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Hagerstown Artist Kevin Watson paints "Shades of Martin" a dyptic on canvas Monday afternoon at the Contemporary School of the Arts & Gallery in downtown Hagerstown. The painting will be auctioned today as a benefit for the school. (By Joe Crocetta/Staff Photographer) |
Kevin Watson was 4 years old when Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated — too young to understand the late civil rights leader's commitment to social justice, his belief in equal opportunity and, above all, his hope that one day people would be judged by their character, not by the color of their skin.
He wasn't even born when King delivered the "I Have a Dream" speech that galvanized the nation and he doesn't remember the venture called "The Poor People's Campaign."
But for the past four decades, Watson's life has been affected by King's legacy.
He is proud of who he is.
He learned at an early age that "staying cool and calm can help you think your way through anything — even in the toughest situations."
And he believed there were no limits to what he could achieve — including the goal of becoming a successful artist.
To honor King, Watson has used his talents to paint an acrylic portrait of the late civil rights leader that will be auctioned today as part of the annual celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day at the Contemporary School of the Arts & Gallery.
The gallery in downtown Hagerstown will host the event from 2 to 4 p.m., with proceeds from the auction benefiting its after- school program.
At the age of 47, Watson said he always has enjoyed the sanctuary of art.
Maybe it was the influence of his grandfather, who was an artist, muralist and house painter.
"As a child, I often painted with my granddaddy," he recalled.
And it was a talent encouraged by his mother and father.
"Growing up, my parents always provided my brother and I with art supplies," he said.
Watson was born in Queens, N.Y., but soon afterward, his family moved to Long Island, he said, where his neighborhood and school were full of artists.
"My neighbor was a wino muralist named Knox and he used to paint Dr. Martin Luther King on black velvet," Watson said. "Knox is one of the many colorful, artistic people of my past who also taught me what not to do as an artist."
Watson said he can remember being in the fourth or fifth grade and sitting in the classroom drawing caricatures of his teacher and other students "instead of learning schoolwork."
Over the years, he continued to hone his skills, dabbling in a variety of art forms — from painting to sculpture.
"Today's artists better know how to sculpt, paint dimensionally, airbrush, paintbrush and paint on the laptop with Photoshop," Watson said. "The art form that I offer today is a hybrid of all these things."
Watson said honoring Martin Luther King through his art has become somewhat of a tradition.
He wasn't even born when King delivered the "I Have a Dream" speech that galvanized the nation and he doesn't remember the venture called "The Poor People's Campaign."
But for the past four decades, Watson's life has been affected by King's legacy.
He is proud of who he is.
He learned at an early age that "staying cool and calm can help you think your way through anything — even in the toughest situations."
And he believed there were no limits to what he could achieve — including the goal of becoming a successful artist.
To honor King, Watson has used his talents to paint an acrylic portrait of the late civil rights leader that will be auctioned today as part of the annual celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day at the Contemporary School of the Arts & Gallery.
The gallery in downtown Hagerstown will host the event from 2 to 4 p.m., with proceeds from the auction benefiting its after- school program.
At the age of 47, Watson said he always has enjoyed the sanctuary of art.
Maybe it was the influence of his grandfather, who was an artist, muralist and house painter.
"As a child, I often painted with my granddaddy," he recalled.
And it was a talent encouraged by his mother and father.
"Growing up, my parents always provided my brother and I with art supplies," he said.
Watson was born in Queens, N.Y., but soon afterward, his family moved to Long Island, he said, where his neighborhood and school were full of artists.
"My neighbor was a wino muralist named Knox and he used to paint Dr. Martin Luther King on black velvet," Watson said. "Knox is one of the many colorful, artistic people of my past who also taught me what not to do as an artist."
Watson said he can remember being in the fourth or fifth grade and sitting in the classroom drawing caricatures of his teacher and other students "instead of learning schoolwork."
Over the years, he continued to hone his skills, dabbling in a variety of art forms — from painting to sculpture.
"Today's artists better know how to sculpt, paint dimensionally, airbrush, paintbrush and paint on the laptop with Photoshop," Watson said. "The art form that I offer today is a hybrid of all these things."
Watson said honoring Martin Luther King through his art has become somewhat of a tradition.
