Wednesday, July 15, 5PM: FREEDOM SONGS: ARTIST TALK with KEVIN BLYTHE SAMPSON.
Wednesday, July 15, 5PM In this virtual talk, Kevin Sampson, a featured artist in the Mariposa Museum’s exhibit Freedom Songs will discuss his interactive, found object assemblage being created at the Union Chapel from July 12-19th. Kevin will create a sculpture incorporating objects found on the Vineyard or donated by the community. Its theme will be The Legend of the Flying Africans from African American oral history. In the sculpture, the Flying Africans will become a metaphor for the #Black Lives Matter movement, powered by youth who can no longer accept the failings of a society they are to inherit. Like the Igbos in the legend, they will don wings and sail toward change and a home offering a better future and new normal. Objects from the community as well as found objects, will be used (disinfect prior, please).
Kevin Sampson is a found object assemblage artist from Ironbound, NJ. Raised in a civil rights family, his first career as a police detective in Newark gave him “a unique perspective on the human condition.”
Admission is free. Email tthorpe@clamsnet.org to sign up and get the Zoom invitation. The program is sponsored by the Friends of the Chilmark Public Library. For more information, please call 508-645-3360.
Kevin
Blythe Sampson, 64, is a sculptor, painter, Muralist that is recognized
for tackling difficult issues that concern him and his Newark, N.J.,
neighbors.
Kevin Blythe Sampson was born in Elizabeth NJ on November the 28th
1954. He is a product of growing up in a household that was totally
committed to civil rights and community concerns, and this continues to
be a recurring theme in his work. Kevin considers himself to be a “we
shall over come Baby.”
Kevin’s father, Stephen Sampson (deceased) was a community leader in
both Elizabeth New jersey and in other parts of the state; He is Kevin’s
most important role model. Stephen Sampson remained a community leader
for over 60 years until his death, in 2005. The City of Elizabeth
honored Kevin’s Father by naming the new senior citizen complex the
“Stephen Sampson Senior Center.”
Kevin Sampson grew up in house hold where many of the local marches
were planned and many national leaders would meet with his father. They
included Ruby Dee, William Kunsler, Malcolm X, Dick Gregory, Robert
Ferris Thompson, Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm and many more. This had a
strong effect on both Kevin’s Art and his life
Kevin became a police officer-Detective for the city of Scotch Plains
New Jersey where he served for over 20 years. He is the first African
American Uniformed Composite sketch Artist in The country. He received
numerous commendations for his work as both a police composite artist
and a detective including the 200 clubs medal of valor, (for saving a
life).
He took an early retirement after the death of both his wife and an infant son, in separate illnesses.
Kevin and his two young children who had lived in Englishtown NJ for
seven years now moved to the (ironbound section) of Newark New Jersey
were he has lived for over 25 years.
Kevin was offered a teaching position at the Newark school of fine
and industrial art where he taught (Airbrushing Tech’s and 3 dimensional
Design) for over 16 years until the schools closing in 1995. Kevin also
attended Lincoln University Pa, for two years, Parson School of Design
(two years) and is a graduate of the Newark School of fine and
industrial art. Kevin has continued teaching at various art schools and
community programs, including currently running workshops at Express
Newark, Rutgers Paul Robeson Gallery.
Kevin has been a gallery artist with Cavin-Morris gallery N.Y, N.Y since 1992
He is a mentor to many of Newark youths and has assistant a whole
crop of young artist in obtaining admissions into the various art
schools in the metro area. Kevin was successfully walked over ten young
people into and through various Art schools in New York.
His work is in numerous collections including several museums. He is a
past artist in residence at the Cathedral of St John the Divine and
maintains a close friendship with his Mentor (the Retired Dean of the
Cathedral) the Very reverend James parks Morton.
Kevin has received the Maria Walsh Sharp foundations residency and
the Joan Mitchell artist grant, as well as awards from various art
councils throughout the state. He has also received a 2017 residency at
the Joan Mitchell Center in Nola, and a residency at the John Michael
Kohler Foundations Arts and Industry Program. And the inaugural
residency at the Mystic Seaport Museum 2018.
Over the course of the past three few years Kevin and his “Crew” have
completed over five murals with the City of Newark’s, ”City Mural
Program”. Including the Mural for this year Outsider Art Fair 2018, NY,
NY.
Kevin was recently selected as “100 People in Newark, by the 100 People foundation.
Kevin recently did the voice over for an upcoming appearance on the
PBS children’s Cartoon “Arthur”. He was turned into a cartoon and will
play himself in the segment. Mystic
Seaport Museum, Conn The USS Kye Kye Kule, 15 feet by 4′ wide by 6′
high 2018. Found objects, rope, ancient bottles, and materials collected
on the grounds of the Mystic Seaport Museum.The Kron-Printzen 3′ long by 18 wide by 3′ high 2017 found objects, acrylic paint, stain, wood and cement
The second
floor of the Newark apartment that Kevin Sampson, 61, shares with his
34-year-old son is crammed with the intricate, inventive sculptures
created by the former Scotch Plains, N.J., cop and self-taught artist.
He’s
represented by the Calvin Morris Gallery in Chelsea and sells his works
for $5,000 to $20,000 apiece. Sampson says he’s lucky if he makes
$10,000 a year from art. His $25,000 early-retirement pension pays the
rent, and a teaching-artist position at the Rutgers University Paul
Robeson Gallery pays for his food.
Rent costs
Sampson $1,100 a month, which is cheaper than it could be, but the
landlord—who runs a window-making shop around the corner where Sampson
works when he’s hard up for cash—“protects me,” Sampson said.
He is
considered the leader of a small group of older artists in Newark trying
to hang on as an influx of younger artists flee the high prices of
Manhattan and Brooklyn, in turn driving up rents in New Jersey’s biggest
city.
“Newark is
a mess,” he said. “We need new people, but I want to make sure that the
artists who stayed here when nobody wanted Newark don’t get lost in the
shuffle—that our legacy continues. I’m like the ringleader, raising
hell.”
Kevin
Blythe Sampson, 64, is a sculptor, painter, Muralist that is recognized
for tackling difficult issues that concern him and his Newark, N.J.,
neighbors.
