Gullah spirit

"In his art Jonathan Green paints the world of his childhood and an ode to a people imbued with a profound respect for the dignity and value of others--the Gullah people of the South Carolina barrier islands. His vibrant canvases, beloved for their sense of jublilation and rediscovery, evoke the meaning of community Gullah society and display a reverence for the rich visual, oral, and spiritual traditions of its culture. His art reveals a keen awareness of the interpersonal, social, and natural invironments in which we live. The 179 color images assembled in this collection showcase the meaning, purpose, and beautify that Green finds in the small but critical tasks of life. His work elevates the everyday--preparing morning meals, doing the wash, farming, relaxing in the evening--while celebrating social and religion gatherings. Green's art allows the viewer the space and silence to observe peole unobtrusively as they pursue life's mission of labor, love, and belonging and as they work in harmony with nature's mysterious, ever-changing fabric. While Green's paintings speak specifically to his own upbringing, they also transcend racial, cultural, and ethnic boundaries, thus allowing viewers of all backgrounds to recall fond memories and to reflect on the place that purpose and dignity hold in their lives. In addition to a foreword by the Gibbs Museum of Art director Angela Mack, brief essays by historian Walter Edgar, educator Kim Cliett Long, and Morris Museum director Kevin Grogan complement Green's images. Jonathan Green is widely considered to be one of the most important painters of the southern experience. His first book, Gullah Images: The Art of Jonathan Green has been hailed as "magisterial and universal" by the novelist Pat Conroy. His work, which has been exhibited in major venues nationally and internationally, reflects an intrinsic sense of history and place. He has received numerous awards, such as the Clemente C. Pickney Award, the Order of the Palmetto Award, History Makers Award in the Fine Arts in Chicago, the Museum of the Americas Century of Achievement Award, among many others. Born and raised in Gardens Corner, South Carolina, Green lives and paints in Charleston, South Carolina"--