Artist, author and educator Charles Eady to speak at the Appleton

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Posted February 18, 2022 | By James Blevins
james@ocalagazette.com

The Appleton Museum of Art, College of Central Florida, announced on Feb. 11 that it will host a special talk by Charles Eady, entitled “Deeper South: Merging Art with History,” on Sunday, Feb. 27 at 2 p.m.

Born in South Carolina, Eady, who is a contemporary mixed-media artist and author, will speak on how history has informed his creative process using art to examine long-held beliefs about the South, specifically those living in the South before the Civil War.

Last year, a painting of his titled “Anna” won Grand Prize at the 2021 ArtFields Festival in Lake City, South Carolina. The painting depicts a young Black girl with a resolute stare—a character from a book of his of the same name—bringing her history to the present. It currently resides on permanent display as part of the ArtFields Collective at the Crossroads Gallery in Lake City.

“His unique artistic language layers art into history,” said the Appleton’s press release, “and his paintings open dialogues into little-known facts about Southern history. Through his work, Eady endeavors to improve social conflict by disrupting mainstream imagery and gives voice to a population silenced from history.”

Graduating from Claflin University in 1988 with a bachelor’s in art education, Eady, 56, currently lives in Ocala and teaches in the Marion County Public Schools system, including teaching art education at Belleview High School since 2014.

Eady’s book, “Hidden Freedom: The South Before Racism,” tells a compelling story about a free Black family seeking equality in South Carolina before the Civil War, according to the release. Signed copies will be available in the Appleton store for $12.

The talk is free and open to the public. No RSVP required. Regular admission fees apply if one also plans to visit the galleries. The Appleton Museum, Artspace and store are open Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Sunday, noon to 5 p.m.

A campus of the College of Central Florida, the Appleton Museum of Art is located at 4333 E. Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala, east of downtown on S.R. 40 (exit 352 off I-75 or exit 268 west off I-95). Parking is free. For more information, call (352) 291-4455 or visit AppletonMuseum.org.