History and Culture Rendered in Fine Detail — Texan Artists Frank Frazier, 217, and Don T. O’bannon Come to Harlem
New York, NY — July 24, 2017…The Harlem Arts Café will host a showcase featuring the works of fine artists Frank Fazier, Don O’Bannon, and Fredrick Douglass Moore, III, on Wednesday, July 26, 12 Noon to 7:00 pm, at 17 East 125th Street and Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10035.
Native New Yorker Frazier now living in Texas, depicts himself as a troubled teen who got into so much trouble that he was sent Upstate to a detention school for boy. In this place Frazier experience and awakening that led him to turn his life around. A teacher noticed his artistic ability and gave him assignments to ‘…create art for different bunks,’ in their dormitory. After leaving the school, Frazier enlisted into the army during the Vietnam conflict where again, his artistic abilities were noticed by a Sergeant. He was tasked with the duty of creating art and custom designed shirts for platoon members.
Frank Frazier is a painter, collagist and sculptor whose passion has given his life purpose, says the Creator is his inspiration. His earthly influences were artists like Elizabeth Cattlett, Romare Bearden, and Jacob Lawrence. His collages are impacted by his frequent travel to Senegal, West Africa. When Frazier paints, her utilized all mediums from watercolor to charcoal and oils.
Currently, Mr. Frazier is focusing his attention and talents on creating a body of work that memorializes the civil rights movement of the 1960s. He feels very strongly about preserving the past for our youth to know from whence we came, in order to know to progress through our future. This is the basic principle of Sankofa.
Painter Don O’Bannon has an amazing collection of work that depicts Black icons of 20th century pop culture like Louis Armstrong, Mohammad Ali, Justice Thurgood Marshal and Bob Marley, alongside historical figures such as Fredrick Douglas and Buffalo Soldiers from the American civil war.
O’Bannon started drawing as a young child and continued to hone his craft though his youth. His aspiration to become an artist was motivated by the works of “Pablo Picasso, John Biggers and Jacob Lawrence,” said O’Bannon. He also says that he is driven by trying to create 3 dimensional figures on a 2 dimensional canvas. In addition to oil painting, O’Bannon creates lithographs and prints.
Don T. O’Bannon’s work is personal and experiential. He often succeeds in expanding the dimensions of his subjects to life-like existence.
Fredrick Douglass Moore, III, a.k.a. 217, baffles your eyes and your mind with his surgeon like precision at which he sculpts tiny architectural structures that fit in the palm of his hand. The detail and symmetry of his art made from erasers, also his wood block and Sacred Geometric Mandala carvings carry the symbolism of ancient Khamet. His Sa-Mur Ankh Tower is embellished with stained glass, it is; “…my interpretation of Don T. O’Bannon
all the different architecture from around the world,” said Douglass Moore. Much of this Texan’s gothic tower designs are influenced from growing up in Spain. So much interest has been generated about the Eraser Cities, that all of his pieces have been sold.
The uniqueness of his art is what help 217 to win an Artist Residency in Syracuse University, NY, and to be invited to study Chautauqua Art Institute, NY, where Douglass Moore earned a BFA (Bachelors of Fine Art).
Fredrick Douglass Moor has been traveling around the country with his mentor Frank Frazier showing his work and building a loyal following. Aside from his sculpting, 217 is also a hip hop artist, whose positive rap is used to educate and help people to remember their greatness.
For more information these artists, you can visit O’Bannon, and Douglass Moore, their social media pages.
Fredrick “217” Douglas Moore, III
www.217ART.com
Twentyoneseven21.wordpress.com
Erasercity.blogspot.com
Youtube.com/eremeas
Don T. O’Bannon — Facebook
Frank Frazier can be reached through the Harlem Art Café by email HarlemArtCafe@gmail.com or by telephone (212) 876–8700.
UNTOLD Story and Harlem Arts Cafe are community collaborators in the effort to promote veteran and emerging artists in communities throughout the New York — Tristate area, nationally and internationally.
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