June 2003
Feature Story
George Hunt:
Blues Artist
by Phil Chesnut
I was recently a guest at a rare art opening at Seattle’s Experience
Music Project where a renowned painter named George Hunt is displaying
his work titled the “High Cotton Tour.” Being an illustrator
of blues myself, I was quite curious to see what a fellow blues artist’s
perceptions were. The opening began with a reception in the Sky Church
where a continuous loop of slides flashed Mr. Hunt’s paintings
on a large screen. What I first noticed about George’s art was
that he was no ordinary folk artist. The paintings all had a great sense
of balance and use of space but what was most remarkable was the abstract
cubist style in the subjects of his paintings. George Hunt’s paintings
are closer to Picasso than to the primitive styles I am used to seeing
with blues “folk” art. Mr. Hunt then gave a short, but eloquent
speech in which he explained a bit about himself, his art, and art in
general. He sounded so much like my old art professors, I knew before
even reading his bio that he must have been a teacher.
As impressed as I was, it wasn’t until the doors of the gallery
opened and I was able to see these amazing images firsthand that I realized
these were no ordinary two dimensional paintings. What the slides didn’t
show was the incredible texture of these paintings. Using an impasto
technique, Hunt builds up thick mounds of paint to define certain areas.
Also, the use of annotations like Volkswagen seat covers, dangling earrings,
and shirt pockets with removable antique tobacco cans were among many
objects all cleverly dispersed upon the paintings. George Hunt is not
only a terrific painter but a skillful sculptor as well. Some of my
favorite pieces were a painting of a guitar player with strong Picasso
influences (see cover photo), a Jimi Hendrix painting with the Space
Needle growing out of a stalk of cotton, and the large round title painting
“High Cotton Tour.” Hunt painted this circular collage to
signify what he visualizes as the never- ending cycle of blues music.
“Blues is the alpha and omega of American music. There is no question
that it was first, and it has become evident that blues returns to popularity
when the pop music scene seems to lose its focus,” Hunt correctly
declares.
A native of Louisiana, George Hunt has spent his whole life in the deep
South
where the blues was born. After studying art at the University of Arkansas
Hunt dedicated the next three decades to teaching art education (I knew
it!) and coaching at a Memphis high school. Using his paintings to reflect
his Southern African-American life experiences, Hunt has delved into
folk traditions, the civil rights movement, the mythic heroism of black
manhood and of course for this show, the blues culture. George now creates
his images in his studio overlooking the legendary Beale Street—fulfilling
his destiny as an astounding, original creator of blues art. George
Hunt’s “Conjuring the Blues: The High Cotton Tour”
can be viewed at EMP through June, The show then moves to the Delta
Blues Museum in Clarksdale, MS. Go to: www.EMPlive.com
and www.deltabluesmuseum.org.
NOTE: The New Hendrix Gallery opens this month as well at EMP.
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2002
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