By Kathy Collins
To celebrate Black History Month, the SouthShore Regional Library in Ruskin is offering a special one man exhibit featuring the artwork of renowned artist, Arthur Dillard. On Thursday, January 14 from 6:30-7:30 p.m. you can come to the library and meet and hear Dillard as he gives a lecture on The Art of Collecting African American Art and All Types of Art.
This is a special opportunity to meet an acclaimed artist who has been selected by First Lady Ann Scott to be the featured artist in Florida’s celebration of Black History Month 2016. She also selected his piece Welcome Home as her favorite piece. Dillard’s art can be seen at the Museum of Florida History located in the RA Gray Building, 500 S. Bronough St. in Tallahassee.
Laurie Burhop, the Art Coordinator for the SouthShore Regional Library said, “I have always wanted to do something during February for Black History month. Arthur’s subject matter in his paintings are African Americans. His paintings are very expressive and tell a story through their expressions and the locations. His work has been shown in galleries and museums in Florida, Georgia, Virginia and Pennsylvania.”
Dillard is an experienced lecturer having given lectures on collecting African American Art at Tuskegee University in Tuskegee, AL, Bethune Cookman University, Daytona Beach and State College of Florida in Bradenton.
According to Burhop, it is important to have exhibits such as this.
“Libraries are educational and community facilities for people to learn and congregate. I think the more people know about each other and their backgrounds and their differences, the better off all of us are in society.”
Dillard’s exhibit will be on view at the SouthShore Regional Library, located at 15816 Beth Shields Way in Ruskin, during the months of January and February. For more information, contact Burhop at 672-1155. To learn more about Dillard, visit www.arthurdillardart.com.
