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Durham, North Carolina — History meets history on the corner of West Parrish Street in Durham. It is a new museum that attracts both art lovers and young students.
WRAL’s Lena Tillett spoke with owner Linda Shropshire. She says she wants to help redefine who and what makes great art.
At Ella West Gallery, beauty is everywhere, in every wall and carefully placed frame.
“For me, Ella West Gallery represents a dream come true, not just for me, but for the artists, and for our community,” Shropshire said.
Shropshire is the visionary behind the only black woman-owned fine art gallery that opened in Durham last summer.
“By doing this, we hope to inspire more people to take the leap,” Shropshire said.
Her breakthrough is a decades-long journey.
I studied in elementary school with an art teacher from Charlotte named Winston Fletcher.
“He not only shared information about Picasso and all these amazing great artists, but he also taught me about Emonia Lewis and Elizabeth Catlett,” Shropshire said.
Unsure of his role in art, Shropshire had an impromptu lunch with Fletcher’s childhood friend, the famous Durham painter Ernie Barnes.
“To hear his story and understand why art changed his life,” Shropshire said. “I think it was there, and that’s when I developed what I call a spirit of service to artists.”
In 2022, Burns’ famous Sugar Shack painting depicting a happy night at the Durham Armory sold at auction for $15.3 million.
“And unfortunately he didn’t get to see it,” Shropshire said. “So one of my goals is to make sure that today’s artists don’t have to be our ancestors and can get the recognition they deserve and be compensated the way they should.”
For her research, Shropshire visited galleries and museums around the world, paying attention to what she saw and what she didn’t see.
“For too long, the canon of art history has been biased toward European men, their stories, and their narratives,” Shropshire said.
Ella West Gallery is named after her mother and seeks to tell a different story. The focus is on work by Black, women, and other underrepresented artists.
The exhibit, called “Persistence on Our Terms,” features striking paintings by Georgia artist Sachi Roma.
“In her way, she’s creating a kind of ancestral haven, this territory that protects this little boy’s dreams and hopes. It’s impressive,” Shropshire said. . “It’s very delicate, delicate, but also elastic.”
And a fantastic mosaic-like tissue installation by artist Maya Freelon.
The inspiration for this piece came from her grandmother’s Durham basement.
“It’s a bold thing to do. It’s fun. And I’m honored to have her here to represent me every day,” Shropshire said.
There is also art in another area known as Black Wall Street.
“Exactly 100 years ago, in 1923, this very building we’re in was the printing office for the Durham Reformer, a black newspaper at the time, and this street was lined with black businesses,” Shropshire said. Ta. “And the fact that we are anchored here means that we are fulfilling the dreams of our ancestors.”
Dreams come true, dreams still remain dreams.
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