We are pleased to announce that the renowned public artist Jerome Meadows will be working with faculty and students on several levels in conjunction with DesignEthos 2012.
Jerome came to Savannah almost 2 decades ago to work on the Yamacraw Village Art Project. At the time he was based in Washington D.C. Something clicked and he began to inquire about studio space. An old ice factory, on Waters Avenue, was available and he purchased the building. The repurposed ice house is now home to Mr. Meadows, and houses his studio as well as the Indigo Sky Community Gallery. It has become a cultural focal point along the Waters Avenue corridor.
From this location, Meadows continues to work on national and international projects including the Portsmouth, New Hampshire “African Burial Ground Project,” the “Blue Ball Dairy Barn Project,” in Wilmington, Delaware and the “Together We Live/Together We Rise Project,” in Washington, D.C.
“Jerome is the quintessential connector when you think of Waters Avenue. His presence is felt on many levels and his enthusiasm is contagious,” says Graphic Design Professor Bob Newman. “We know he will bring that gift of connecting to the faculty and students working with him this year and consequently to Ethos and beyond.”
A graduate of RISD, Jerome has taught at several colleges and is active in visiting residencies, including the “Dora Maar House Residency” in Menerbes, France. He has also recently exhibited in Provence, France and the Telfair Museums in Savannah.
“I’ve had the immense pleasure to work with Jerome Meadows on a professional level for more than 5 years, and I’ve witnessed the transformative effect he can have on artists of all ages. Our students are very fortunate to have access to his studio, his gallery and his wealth of knowledge about artistic expression in general, and of the Waters Avenue community in particular,” observed Scott Boylston, Professor of Graphic Design and Sustainability.
Meadows will be working with classes and students, addressing the impact cultural inclusion can have on community dialog, and will take into consideration the many levels on which culture can be celebrated–from the historical connections of neighborhoods to the events that create destinations. He will also be creating DesignEthos presentations and other events associated with the conference.
DesignEthos Conference Coordinator, Boylston, sums it up this way, “It’s exciting to have a public artist involved with our graphic design department, our students, and the Design Ethos conference. Jerome’s work is dedicated to communicating an essence of humanity that many people aren’t always in tune with, and our graphic designers can learn a lot from Mr. Meadows in regards to celebrating cultural richness and diversity.”
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Photos: 1) Carlos Baez 2) David Strohl 3) Foram Shah 4) Scott Boylston