Wednesday, January 31, 2001
|
Wednesday, January 31, 2001 |
| Gilbert
Young honored as Artist of The Month at Barnes and Noble in Fayetteville
By MICHAEL
BOYLAN Though you may not know it, you have seen Gilbert Young's artwork. In 1999, he was commissioned to create an image for Bellsouth's Black History Month ad campaign. His painting, "The Drum," appeared in publications all around the world and was named Advertising Image of The Week in January 1999 by Advertising Age magazine. His images also have appeared in regional magazines and newspapers as well as on t-shirts and in more than 5,000 galleries in Canada, England and the United States. Young, now a Fayette County resident, is the Artist of the Month at Barnes and Noble in Fayetteville. He has loaned some of his work to the store for the month and will be speaking and demonstrating his talents at the store Feb. 1 at 7 p.m. Young was born in Cincinatti, Ohio in 1941. By the age of 6, he had a passion for drawing and a desire to be a rich and famous artist when he grew up. He honed his skills over the years at the Cincinatti Art Academy and the University of Cincinatti. He also got conservation training from Byron Adams and became the conservator and director of the University of Cincinatti fine arts collections. He is probably best known for the piece "He Ain't Heavy," which depicts a man hanging over a wall trying to grasp the hand of a man that is falling. His work has also been featured in televison programs and feature films, including "Don King," "Friday" and "A Different World." Shortly after moving to the metro Atlanta area in 1995, Young was named artistic director and supervising judge for "Paint Pals," an international Olympic youth art competition and exhibition. In 1996, he represented the United States and The Atlanta Project in St. Petersburg, Russia as the artistic director of "Paint Pals" to honor eight students from eight countries. Young has shown that type of dedication to art and noble humanitarian efforts throughout his career. He has donated his images and illustrations to more than 1,000 nonprofit programs and projects. "My objective is to illustrate ethnic life as a positive form in matrimony with all mankind," said Young. "Each work is a personal and intimate involvement with the subject." He was commissioned by Proctor and Gamble to design the "Salute To Greatness Award" annually presented by Coretta Scott King and the King Center. Last year, Young was named artist-in-residence to the Mary McLeod Bethune Family Legacy Foundation. He also began work on a calendar, which will be released in October, and a Web site, gilbertyoungart.com, which will be launched soon. The reception for Gilbert Young is sponsored by The Colorful Arts Society. |
