By Remy McCool/south news editor
Student Charles Gray’s art is currently being displayed through March 16 in the Jenkins Garrett Library on South Campus.
He dedicated his watercolor paintings to famous historic figures that paved the way for African-Americans. His paintings include portraits of Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, Frederick Douglass and many more.
Gray has been drawing since he was a young child. However, it wasn’t until 2006 while attending TCC and meeting Joshua Goode, art assistant professor, that he realized the talent he possessed and began taking art seriously. He only began painting two years ago.
“When I first met Josh Goode, he told me I actually had the capability to be good,” he said.
Gray was motivated to create this series of paintings to help raise money to travel to the Molzberger Academy of Fine Art in Germany this summer.
“They are going to have a four-week live-in class situation,” he said. “You live with your professors and are constantly prodded and poked about what to work on and do better,” he said.
While there, students will stay in a renovated barn and explore the history surrounding the property. They will learn of the people who once occupied the area and the struggles they faced.
“They will be talking about Germans who were oppressed and different historical backgrounds that will help us build a background on our work as we take our work there,” he said.
Gray related the struggles Germans once faced with the ones subjected to African-Americans.
“Kind of like the struggle with Black History Month, some people were oppressed and the struggles they went through and the things they latched onto to get through those particular times,” he said.
He found it interesting that historically when African-Americans were faced with difficult times, they would lean on more positive and productive things.
“In some circumstances, they would lean on comedies and terms of endearment as opposed to retaliating,” he said. “They would sing a song or make a play about it.”
He would love to one day make a living from his art but also sees himself becoming a professor. Goode is impressed with Gray’s abilities.
“Charles Gray is one of the most talented and dedicated students I have had the privilege to know and work with,” he said.
Gray’s art is available for purchase.
