughly, others remain on my periphery so I will be educating you while I educate myself as I write about their impact on me and my experiences with them.

Many of the artists I will mention, I am blessed to know personally. Often time there is a tendency to set our gaze upon distant wonders and thus overlook the beauty which surrounds us on a daily basis. I try not to do that. Im not a star-fucker and I certainly don't need art historians and critics to tell me who the badasses are. I know them when I see them. The world is filled with garage artists who have never seen the inside of a New York art gallery or museum, but are nonetheless art studs. My lead off artist doesn't fall into the later category. He's a stud that has not only been around the block, but owns a few condo's on it....Dr. Leo Twiggs.

Dr. Leo Twiggs

I selected Dr. Twiggs first for two reasons (forgive me, but I revere this man so much I can't bring myself to call him 'Doc' or 'Leo' even in print). 1) He has yet another exhibition opening next week at the Sumter Gallery of Art (along with Tyrone Geter), and 2) It can said that by extension, he discovered me.

Let's quickly put this man in personal perspective. He has had twice the number of one-man exhibits than I have been exhibited! I first met Dr. Twiggs in 1990. He was curating an exhibit at the Halsey Gallery on the campus of the College of Charleston titled 'Diversity and Directions. I was 1 of 5 artists selected to show my work to celebrate the opening of the Avery Institute for African American Studies. I was so new to art that I didn't even know what an art curator was or what they did (stop laughing!).

The first director of the Avery Institute was a venerable scholar named Dr. Myrtle Glascoe. She wanted to have local representation in the exhibit since the other 4 artists were internationally recognized. She saw my work in a hastily organized show of underground artists (my very first exhibit) and called me into her office. I don't have a picture of her but we all know a Dr. Glascoe. She's the instructor/teacher/professor that wears grace like a tiara and commands so much authority and respect in one look that the most hardened of thugs straighten their backs when she enters the room. She told me that she had selected me to represent Charleston in the exhibit and the curator, some dude named Dr. Twiggs, would be visiting soon to select works to display (so that's what a curator does!).

A week later, Dr. Twiggs knocked on my door and my art life would never be the same. He pulled a chair from my dining room table, drank the only thing I had to offer (a 16oz. can of Schlitz Malt Liquor) and said, "Alright, let's see what you got." I proudly paraded out all of the work that I thought was good (I was into the decorative stuff at that time and after all, this old guy had never seen my heat!), only to be met with tired and disappointed stares. When the work ran out (quickly - I had only been painting a couple years), the only thing I had left to show was a couple pieces that I was playing around with and he immediately brightened. "Now we're talking." (Huh - this crap?) He selected two pieces for the exhibit and offered a hurtful assessment of my other efforts.

"This," he said referencing the work he had just selected, "is the direction you should head in. 

All of this other stuff you've shown me is foolishness. Hopefully, you'll soon grow out of that." And with that, he thanked me for the beer, told me where to deliver my art and left, leaving me to wonder who the hell was this man that he could call my art 'foolishness'?

The next day I delivered my art to the gallery and in one glance at the other work that was already hung, Dr. Twiggs assessment of my work was not only correct, it was prophetic. Staring back at me were monumental oils by Tarleton Blackwell, foundry cast sculptures by Winston Wingo, hand woven and dyed silks by Carol Anderson and multi-colored woodcuts by Maxwell Taylor. On that fateful afternoon the arrogance of youth left me standing at the altar without so much as a note. My work was so bad by comparison that I found a corner to stand in at the opening and remained there all night. To add insult to devastation, my name wasn't even mentioned in the art review! I was embarrassed to the point of tears. For the next week I was so depressed that I destroyed every piece of art I had and eventually quit painting for the next year until I came to grips with what had to be done if I ever wanted to be on that level. It's been an on-going journey since then, but it was Dr. Twiggs who opened the door by slamming my head against it, then pointed the way to the path that has no end.

I have come to know the man better over the years and every time I was in Orangeburg, SC, made it a point to stop by SC State University and sit with him until he retired a decade ago. I try to never miss an opportunity to hear his talks, see him or view his art (I regrettably will not be able to attend his opening in Sumter on September 2nd). Before the year is out, I will make it a point to call and see if I can spend a few hours with him in his studio where he still creates art. There are some artists that you admire and eventually grow to the point that they consider you a 'peer'. I don't care if I live to be 200 years old and have a solo exhibition at the Louvre, Dr. Twiggs will not only remain the brightest of lights on my horizon, but in my minds eyethe distance between us will never close.

A link to his website can be found by clicking on his name under his picture. I urge all to take a look at and study the work of this unique force in art.

BIO: Leo Twiggs, from Orangeburg, is widely seen as the country’s main pioneer of batik as a modern art form. He is among the most important South Carolina artists since the 1960s. His art is about subjects, topics, issues and people close to his Southern upbringing. But through familiar specifics, Twiggs addresses broader themes, including race, black culture, politics and relationships between generations. He does so through modern imagery and narrative scenes that seldom are straightforward snapshots but abstracted, symbolic tableaus dominated by shapes, lines and fields of color. By the 1970s, Twiggs’ national reputation resulted in a several solo shows in the Northeast, including at New York’s Studio Museum in Harlem. He also has been in group shows featuring the country’s most famous African-American artists, including Jacob Lawrence and Romare Bearden. His career retrospective, organized by the Georgia Museum of Art, from 2004 to 2006 traveled to several venues, including the South Carolina State Museum. Twiggs’ work is in all prominent South Carolina museums, including the Greenville County Museum of Art. He was the first person to receive as an individual South Carolina’s highest art award, the Elizabeth O’Neil Verner Governor’s Award for the Arts. 

Targeted Man - Emerging (2009)
Batik on Cotton

13 1/2"  x 10 1/2"