Welcome back, everyone.
We are celebrating the start of Black
History Month with a powerful local story,
one of so many that deserve the spotlight.
Clark had the chance to meet an
artist who's shining a light on the
many black women who came before him.
Yes, Roma for artists and art
instructor Wardell Pickett.
The paintings hanging on the walls
of the Bill House gallery are as
unique as where the gallery is
located and actually have a chance to
see how he's putting black beauty.
On display there.
With all of the images,
it's like the figure I have to figure,
you know, looking at you.
It will make you look at them.
Without black women,
black families would not exist.
Well, in my opinion.
We should always be celebrating black women.
Black women are a cornerstone of the
black family in the black community.
Sons, mothers, daughters,
they all come from the mother.
Artist Wardell Pickett is displaying
his paintings inside Beale house arts.
His latest exhibition is a long overdue
tribute to women who have historically
been categorized as less than
our history has always placed women.
In a, you know, a lower position,
you put on top of that with slavery,
the things that slavery did to
the black family. And you know,
regardless of what anyone says, yes,
the Black family is still being impacted
by the things that were done 400 years ago.
You know, it's especially during
the time when the slavery,
slave trading became illegal.
But you could still have them,
in which case you had to breed them yourself.
That created.
All sorts of things that
destroyed the black family,
any possibility of it.
And then it had a negative effect on.
Black women
when he was just a little boy,
Piquette's grandmother, Viola gave
him a simple pencil and piece of paper
in support of his interest in arts.
My grandmother, Viola, my father's mother,
she was very strong willed woman.
Eventually drawing led to painting,
a gift he's now using to highlight the
essence and style of figures inspired by
the very women he had in his own life.
Well, I've had very few male influences.
In my life, so, and this is something
that I just realized recently,
I looked back and said, holy cow,
it's always been black women.
When it came to displaying different
works he's created throughout his career,
it was important for him to choose
an area that would be accessible.
In fact, this gallery is so accessible
for some that all they need to do
is step outside their front door
because Beale house arts is located
inside of an apartment complex.
It's an affordable housing
community for seniors.
Located on Fredericksburg Road,
executive director Michael Lee Adriano
says bill houses capacity to share their
art in this way is what sets them apart.
It was given to us and it's a
treasure for us, but we're building
that capacity in the Community,
especially the residents.
So when they find out the galleries,
it's the gallery is very unique
in the San Antonio area and
they're giving way more to their
residents than an at home art exhibition
all the residents in the
community here are given.
With gratitude a service of any
classes they want, it's free to them.
As an art instructor for
Beale houses program,
they can't helps to keep the 20
year tradition alive by leading
workshops and classes for residents.
Right now he's focused on
showcasing art through his eyes.
When black women walk in that door, they'll
just say yes. Yes, they they like it
so much because they really hate us.
He gets it. He gets there.
And for those who aren't able to
relate to the black experience,
piquette wants them to focus on the
essence of what black women have by
focusing on what makes them beautiful.
Clark Finney, Great day SA.
And you can actually still check
out this exhibit because it is open
to the public until February 25th.
I had the pleasure of being able to see it
in person myself already. So I'm super,
super happy for you to go check it out.
To see showcasing times,
you can check out Beale Houses website.
But Roma, what do you think about that?
I loved it. I love, I'm saying yes, yes, yes.
And I love that it started
from his grandmother.
And it's an homage to all black women.
Such a beautiful story.
Thank you, Clark.