Connect Statesboro 01.28.2015 www.connectstatesboro.com
14 Brittani Howell
Jonathan Green: "Paint what you know" The Lowcountry's premiere painter of Gullah and Geechee life gives us a picture of his artistic vision The Averitt Center has are very connected to the scored big with its latest artist country and the culture. The exhibition. It features the work change we see is mostly cosof Jonathan Green, a painter metics…in that people dress out of South Carolina’s Low differently, they look a little Country who specializes in differently, they come in depicting scenes of Gullah from different places. and Geechee culture along C: I read an article that the coast. With bold figures argued Gullah and Geechee and commanding colors, his life along the coast is one of works arrest the eyes and give those cultures that is fading the viewer a sense of a vibrant, out. I was wondering what bustling world going on just you thought about that, if beyond the canvas. Green that was true from your perfocuses on bringing respect spective. and dignity into his paintings G: From my perspective, of African-American cultures it’s not fading out, it’s and carries a sense of service changing. It’s growing, it’s and near-journalistic duty to developing, it’s becoming his art, making him fascinating more of a culture today in as an artist and a speaker. We terms of the references to were lucky enough to speak to the areas and the history Mr. Green as he was getting and people than ever was ready for his gallery opening at before. And there’s more the Averitt Center Friday, Jan. of a celebration around 9. it. When I was a kid, I Connect: Tell us about you. never heard "Gullah"; I What’s your story? heard "Geechee," and it Green: My story is that I was more of a derogatory JONATHAN GREEN/special term. But I never heard of was one of those very, very Pictured above is one of Jonathan Green's paintings, "Mullet Friday," which he painted in 1997. The bold people celebrating Gullah fortunate people to have colors and distinctive shapes are perfect examples of Green's signature style. been a byproduct of segreand Geechee festivals. You gation and integration. From have that all over the place that, I lived in a very rich and now. But what’s happening "Images of Home" Art Exhibition vibrant, somewhat African culture is that most of the people who are Jonathan Green's works will be on display through Feb. 21. Stop by the Averitt in a place called Buford County— doing the celebration are three to Center gallery from 10 a.m.–7 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m.–4 p.m. on garden’s corner. And I was born to four generations removed, and I Saturday. be an artist. I don’t ever remember see myself as the artist in putting not wanting to be an artist, I don’t more of the authenticity back into ticular subject? that they lived in. Relationships, remember thinking about anything the celebration of these cultures. G: Well, I am [Gullah/Geechee]. friendships with people, all of the else I wanted to do in life but be And that’s what the artist does — it And I figured, ‘What better way to scenery where they lived, that’s what an artist. So I spent my entire life helps remind people that there’s an start off in the arts than by painting they painted. So that’s what I’m looking and mimicking and doing authenticity, there’s a culture and about yourself?’ And as I studied the doing; I’m painting what I know. artwork for all the different classes a visual look and an aesthetic to impressionist artists such as Gaugin, …The landscape then and now throughout the different grades I things, and that’s the importance Matisse, Casset (?) I realized that really hasn’t changed that much in was in. of adding artists into a community. they all said the same thing: ‘Paint terms of the people. We have newer I worked in Paris Island military No matter what community you what you know.’ So of course we see buildings and housing and growth, bases while I was in high school, a live in, no matter where you’re from those works of impressionism, or but the culture of the people is still summer program. My first job was or what you look at, your job as an cubism—all of those different isms the same. People still eat the same working on a golf course, and then artist is to embrace and reinforce of art—as something foreign, but the types of food. They like listening my second job was working in a the culture.w artists themselves did exactly what to the same types of music. They ceramics shop, and there I fell in they knew how to do. They painted love and I knew I was hooked for about where they lived and how they This is only a portion of our interview with Mr. Green. For the full transcript, life. lived and the people in their lives C: What draws you to this parand the cities and the communities check out the article online at ConnectStatesboro.com!