Indianapolis Recorder, Indianapolis, Marion County, 8 January 1999 — Page 16

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THE INDIANAPOLIS RECORDER

FRIDAY, JANUARY 8,1909

r^- INDY r ,-, ^ Continued from Cl

work was being taken seriously Renaissance had.

and treated with respect. I watched Members of Indy Renaissance the people walking through the had to come to the realization that gallery and everybody was silent, they did indeed have an impact. As in awe. Everyone was very fo- they began to participate in more cused on the artist’s works. There exhibits and competitions, their was a broad appeal. We had ex- association with the group identiamples of artists of color. It was fled them as respected artists. It the first time that I saw there were became almost like a “credit check” artists that had that kind of public to some organizations. And with appeal and respect. At the Tanner much success, comes challenges, exhibit, I saw a man whose work Despite the wonderful concept, was highly respected and there was the camaraderie, and the phenomenough of his work to be presented enal growth in the development of in a formal, major institution, the group, the power struggles that Those trips helped us not to loose were evident even in the beginning sight of our heritage. Before that, began to tear away at the very fabthere were not those kinds of role ric of the organization. There were models accessible to us. We were perceptive differences. Profesoperating very separately, until we sional vs. self-taught. Formal vs.

got into a group.”

The concept began to gel. The

grass roots. To be for profit or not for profit. Indy Renaissance began

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Ignore chest pain and it’ll go away.

artists were inspired. They began to unravel creating local exhibits for artists in “We were getting too big,” said their own community. By the end Radford. “We were successful in of that year. Indy Renaissance had doing a lot of things. The gatherin place a core group of artists and ings, the trips, just about everyarts supporters ready to launch into thing we did. People started net1992 with plans for the whble Af- working and working together on rican-American arts community to different projects. In the growth enjoy and benefit from. Their mis- process, everybody just got busy, sion was to support and encourage Everybody’s careers started taking

African-American artists,‘To rec- off.”

ognize that art is life, and the Afri- Denise Bates, a former mem-can-American artist is an integral ber, gave a reflective overview. “I part. As a networking entity, we remember seeing so much potenwil| strive, tp maintain focused in tial in the group. I saw it being our mission and educate the com- more than it actually was. And that munity about our works.” was a problem in my own percepOn January 25,1992, Indy Re- tion. Ithoughtthateveryonewanted naissance held an Artists oatner- Indy Renaissance to be what I ing at the Studio on 30th & New wanted it to be: this awesome grass Jersey. African Americans repre- roots artists-based support network senting all the components of the that was grounded in the commuartisticcommunity in Indianapolis nity and would become an um- 1 came together that evening for fel- brellaforstrugglingartist’sendeavlowship and sharing of ideas. The ors. I saw Indy Renaissance proenergy was unmistakable. “We got pelling careers and gaining respect a real good response,” said Pat. from the community by educating “We had to get extra chairs. Not the community about die value of only visual artists, we attracted African - American art. I took the actors, musicians, dancers, and mission statement to heart but did fashion designers. It was such a not factor in the basic premise of success. It was fabulous!" the group: they simply wanted to From that point on, Indy Re- support each other professionally naissance became a merging force and socially. My regrets are few; in the IndianapotaMapana. From. .however, I learned sP ’ffltlch from their newslettere,’ijllrips to dm ^jMfexperience^WWJ it dfrf^nNational Black Aj| Festival ^ ff&ifted my cbmpassion for my felAtlanta, they ware becoming low artists. I wouldn’t have traded known not only asm social group that for anything in the world.” for artists, but as|a networking “It served its purpose,” says entity to arts orguni^ltions through- Radford. “I think we were very out the state. An infio-hotline with successful. I didn’t expect for it to information about ats events and go on as long as it did. Matter of performances going on in the city fact, the name is still out there, was created for the community to People are still calling me and asktap into. There was even support ing what Indy Renaissance is do-

from Arts Midwest, who in 1993, ing.”

encouraged members of Indy Re- Looking back, Skelton main- . naissance to attend their Cultural tains that the experience of getting Dialogue Conference in Milwau- to know each artist intimately was kee. Other institutions and organi- a good one. He felt the group suczations saw the group as the voice ceeded in being a support group of the African - American ardsts’ and networking with one another, community in Indianapolis. Will- as well as utilizing each other’s iam Taylor, a professor at IUPUI’s resources. He feels that he and Tony Dept of Black Hist*ry became a were largely responsible for the mentor and adviser: Bing Davis, raised consciousness of the artists head of the Art Department atden- in the Indianapolis community, tral State in Wilberforce, Ohio be- AH those involved in the arts came a valued supporter and close “phenomenon” of the ‘90’s seemed confidant to the group. There was to be touched by its existence. It financial and professional support was a journey of creativity, awarefrom organizations such as the In- ness, and growth. It continues to diana Arts Commission, the India- live in the hearts of several of artnapolis Art Center, Indiana Black ists in Indianapolis, and in arts supExpo, the Indianapolis Recorder porters equally. Judging from their Women’s Auxiliary, and the In- memoirs, Indy Renaissance still . dianapolis Marion County Public lingers on with a question: What

Library. All began to see the enor- if? mous amount of potential Indy

Comedian Steve Harvey, actreea Lynn Whitfield, and ainger Ce Ce Winana will co-hoat the 14th annual Stellar Awarda in Atlanta, on Jan. 9. The awarda ceremony will center around Dr. Martin Luther King’s Birthday and Black Hiatory Month. Gospel legend Thomas Whitfield will be awarded the prestigious James Cleveland Award for hie \J extraordinary contributions to gospel music. The awarda presentation wiN air from Jan. 10-Feb. 14. A portion of the proceeds will go to the African-American Panoramic Experience (APEX), a mueeum In Adantathatshareelhertch and often untold history of

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