Artist’s work captures imagery of slavery

An exhibition of African-American artist Joseph Holston’s paintings will go up at the Amarillo Museum of Art on Nov. 6.

Holston’s exhibit, Color in Freedom — Journey along the Underground Railroad, will hang in the museum until January 17. The artist will give a gallery talk at 6:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 13, according to Erin Holland with the museum.

During the evening, jazz singer Fransetta Mitchell Crow will portray Harriet Tubman, an abolitionist who, after escaping from slavery using the Underground Railroad, worked to rescue more than 70 more slaves. Crow will sing several spirituals from the period.

On Thursday, Nov. 19, at the museum’s regular Third Thursday. Guy C. Vanderpool, executive director of the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum, will speak on the history of the Underground Railroad. Jim Laughlin and his jazz ensemble will provide the music.

Also on view will be an exhibition – The Quilt Code – from the collection of Helen Neal. Quilts were used along the Underground Railroad as a signal to escaping slaves.

The exhibit is divided into four stages and leads the viewer along the chronology of those who passed from slavery in the South to freedom in the North. The first stage is Arrival in the Unknown World followed by Living in Bondage – Life on the Plantation, The Journey of Escape, and Color in Freedom.

The Amarillo Museum of Art is offering educational programs for local and area schools in conjunction with the exhibit, including visits with the artist.

The museum also will have an interactive Web site on the exhibition at www.amarilloart.org. A reading list on American history covering the period will be available at both the museum and Amarillo Public Libraries.

Call the museum at 371-5050 for hours. Admission is free.

The museum is located at 2200 South Van Buren on the Amarillo College campus.