LISTEN UP: Gordon Skinner Speaks Art at Yale University

Gordon Skinner, Jesus Piece (Self-Portrait at 27)

Artist closes out solo exhibit Hard Works with discussion   

Wednesday, November 14, 2012, 7 - 9pm

AFRO-AMERICAN CULTURAL CENTER AT YALE UNIVERSITY

211 Park Street

New Haven, CT

Gordon Skinner will give an artist talk on the works included in his exhibit Hard Works on view at the Afro-American Cultural Center at Yale University. The event will be moderated by artists and current Yale MFA students Mario Moore and Wesley Chavez and is preceded by the screening of a short documentary about Skinner.

Skinner’s work is reminiscent of a tradition and movement known as "The Blues Impulse.” This tradition includes a long list of artists practicing in various mediums who have transformed their extenuating circumstances and hardships into extraordinary levels of visual content and artistic expression.  

Hard Works touches on the work ethic required of artist's to create a body of quality work, which in Skinner’s case, means working three jobs while simultaneously carving out time to paint. The result is not only an honest expression of an artist painting the world as he sees it, but also meant to inspire others to work hard in pursuit of their personal passions.

Skinner has been featured as a guest on television programs CT Style and Better CT, featured articles by Hearst Publication and The New Haven Independent, having his work featured in The New York Times as well as being the subject of a final thesis paper for a Yale student. His work has been exhibited in contemporary art galleries in Connecticut as well as NYC’s annual Outsider Art Fair in Times Square. In addition to being the subject of a documentary by Take Notice Productions about his art, his paintings were also featured in a magazine photo shoot with celebrity fashion designers Coco and Breezy. 

YouTube: Stolen I.D.: Fragmented, Colonized and Lost - Documentary with painter Gordon Skinner