Shadows-on-the-Teche is partnering with the Historic Artists’ Homes and Studios (HAHS), a program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, to continue its celebration of Louisiana art.
Join them on Thurs., July 17 at 5:30 p.m. for Clementine Hunter and Louisiana Folk Art, a conversation with Tom Whitehead, leading expert on Clementine Hunter, and featuring Valerie Balint, Director of HAHS. The event is free to attend and virtual only. Register online to participate in the webinar.
At fifteen years of age, Clementine Hunter, born at Hidden Hill Plantation in 1887, moved with her family to Melrose Plantation (Natchitoches, LA) to sharecrop. She later became a housekeeper and cook at Melrose. While working as a cook, Hunter found discarded paint left behind by a visiting artist at Melrose—a find that would change her life. A self-taught, primitive artist, her distinctive style made her an iconic American folk artist, and her work has been exhibited in museums across the country.
In 1955, at the age of 68, Hunter completed her most famous work, the African House Murals. This series of nine panels depicts the early 20th century landscape and scenes of daily life at Melrose Plantation and are currently on display in the African House. In the 2010s, the African House was accepted into HAHS to tell the story of Clementine Hunter and her art.
Funding for this project has been provided by the State of Louisiana and administered by the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities (LEH). The views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this program do not necessarily represent those of either the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities or the State of Louisiana.
About the Speakers:
Tom Whitehead was a member of the Northwestern State University of Louisiana faculty for 30 years, serving as an associate professor of journalism and director of International Programs. One of the leading experts on Louisiana folk artist Clementine Hunter, Whitehead worked on documentaries and co-authored and edited books about Hunter.
Valerie Balint is the Director for the Historic Artists’ Homes and Studios (HAHS) program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. HAHS is a nation-wide consortium of 44-member sites, that were the home and working studios of American artists. Before HAHS, Balint served at Frederick Church’s Olana, Cherwood, and Frelinghuysen Morris House and Studio. She also served as the New York State coordinator of the Save Outdoor Sculpture program.
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