By Mike Hutchens, UC Schools Communications Director
Union City, Tenn.–Union City High School art students got an up-close and personal look at a series of masterpieces recently.
Hilary Webb took her classes to Discovery Park of America last week where renowned Tennessee artist Charles Rogers “Red” Grooms had many exhibits of his work on display as part of DPA’s Southern Artist Showcase.
Born in Nashville during the Great Depression, Grooms first studied at Peabody College in Nashville before later moving to New York to immerse himself in the art scene. He attended New York School for Social Research and then spent a summer at Hans Hofmann School of Fine Arts in Massachusetts before collaborating on several short films with animation pioneer Yvonne Anderson.
“I felt that it was important to share this exhibit with my students, because many of them have never had the chance to see work by a well-known artist,” Webb said.
“I am grateful that Discovery Park of America brought this exhibit to Union City and will be offering similar showcases in the future.”
Grooms – reportedly given the name “Red” by Dominic Falcon of Provincetown’s Sun Gallery when he was starting out as a dishwasher at a restaurant in Provincetown – is best known for his colorful pop-art constructions depicting frenetic scenes of modern urban life. He has also been widely recognized for his site-specific installations, and vibrant two-dimensional paintings and prints.
DPA representative Andrew Gibson — who did a Facebook Live post with Webb prior to the UC students’ first visit — gave the classes additional information about the artist, his process and style during the group’s tour. He also led them through an art scavenger hunt that was both fun and informative, according to the Union City teacher.
“The Southern Artist Showcase is a fantastic opportunity for students in the region to experience unique art pieces,” Gibson said. “The work of Red Grooms allows us as educators to encourage and enhance learning opportunities for the students.
“Red Grooms was known as a story teller, and as we walked through the exhibit it was enjoyable listening to the students come up with their own stories for the art pieces.”