Lucy Blue Remembers Beauford

Lucy Blue wrote to me last December to inquire about donating to support the making of the video documentary about Beauford called So Splendid a Journey. In her message, she mentioned that she met Beauford in Paris years ago and said that he's been a part of her heart ever since. 

She also shared a photo of a drawing that she did of Beauford when she and her friend, painter Clarence Hagins, visited Paris in 1973.

Portrait of Beauford Delaney
Lucy Carty (aka Lucy Blue)
(1973) Pencil on paper
Image courtesy of Lucy Blue

Needless to say, I was excited about this communication. Here was a woman who cared enough about Beauford to want to support the documentary AND was personally acquainted with him as well as with someone who cared for Beauford during his declining years. I extended an invitation for Lucy to share her story about the encounter she described, and she graciously consented to provide the interview below.

Les Amis: Please share a little biographical information about yourself (where you’re from, what you do, where you currently live).

LB: I was born in New York City and moved to Vermont with my family when I was two years old. I grew up in Vermont, attended Vassar College in New York State, then moved to Massachusetts, where I got a job working for the Boston Mayor’s Office of Human Rights. I met artist Clarence Hagins at Boston City Hall, as he was setting up an exhibition there. I subsequently moved to Brooklyn, New York, where I lived with Clarence for a year or so. 

I worked as a United Nations staff member, launched a second career as a freelance copy editor, and served a 12-year stint as a translation project coordinator for Byron Katie International. I returned to Vermont in 2007 and retired in 2020. Since then, I have been working on a family history project. I also serve on the Board of Directors of a local food cooperative.

Les Amis: Did you / do you frequently visit Paris?

LB: I visited Paris three or four times, and it has now been many years since I’ve been there. 

The first time was in 1968 when I was in college.  I went on a two-week art tour to visit cathedrals all over northern France, including Notre Dame in Paris. I loved the French language and it was my first visit to Europe. Very exciting!

I made three other trips to France from 1972 through 1975. At least one of those trips--and probably two--were made with Clarence.

Les Amis: What brought you to Paris on the occasion when you met Beauford?

LB: Clarence adored, if not idolized, James Baldwin (or Jimmy, as Clarence called him). Beauford was a mentor to Jimmy. On our first trip to Paris together, Clarence very much wanted to meet both Beauford and Jimmy, and I tagged along. 

Les Amis: How many times did you meet Beauford?

LB: Two or three times only, as I recall. One funny thing was that Beauford had an uncanny way of showing up when you least expected it. Two instances of this are recounted in Clarence’s journal entries.

Les Amis: How did the first meeting come about?  

LB: As I mentioned, Clarence very much wanted to meet Beauford. We went together to look him up in his flat that was, I think, a 3rd floor walk-up.

Lucy Blue at rue Vercingétorix studio in 1973
Image courtesy of Lucy Blue

Les Amis: What are your memories of the visit?

LB: It was winter time, and the studio was very cold. I remember walking up the stairs and when we entered the apartment, I remember seeing Beauford sitting up in bed with a coat and hat on to keep warm. He may also have been wearing gloves. I gave him a pair of black mittens I had knitted for him.

I don’t remember many details about the first meeting, just that he was warm and welcoming to us.

Les Amis: Did you sketch Beauford during your meeting with him?

LB: I sketched him on Christmas Day 1973, while the three sat together at the Café Dôme.

Les Amis: How long did this encounter last?

LB: I’m guessing it was a good 45 minutes or so, perhaps longer, but I don’t recall exactly.

Les Amis: Who is the person in the background of the sketch?

LB: A waiter.

Les Amis: What was your first impression of Beauford?

LB: My first impression was that he was very alive and openhearted. He also had a kind of other worldly quality, hard to define, as if he were in some realm of his own. Of course, this may have been the effect of the vin rouge (red wine), or as I think about it now, a sign of his burgeoning dementia. 

Still, Beauford had a very sweet and jovial spirit. As we sat at the Dôme, I recall his warning us to “Watch out for the harpies!” (referring to women). 

  

Terrace of the Dôme Café, 1959
Photo from Cafés d’Artistes à Paris (photo credit-Archives)

Les Amis: You said that Beauford has been part of your heart ever since you met him. What did he say or do to have this effect on you?

LB: A gentle, loving kindness shone through his eyes, and he was very warm and friendly. When we met, I was struggling with some deep unresolved personal issues. Being in his presence was a kind of spiritual nourishment for me. I call it a healing, a blessing. 

I invented my own etymology of the name “Beauford”, calling him a “beautiful ford” across the river of my life. I loved Beauford as one lost at sea loves the lighthouse. He helped to keep my spirit afloat all those many years ago and I’ve never forgotten it. 

Les Amis: Did / does his artistic practice influence you?

LB: Beauford was like a light to Clarence and me and others, like a human fireplace you could snuggle up to and keep warm from the chill of life. I had some interest in drawing when I met him but was not an artist. Just witnessing Beauford there in Paris living his dream as best he could influenced me, however, and continues to influence me to this day. I don’t think one can separate Beauford, the friend, from Beauford, the artist. The two were so inextricably intertwined.

In terms of Beauford’s work, I am especially drawn to his portraits and other representational pieces, such as The Jazz Trio. Beauford’s work seems happy to me and lifts my spirits. 

Henry Miller called Beauford “the nearest to a saint that any artist can be.” I think that saintly quality shines through his work.

Come back next week to read journal entries by Clarence Hagins shared by Lucy Blue.

Sylvia Peters Talks about Beauford

Sylvia Peters is a force of nature. 

I first met her in 2016, when she and 10 other persons from Knoxville, Tennessee descended on Paris to attend the opening of Resonance of Form and Vibration of Color, the solo exhibition of 40+ paintings and works on paper from Beauford's Paris years that was mounted by the Wells International Foundation.

Sylvia Peters "Blipps" a painting at
Resonance of Form and Vibration of Color

Since that time, she has gone on to launch Gathering Light: The Delaney Project in Knoxville. She describes the project as "a grassroots effort in Knoxville, TN that was started to bring Beauford's international endeavors and art back home to Knoxville, TN - his birthplace." Alongside an impressive list of local organizations, she is working tirelessly to preserve and promote Beauford's legacy in Knoxville. 

Peters contributed a post entitled "A Toast to the Arts" to the Les Amis blog, which describes a partnership between The Knoxville (TN) Chapter of The Links, Incorporated and the Knoxville Museum of Art (KMA) to celebrate the acquisition and unveiling of works by Beauford.

Jan and Sylvia Peters
Image courtesy of Sylvia Peters

Les Amis has published additional articles about projects she has spearheaded in Knoxville, such as the "Bringing Beauford Delaney Home" project at West View Elementary School and the installation of an historical marker in honor of Beauford and his brother, Joseph.  We published several posts in January and February 2020 to chronicle the line-up of events that celebrated Beauford during Black History Month.  We support her ultimate goal to establish a Center of Excellence that honors Beauford in Knoxville and Paris.

Peter is quoted extensively in an article called "Oil on the Water: Light Reflections on Baldwin and Delaney," which was written by D. Amari Jackson and published on the Black Art in America Website.

About midway through Jackson's article, Peters is quoted as saying: “Beauford’s paintings look like they were made last week, not 60 and 70 years ago. They’re just brilliant, they’re that vibrant." When you stand in front of Beauford's work, you see exactly what she means. 

(If you have the good fortune of being in Knoxville and if you haven't already seen Beauford Delaney and James Baldwin: Through the Unusual Door at the Knoxville Museum of Art, make haste! The show closes on October 25, 2020.)

 Signage at Knoxville Museum of Art
© Les Amis de Beauford Delaney

Beauford in Myth of a Colorblind France

Myth of a Colorblind France is a full-length documentary that investigates the reasons behind the notion that France is a colorblind society. It explores the lives and careers of renowned African Americans who emigrated to Paris, including numerous visual artists. Among them are Barbara Chase-Riboud, Augusta Savage, and Lois Mailou Jones, and Henry Ossawa Tanner. Rare video footage of Tanner strolling in Paris with his relatives is a special treat.

Beauford is included in the roster of artists whose stories are featured in the documentary. Commentary about him is delivered by illustrator Gregory Masurovsky. He gets almost a minute of coverage, during which you can see images of sixteen of his works. Many of these, including the paintings represented below, were shown at Through the Unusual Door, the Knoxville Museum of Art's brilliant monographic exhibition that will close on October 25, 2020.

Dark Rapture
(1941) Oil on masonite
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator

Auto-portrait
(1965) Oil on canvas
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator

Self-Portrait
(1962) oil on canvas
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire
Court Appointed Administrator
Image courtesy of Michael Rosenfeld Gallery, LLC, New York , NY
One of the gems presented in the documentary is this photo of scholar Michel Fabre in Beauford's studio:

Michel Fabre in Beauford's studio
Image used with the permission of Pierre Fabre
Though one might think that Fabre sat for the portrait shown behind him, the subject of the painting is actually Colin Gravois.

Beauford gifted Fabre with a small work on paper entitled Man in African Dress. This was shown in the Beauford Delaney: The Color Yellow exhibition mounted by the High Museum in Atlanta in 2002-2003 and at the 2016 Paris Resonance of Form and Vibration of Color exhibition mounted by the Wells International Foundation.

To purchasing tickets for viewing Myth of a Colorblind France, click here: https://watch.firstrunfeatures.com/products/myth-of-a-colorblind-france-at-first-run-features

Vincent Livelli Remembers Beauford

I was recently contacted by Peter Stebbins, President of the Lily and Earle M. Pilgrim Art Foundation, who shared information about a connection between Beauford and Barbadian-American artist, Earle Montrose Pilgrim. Stebbins learned of this connection through an online oral history that Vincent Livelli provided for the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation. He personally interviewed Livelli and connected me with Annie Basulto, Lead Preservationist of The Vincent Livelli Preservation Project.

Basulto, in turn, asked Livelli several questions on behalf of Les Amis, and recorded Livelli's responses.

Stebbins shared additional information gleaned from Historietas, a published collection of stories about Vincent Livelli's life.

Vincent Livelli passport photo (~1948)
Courtesy of Vincent Livelli Preservation Project

From all of the above, I've created an account of what Livelli remembers about interacting with Beauford in New York and in France.

Vincent Livelli was born to Italian immigrants in Brooklyn in 1920. He moved with his family to Greenwich Village when he was three months old and spent his entire life there. Exposure to lead during his youth caused a severe hearing impairment, yet he went on to master four languages in addition to English as well as develop an appreciation for Afro-Cuban music and become an accomplished dancer. He eventually became a cruise ship director and traveled the world for twenty years.

Livelli met Beauford in the Village in ~1946. He considers Beauford to have been a very close friend. At various points in his writing, he described Beauford as being "like a little Buddha" and "just precious," and said Beauford was "distinguished in comportment" with "a religious quality" and a "proper demeanor." He also described Beauford as "a wise owl who wore his hair like Nat King Cole." In his recorded audio statement, he said Beauford was the "sweetest, noblest gentleman I have ever met."

Livelli visited Beauford at his Greene Street studio many times. He mentioned broken windows, the lack of sufficient heat, and no hot water, and said that Beauford was always bundled up, always wearing a robe of some kind. He described the studio as being lit by candles and said that Beauford once sang "Amazing Grace" to him at the studio to "keep the cold at bay." He compared Beauford to Proust, saying that both men "wore wool scarves and, spoke profoundly and were reclusive but open to conversation."

Portrait of Beauford Delaney
(ca. 1950)
Possibly by Gjon Mili
Beauford inspired Livelli, who recalls sitting on a Washington Square Park bench with Beauford and asking him if he didn't worry because he had no money, a cold apartment, no job... Beauford responded that he only worried when he didn't feel well and Livelli thought that was a wonderful philosophy to live by.

Washington Square, looking north
(1936) Berenice Abbott
Image source: Wikimedia Commons
Image in the public domain
In recalling Beauford's contributions to the Washington Square Outdoor Show, Livelli said that Beauford and two other artists, Earle Pilgrim and Charlie Thomas, sold paintings at the park and in the surrounding neighborhood in 1946 and 1947. He also recalled seeing Beauford's paintings in a gallery on 57th Street.

Livelli provided interesting anecdotes about Beauford and Dante Pavone (Beauford's unrequited love) in Historietas, saying that they both dressed as "monks" because Beauford wore a skullcap and Dante wore a cassock instead of a suit. He described how Beauford and Dante did not walk together in public. Instead, Beauford would wait for Dante, sitting on a bench near Livelli and Anatole Boyard's West 4th Street apartment where they would sometimes rendezvous. He also recalled that Beauford would sometimes wait for Dante beneath the Garibaldi statue near his Greene Street studio.

Dante Pavone as Christ
(1948) Pastel on paper
23 ¼ x 19 ¾ inches
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Knoxville Museum of Art, purchase with funds provided by the KMA Collectors Circle with additional gifts from Barbara Apking, June and Rob Heller, Donna Kerr, Alexandra Rosen and Donald Cooney, Ted Smith and David Butler, Mimi and Milton Turner, John Cotham, Jan and Pete Crawford, Cathy and Mark Hill, Florence and Russell Johnston, John Z. C. Thomas, Donna and Terry Wertz, Jayne and Myron Ely, Sarah Stowers, Robin and Joe Ben Turner, and Jacqueline Wilson

Garibaldi Statue by Giovanni Turini
Photo by Another Believer
CC-BY-SA 3.0
Livelli mentions that Henry Miller, the Ascoli family, and Anatole Broyard supported Beauford financially during Beauford's New York years.

As a lover of drums and drumming, Livelli was pleased to learn that Beauford enjoyed listening to drum music and played the drum. He said that Beauford liked and collected African drums and recounts that he gave Beauford a nail-studded Japanese drum "to add to his modest collection." He also gave Beauford a drum that he brought back from a trip to India.

Livelli shared a story about meeting Beauford and James Baldwin in Cannes. He said Beauford offered to paint his portrait but that he was unable to accept the offer. He speculated what that painting might be worth today and said it would be cherished over his fireplace.

In a Speculative Light - UTK Symposium on Beauford and Baldwin

"In a Speculative Light" was a powerful and enlightening symposium that explored how the relationship between Beauford and his dearest friend, James Baldwin, shaped their artistic creations and influenced 20th-century arts. Hosted by the University of Tennessee Humanities Center, and funded in part with a Collaborative Research Grant from the National Endowment of the Humanities, it brought together scholars from the domains of visual arts, musicology, and literary studies to address this previously unexplored question. Professor Amy Elias, Director of the UTK Humanities Center, organized the entire event.

The symposium opened on February 19 with "An Evening Celebrating James Baldwin and Beauford Delaney" that featured a keynote presentation by award-winning author Hilton Als.

UTK Humanities Center Director Amy Elias and
Keynote Speaker Hilton Als
Image courtesy of Professor Amy Elias
The event was held at the Knoxville Museum of Art, where the current exhibition, Through the Unusual Door, also focuses on the relationship between Beauford and Baldwin. Als' presentation was entitled "The Mentor: James Baldwin, Beauford Delaney, and the Habit of Doing."

This was followed by two full days of on-campus presentations in six research domains: arts history and Black aesthetics, music and sonic arts, ethics and social values, style and form, gender and sexuality, and biography and legacies.

NYU professor Fred Moten gave his keynote presentation at the end of the first day. His topic was "Blue(s) as Cymbal: Beauford Delaney (Elvin Jones) James Baldwin”; he explored representations of blackness through Beauford's art, Baldwin's writing, and Jones' theory of music.

Keynote speaker Fred Moten
Image courtesy of Professor Amy Elias
A total of 26 speakers presented papers during the symposium. Beauford's biographer, David Leeming, was among them. To see the list of presenters (excluding Hilton Als) and topics, click HERE.

Speakers Magdalena Zaborowska (with microphone)
and Beauford Delaney biographer, David A. Leeming
Image courtesy of Professor Amy Elias
To see the list of presenters and topics (excluding Hilton Als), click HERE.

On Friday, February 21, a private session was held during lunch at the Frieson Black Cultural Center on the UT campus. Tanisha L. Jenkins, Director of UT Multicultural Student Life, welcomed participants and attendees. Presentations were given by Sylvia Peters, Director of The Delaney Project; Monique Y. Wells, President of Les Amis de Beauford Delaney, and Reneé Kesler, President and CEO of the Beck Cultural Exchange Center.

Presenter Monique Y. Wells on screen
at luncheon conference
Image courtesy of Professor Amy Elias
A unique and inspired project associated with the symposium was a pop-up portrait studio project through which four artists created portraits of several of the symposium speakers, including Fred Moten and David Leeming. The artists were Jered Sprecher, Joshua Bienko, Rubens Ghenov, and Mary Laube, all of whom work at UTK. Participants sat with artists for 60- to 90-minute portrait sessions during the run of the symposium in a dedicated space at the UT Student Union. The sessions were open to the public.

Pop-up Portrait Center
Image courtesy of Professor Amy Elias
Also on campus, Derek Spratley, Esq., the executor of the Beauford Delaney estate, presented a showing of Beauford’s paintings at the Student Union Art Gallery. The Paris Years: Paintings by Beauford Delaney from the Artist’s Estate gave the public and UT students, faculty, and staff the opportunity to see original Delaney artwork that was made available for purchase after the close of the exhibition.

The Making of ShadowLight

Juxtaposed in a kind of dialogue were Beauford Delaney's paintings on the stage backdrop, exploding silently in color and light, and the soaring notes of the operatic performance that presented a moving interpretation of Beauford's struggle with his haunting inner voices. Three different voices contending for the mind and heart of the artist. It was an intimate and expressionist performance that conveyed episodically the struggle of Delaney to create beauty and meaning through his work.

Amy Elias, Director of the University of Tennessee Humanities Center and organizer of the groundbreaking UTK symposium "In a Speculative Light" on ShadowLight

**************
Last week, I shared news about the world premiere of ShadowLight, the opera that brings Beauford's life story to the stage through song.

In that article, I indicated that Emily Anderson spent six months researching Beauford so that she could write a libretto that vividly portrayed his life.

Emily Anderson
Image courtesy of Marble City Opera
Today, I'm pleased to share Marble City Opera director Kathryn Frady's remarkable story about how she cast the production and baritone Brandon J. Gibson's sentiments about portraying Beauford. Gibson is also the managing director of Marble City Opera.

Kathryn Frady
Image courtesy of Marble City Opera
To select the cast of ShadowLight, Kathryn Frady completely immersed herself in the music and the roles to be played during the performance:

"I held auditions in the Fall of 2019 after receiving the piano/vocal score from composer Larry Delinger. Larry had designated voice types for each of the roles, but before casting the singers I sang through each of the roles and studied the score so that I could understand what types of voices were needed.

"In opera, there are many different kinds of voices for each voice type. It is not as simple as casting any baritone, soprano, tenor, or bass. The texture of the music and which register the singer spends the majority of their time singing in, are majorly important.

"In my opinion the best way to understand how to cast a new opera is to sing through each role and study the score, so that is what I did. After studying the score I heard auditions and made selections from the singers who attended our audition days."

Frady believes that ShadowLight was well received for several reasons:

"I believe that the story and character of Beauford Delaney, a local to Knoxville, connected to the audience on a personal and emotional level that is unique to our community.

"I believe that the musical score that Larry Delinger created is beautiful, unique, and emotional.

"I believe it was also well received because of the cast's dedication to the interpretation of their characters given to them by the directors and all of the musicians' attention to detail led by maestro, Brian Holman.

Brian Holman conducting the orchestra
on opening night
Image courtesy of Dawn Kunkel
"Add to that the beautiful projections designed by Joe Payne. The evening was well planned out and executed from all aspects."

Projection of Beauford's Untitled (Jazz Club)
on opening night
Image courtesy of Dawn Kunkel
The most important thing to Frady for any production is that it connects to the audience and moves them emotionally. She believes that in art, music, and theater, the audience should have a visceral reaction to what they have seen, heard, and experienced. She says that ShadowLight "brought all three of these things together and I believe moved the audience in attendance."

Brandon J. Gibson's portrayal of Beauford was profoundly moving for the audience.

Brandon J. Gibson
Image courtesy of Marble City Opera
He first heard about Beauford about three years ago, following Marble City Opera’s first year of “Chocolate & Wine” concerts for Valentine's Day. Emily Anderson, the librettist, came to one of these performances and after hearing Gibson sing that night, she went up to him and said “I’ve found my Beauford!” She proceeded to tell Gibson about "this wild painter who also happened to be a short, round, and gregarious black man with a deep voice" that she was writing an opera about.

When Gibson looked Beauford up and realized just how local he was to the Knoxville community and how beautiful Beauford's work was, he became intrigued. As he learned about the life behind those works of art, he was even more intrigued and was "hooked from then on."

Gibson's mother died unexpectedly about a year and a half ago and he drew heavily from his experiences dealing with her passing as he portrayed Beauford's relationship with his mother, Delia.

"...it was not a stretch for me to sing about “missing her” as he [Beauford] often does in the opera. Once that vulnerability was established, the other barbs that he endured from the voices in his head were easy to react to in kind."

Beauford Endures His Voices
Image courtesy of Marble City Opera
I asked Gibson why he thought the opera was so well received. He replied:

"I think that the timing of the opera was perfect. From the exhibits, to the lectures and documentaries, etc., the city was primed to learn more about this man’s tragic story. The
combination of the material, and the visual elements really added a lot as well. The score, text, and direction all combined to tell a rich story."

The most important thing about ShadowLight for Gibson was that

"...in the end, Beauford triumphed. Despite, or perhaps in spite of his struggles, he was able to bring some beauty into the world. And to leave behind a legacy that serves as an inspiration to all of us. I feel honored to have played a small part in bringing his story to life!"

Brandon J. Gibson as Beauford Delaney
Image courtesy of Marble City Opera
Read additional reviews of ShadowLight here:

Marble City Opera’s 'Shadowlight' is another success

Opera airs anguish and artistry of Beauford Delaney

Read articles that describe Beauford's emergence into the minds and hearts of the people in Knoxville and East Tennessee here:

Artist of Color

Beaufort Delaney Acclaimed From Paris to Knoxville

Beauford Delaney Opera a Tremendous Success!

The world premiere of ShadowLight, the opera that depicts Beauford's life in a series of flashbacks, was a tremendous success!

I posted preliminary information about the opera in last week's blog. At the time, I was not aware that on February 28, OperaWire (an online publication whose mission is "to shine a spotlight on all the amazing people nurturing and developing the art form [of opera] today") listed ShadowLight as one of the top six operas to be seen in North America that weekend:

OperaWire article by David Salazar - February 28, 2020
Opening night was sold out long before February 28.

Opening night audience
Image courtesy of Marble City Opera
Sylvia Peters, director of The Delaney Project, was the first person to send me news of the results of opening night. She said the performance was "spectacular" and that "it must be presented in Paris."

Joy Stone, a parent of one of the children from the Classes Duo Paris / Knoxville program that is rooted in Beauford's life and work, sent me the link to the review by Arts Knoxville - "the source for news and commentary on the art and music scene in Knoxville":

Marble City Opera's 'ShadowLight' - A Stunning Celebration of the Art and Life of Beauford Delaney

I then began receiving comments from others who attended the performance.

Heather Klessig-Zeiger, another Classes Duo parent, had the following to say:

"The combination of art projected on the wall, the orchestra music, the facial expressions and the words spoken were very powerful.

Beauford and his inner voices
Image courtesy of Marble City Opera
"I paid attention to the angst, confusion, fear in the speaker’s face. It was tear jerking when the three voices were speaking all at once which resulted in Beauford crying. The struggle to stay focused on his art to quiet the voices but wanting to hear his mother’s voice. Calling out to his mom and wanting her when he was in Paris, watching him in the insane asylum and fighting against people who had to restrain him was hard to swallow.

An anguished Beauford
Image courtesy of Marble City Opera
"Because of ... the 25 years I’ve worked with children and adults with mental illness, it was powerful and insightful. I have seen first hand the way a person acts and responds to this trauma and not wanting to live to get rid of the pain. All of this was so beautifully conveyed with the music, his art and James Baldwin’s words.

"ShadowLight is not the presence of darkness in light but the presence of a light (Beauford) in the darkness. I believe that was the meaning of it all."

L to R: Librettist Emily Anderson; cast members Brandon J. Gibson, Regan Bisch, Vincent Davis, and Breyon Ewing;
director Kathryn Frady; orchestra conductor Brian Holman, composer Larry Delinger, cast member Joshua Allen
Image courtesy of Marble City Opera
Librettist Emily Anderson shared the following about her involvement in ShadowLight:

"I first learned about Beauford Delaney twenty-five years ago, when Knoxville Museum of Art curator Stephen Wicks started researching him. Sylvia Peters, director of The Delaney Project, invited me to write the libretto. I spent six months researching Delaney’s life, mostly in newspaper and magazine clippings and museum catalogues, plus the David Leeming biography. Except for the Leeming biography, there is not much about him in any archive."

I asked Anderson why she believes the opera was so well received. She replied that the audience seemed to understand who Beauford was, the obstacles he overcame, and the contributions he made to 20th-century art. The most important thing about the performance for her was that "Audience members took Beauford Delaney home with them."

Marble House Opera director Kathryn Frady first learned of Beauford when Anderson approached her about producing an opera about Beauford. She told me that one of her passions is to tell stories through opera that are relatable and accessible to a new audience. So the idea of producing an opera about an artist from Knoxville made logical and emotional sense to her.

Frady describes ShadowLight as "a story of someone that our audiences themselves would be excited about seeing, since he grew up where they live, and that had the potential to bring a new non-traditional opera audience to the performance."

Next week: I'll share information about how director Kathryn Frady selected the cast for ShadowLight.

Black and White and ShadowLight: Beauford's Life in History and Song

As Black History Month comes to a close, Knoxville continues to recognize and celebrate Beauford.

Promotional image for Black & White
L to R: Beauford Delaney, Joseph Delaney, and Ruth Cobb Brice
The Museum of East Tennessee History is featuring Black & White: Knoxville in the Jim Crow Era, an exhibition that explores what life was like for African Americans in Knoxville during the Jim Crow era. This exhibition, presented as a timeline, provides historical context to the lives of local African-American artists Beauford Delaney, Joseph Delaney, and Ruth Cobb Brice. It seeks to answer what influence the city had on the early lives of these artists and whether they could succeed without leaving home.

East Tennessee History Center
© Wells International Foundation
The show highlights three African-American artists from Knoxville — Beauford, his brother Joseph, and Ruth Cobb Brice — and examines how Knoxville during the Jim Crow era shaped their lives and careers.

Entrance to Black & White exhibition
Image courtesy of the East Tennessee History Center
The exhibition includes 66 artifacts highlighting the history of race relations, African-American art, and the development of an art community in Knoxville following the Civil War. Forty-five (45) of these artifacts are on loan to the Museum of East Tennessee History from the Calvin M. McClung Historical Collection, the Beck Cultural Exchange Center, and private donors. Also featured are several videos, including "Knoxville’s Red Summer: The Riot of 1919" and "Beauford Delaney," both of which are courtesy of East Tennessee PBS and Black Appalachia; and "The Civil Rights Movement in Knoxville," courtesy of the Tennessee Archive of Moving Image and Sound. A variety of artworks by the highlighted artists are on display as well as works from other Knoxville-based artists who influenced them.

Photo of the Delaney Family at Black & White exhibition
Image courtesy of the East Tennessee History Center

"Beauford Delaney Abroad" at Black & White exhibition
Image courtesy of the East Tennessee History Center
Black & White: Knoxville in the Jim Crow Era opened on February 14, 2020 and is on view through June 14, 2020. For more information, call (865) 215-8824, email: , or visit www.easttnhistory.org.

The world premiere of ShadowLight, a Marble City Opera production that presents Beauford's life through song, took place at the Beck Cultural Center on Friday, February 28.

Starring Brandon J. Gibson as Beauford and Vincent Davis as James Baldwin, it sold out weeks in advance.

ShadowLight rehearsal - Brandon J. Gibson as Beauford
Image courtesy of Marble City Opera

ShadowLight rehearsal - Vincent Davis as James Baldwin
Image courtesy of Marble City Opera
Beauford's tormenting inner voices are being sung by Regan Bisch, Joshua Allen, and Breyon Ewing. Brian Holman is conducting the orchestra.

ShadowLight rehearsal - Beauford taunted by his voices
L to R: Joshua Allen, Breyon Ewing, Regan Bisch
Image courtesy of Marble City Opera
I had the pleasure of meeting Gibson for the first time during my recent visit to Knoxville for the opening of the Through the Unusual Door exhibition at the Knoxville Museum of Art.

L to R: Marble City Opera artistic director Kathryn Frady,
Monique Y. Wells, and Brandon J. Gibson
ShadowLight was written by Larry Delinger (music) and Emily Anderson (libretto) and is directed by James Marvel and Kathryn Frady. The show's finale will be presented at the Beck Cultural Center this evening.

To learn more about the production, click HERE.

The Art of Delaney: Redeeming, Reconciling & Healing

While I was in Knoxville for the opening of Through the Unusual Door, the exquisite monographic exhibition of Beauford's work at the Knoxville Museum of Art, I had the pleasure of returning to the Beck Cultural Center, which is Knoxville's storehouse of African-American history and culture and a primary repository of black history and culture in East Tennessee. Beck is restoring the Delaney family home on Dandridge Avenue with the intent to create The Delaney Museum at Beck.

Delaney home on Dandridge Avenue
© Wells International Foundation
Beck's president, Rev. Reneé Kesler, gave a private, guided tour of the center and proudly presented several items recovered from the home. She also spoke passionately about the original performing arts tribute to Beauford and the Delaney family that she is writing and producing. It is called The Art of Delaney: Redeeming, Reconciling & Healing. Through this Black History Month show, she will interconnect the story of the Delaney family with the story of African-American history through the arts.

Photo of the Delaney Family, 1909
Top, left to right: Samuel Emery, John Samuel, Delia
Bottom, left to right: Joseph, Ogust Mae, Beauford, Naomi
Image © Discover Paris!

Rev. Kesler says that “Beauford Delaney is by far the most important artist Knoxville produced in the twentieth century, at least in terms of national and international reputation. This special tribute will showcase the influence of Beauford’s art and its ability to redeem, reconcile and heal, at a time when we need it the most."

Hosted by Dr. Maxine Thompson Davis, former Assistant Vice Chancellor of Student Life at the University of Tennessee Knoxville,The Art of Delaney will feature several acts:

- Music by the Knoxville Opera Gospel Choir, which is celebrating over ten years of concert performances under the direction of Jeanie Turner Melton.

- Singing performance of the final scene from Okoye’s Harriet Tubman by Adia Evans, accompanied by Brian Salesky, Executive and Artistic Director of the Knoxville Opera.

- West African drum and dance performances by the Austin East Magnet High School performing arts department under the direction of Malaika Guthrie.

- Fashions that bring art to life by Yvette Rice of YR Productions.

- Music by saxophonist Casey McClintock.

- Presentation of the award-winning theatrical performance, “The Cure” by Dalton Miksa of Morristown West High School and Chris Cox of the University of Alabama.

- Portrayals of Beauford's mother, Delia Delaney, by Artece Slay and Beauford by Malik Baines.

The Art of Delaney will be performed at the Bijou Theatre, 803 S Gay St in downtown Knoxville on Monday, February 24 at 6:30 PM.

Bijou Theatre
© Les Amis de Beauford Delaney
Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students K-12 and are available online at Ticketmaster (fees apply). Bijou tickets can be purchased at the Tennessee Theatre box office located at 224 Clinch Avenue on the side of the theatre ($1.00 fee).

The performance is sponsored by the Beck Cultural Exchange Center and the Bijou Theatre with support from UBS Financial Services.

Beauford Delaney banner on Gay Street
© Les Amis de Beauford Delaney

Knoxville Continues to Celebrate Beauford - What's Coming Next

I'm back in Paris after visiting Knoxville for the FABULOUS opening of Beauford Delaney and James Baldwin: Through the Unusual Door.

Banners bearing Beauford's image line the streets around the Knoxville Museum of Art.

Banners near the Knoxville Museum of Art
© Les Amis de Beauford Delaney
Signage on the façade of the museum announces the exhibition.

What's on at the Knoxville Museum of Art
© Les Amis de Beauford Delaney
Inside, a enlarged photo of Beauford and James Baldwin walking down a Paris avenue greets visitors.

Monique Y. Wells and photo of James Baldwin and Beauford Delaney
Image courtesy of the Knoxville Museum of Art
The museum was packed for the VIP preview of the exhibition and the excitement of the attendees was palpable.

Attendees at VIP Preview of Through the Unusual Door
Image courtesy of the Knoxville Museum of Art
The exhibition itself is exquisite!

Exhibition rooms for Through the Unusual Door
© Les Amis de Beauford Delaney
It has whetted the appetite of Knoxville's citizens for the next big celebration of the lives and work of Beauford and Baldwin - the University of Tennessee Knoxville's symposium entitled "In a Speculative Light."

Banners for "In a Speculative Light" on campus
at the University of Tennessee Knoxville
Photo courtesy of Amy J. Elias, Ph.D.
Director, University of Tennessee Humanities Center
Originally planned as a closed event, UT Humanities Center director and conference organizer Amy Elias has now opened the symposium to the public due to popular demand. Entry is free.

For additional access, most of the sessions will be livestreamed.

The keynote speaker, NYU professor Fred Moten, will discuss Beauford's painting in relation to Baldwin's writing and Elvin Jones' theory of music on Thursday, February 20, at 3:30 pm in the UTK Student Union Auditorium.

The complete schedule for this three-day event can be found here:

https://baldwindelaney.org/schedule/

"In a Speculative Light: The Portrait Project" is an innovative addition to the symposium that honors Beauford's love of portraiture. Four artists - Jered Sprecher, Joshua Bienko, Rubens Ghenov, and Mary Laube - have offered to create portraits of symposium speakers, who will be asked to sit for their sessions in a pop-up studio in the UT Student Union.

During the week of February 17, visitors to campus will be able to view an exhibition called "The Paris Years: Paintings by Beauford Delaney from the Artist’s Estate" at the Student Union Art Gallery on the UT campus.

This show is being organized by Derek Spratley, Esq., the executor of the Beauford Delaney estate, to give the public and UT students, faculty, and staff the opportunity to see original Delaney artwork that will be available for purchase after the close of the exhibition.

An Eruption of Creativity – An Interview with Gary Elgin

This week, I'm pleased to share an interview with Gary Elgin, an artist who adopted the city of Knoxville as his own and who feels kinship with Beauford's life and work.

Gary Elgin
Image courtesy of Gary Elgin
Les Amis: Tell us a little about yourself.
GE: I'm a transplanted Knoxvillian, having been born in Chicago, Illinois in 1962. Adopted by two loving parents, who always encouraged every creative avenue I wanted to explore. I always exhibited visual artistic talents from the time I could hold a crayon, but I was a late bloomer in other aspects of life only coming out at age 30.

Les Amis: You describe yourself as a queer portrait painter. Does this mean that you are queer and you paint portraits, that you paint portraits of queer people, or both?
GE: First I guess I should explain My embrace of the word queer. This word has had a checkered past both in and outside the LGBTQ community. I have embraced it from almost day one of my identifying as 'other than'. Although I identify as 'gay' I find the more inclusive term queer to be preferable. I have been a visual artist nearly all my life, but I would have to admit that my queer nature has always, whether I knew it or not, informed my art. If not in subject matter, in energy or color or style. It has to.

Les Amis: What drew you to portrait painting?
GE: I honestly couldn't say. I have always since the very beginnings been attracted to faces! One of my more recent exhibits was entitled "Familiar Faces" (one of the key pieces was coincidentally a portrait of James Baldwin that now is in the collection of the Knoxville Public Library system at the Burlington Branch). I've always been fascinated with faces and eyes.

Les Amis: Do you paint things other than portraits?
GE: Oh yes! I particularly enjoy painting owls, animals of all sorts and clowns (I was a professional performing clown from about 1982 to 2001).

Les Amis: You discovered Beauford’s art at a KMA exhibition upon moving to Knoxville in 1992. If you can remember the paintings by him that you saw during that show, please describe them.
GE: I honestly do not remember the first pieces I saw other than to say they were striking... Passionate... and seemingly an eruption of creativity. His portraits evoked emotions in me… this is before ever reading anything about his life or his challenges. When I first saw his 1944 "Portrait of James Baldwin," I felt an instant connection. On a very deep level.

Portrait of James Baldwin
(1944) Pastel on paper
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Les Amis: Perhaps you are aware of the digital exhibition that celebrates Beauford’s portraiture. What are your thoughts about the evolution of his portraits over the years?
GE: I find his early portraits steeped in realism and exactness are very similar to how many of us begin painting, before we give ourselves permission to are creative true selves.

Les Amis: In what way(s) has Beauford’s art influenced yours?
GE: He (it) gave me “permission.”

Les Amis: Have you ever done a self-portrait?
GE: HAVE I !!!??? (laughs) in 1989, I had amassed an extensive collection of self-portraits. I launched an exhibit and paired them with journal entries that appeared appropriate. "Long, Hard Looks Inside: Portraits of a Gay Life" was a very satisfying exhibit for me. It enabled me to get a lot of junk out of my system.

Les Amis: Have you ever done a portrait of Beauford?
GE: Started, but not yet completed.

Les Amis: Perhaps you’ve seen Beauford’s 1944 self-portrait at the Art Institute of Chicago. How would you describe this work?
GE: To me, it seems to be influenced by Vincent van Gogh's "Portrait of a Young Man". Although I understand the resemblance to a self-portrait by Matisse. The arched eyebrow and penetrating gaze draws the audience in.

Les Amis: In what way has Beauford’s story inspired you?
GE: His courage. Through all of his trials and tribulations with his inner voices... He still had what I would consider to be courage and that is expressed through his work.

Les Amis: How well would you say his life and work are known in the LGBTQ community – locally or nationally?
GE: Sadly, I would say it is not as well-known especially locally. I believe that will change with this upcoming exhibit. The energy and resources Knoxville has put toward this latest collection of events will certainly catch the attention of even the casual observer.

Les Amis: Are you using his story or his art as part of your activist activities?
GE: Most of my activist activities happened from 1992 to 2005 and I can definitely say he as well as James Baldwin heavily influenced how I went about my work.

Les Amis: If so, in what way?
GE: I did my utmost to represent the LGBTQ community in a professional and upstanding manner. Even in the most heated moments, I did my best to stay polite, soft-spoken and yet direct. I also kept a creative thread through each of the activities and social actions we participated in.

Les Amis: Any final thoughts?
GE: I am thrilled to be living in Beauford & Joseph Delaney's hometown and have lived to be able to see them celebrated in such a grand way! It is much deserved.

What's on in Knoxville - Through the Unusual Door and More

Following last week's article about the preparations that Knoxville is making to celebrate Beauford during February 2020, I'm providing details about events organized in conjunction with the Knoxville Museum of Art (KMA) exhibition entitled Beauford Delaney and James Baldwin: Through the Unusual Door and sharing news about an additional event.

Knoxville Museum of Art
© Discover Paris!
I will attend a private preview of the exhibition prior to the public opening that is scheduled for Friday, February 7. That evening, KMA has scheduled a musical “Tribute to Bob Marley” for its Alive After Five program performed by the roots reggae group, Natti Love Joys. The festivities will begin at 6 PM. Tickets will be made available on site beginning at 4:45 PM; KMA members can attend for free.

On Saturday, February 8, the museum's Family Fun Day will celebrate the exhibition beginning at 11 AM. Art activities, artist demonstrations, door prizes, face painting, and more will be offered to the public at no charge.

For information about both events, send e-mail to .

Dr. Maurita Poole, Director of the Clark Atlanta University Art Museum, will talk about the university's "Delaney and Baldwin Collection" during a KMA Cocktails & Conversation session on February 25, 2020. This event is free and open to the public.

Dr. Poole is one of twelve curators selected to participate in the 2020 Center for Curatorial Leadership Fellowship program.

On February 16, Black in Appalachia is sponsoring a free screening of a short documentary called "Beauford Delaney" at The Bottom, 202 Randolph Street.

Promotional image for "Beauford Delaney"
East Tennessee PBS short documentary
The public is invited to a post-screening discussion at the same address, during which refreshments will be served. Children are welcome to attend the event.

"Beauford Delaney" will also air on East Tennessee PBS on the following dates:

- Thursday, February 6 at 8:30 PM ET
- Sunday, February 9 at 6:30 PM ET
- Sunday, February 16 at 10:30 AM ET

Beauford's Ever Expanding Legacy

2020 is going to be a phenomenal year for the expansion of Beauford's legacy!

Momentum for The Delaney Project (Gathering Light) in Knoxville is increasing and preparations for major events that will take place in February are well underway.

Banners bearing Beauford's image will be hung on city streets.

Beauford Delaney Banner
Image courtesy of Sylvia Peters,
The Delaney Project

Banners have already been posted for the James Baldwin - Beauford Delaney symposium entitled "In a Speculative Light" that will be held at the University of Tennessee Knoxville.

Photo courtesy of Amy J. Elias, Ph.D.
Director, University of Tennessee Humanities Center
They feature a pastel portrait of Baldwin done by Beauford in 1944, which is currently held by the Knoxville Museum of Art (KMA). These banners were created by Beauvais Lyons (Art, University of Tennessee) and UT Communications and supported by the UTK Chancellor, Donde Plowman.

Portrait of James Baldwin
(1944) Pastel on paper
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
KMA has posted information about the solo exhibition of Beauford's work that will open on February 7.

Beauford Delaney and James Baldwin: Through the Unusual Door

Farther afield, Vulture (of New York Magazine) has published a brilliant article written by Jerry Saltz entitled

Beauford Delaney, Black and Gay, Very Nearly Disappeared from Art History.

I'll bring you more details about the February activities scheduled for the Delaney Project in the coming weeks.

So Splendid a Journey at the English-language Library in Angers

Robert and Annette Bonnell help organize the U.S. Embassy-supported Speaker Series for the English-language Library in Angers. I was ever so pleased when they asked me to participate in the series and were then able to confirm that I could make a presentation about Beauford and So Splendid a Journey for their last event in 2019!

Despite the chaos that reigns due to the nationwide transit strike, Tom and I were able to board the 6:37 train from Paris' Gare Montparnasse to Angers on the morning of December 13. We were even lucky enough to catch a bus to the train station.

We had a comfortable ride to Angers, a town in western France that is about 190 miles from Paris. We arrived just after dawn. It was our first visit there and we appreciated the architecture and the gentle slopes of the city as we made our way to the library on foot.

Place de la Gare, Angers
© Entrée to Black Paris

Monique in front of the English-language Library in Angers
© Entrée to Black Paris
We were greeted warmly by Phoebe Marshall-Raimbeau, who has been director of the library since it was founded in 1993.

Phoebe Marshall-Raimbeau
© Entrée to Black Paris
After all the technical aspects of the presentation were checked and re-checked, I played the video trailer for So Splendid a Journey.

Playing the video trailer
Image courtesy of Annette Bonnell
Robert Bonnell introduced me, and I gave my talk to the gathering of about 45 persons, most of whom were French!

Introduction by Robert Bonnell
© Entrée to Black Paris
I began by presenting why I care about Beauford, went on to give an overview of his life in Paris and a review of the evolution of his art, and finished by citing the numerous events and activities that preserve and promote his legacy.

After the presentation, a lively Q&A period ensued. I was able to demonstrate the Blippar Augmented Reality app in the Resonance of Form and Vibration of Color catalog as one of the means through which Beauford's legacy is being extended.

Demonstrating Blippar for members of the audience
© Entrée to Black Paris
So Splendid a Journey will be the first full-length video documentary that answers the question, "Who was Beauford Delaney"? To support the completion of the video, which we aim to screen at the Cannes Film Festival in May 2020, click HERE.

Bibliothèque Anglophone d'Angers
English-language Library in Angers
60, rue Boisnet
49100 Angers
Tel: 02.41.24.97.07
Website: www.ellia.org

Diana Isabel Jervis-Read Remembers Beauford

My dear friend, Almeta Speaks, introduced me to Diana Isabel Jervis-Read a few days ago, after Diana casually mentioned to Almeta that she knew Beauford during his Paris years. I learned that Diana is a Fellow of Great Britain's Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce and that she met Beauford while working on a film project with James Baldwin. I immediately took the opportunity to ask Diana to grant me an interview about Beauford and she graciously agreed.

Diana Isabel Jervis-Read
Image courtesy of Diana Isabel Jervis-Read
Les Amis: When did you first meet Beauford?

DIJ-R: 1969 in Paris with James Baldwin and Bernard Hassell.

Les Amis: What were the circumstances?

DIJ-R: Jimmy was writing the dialogue for a family film I was involved with called YAO OF THE JUNGLE, which Quincy Jones and Ray Brown wrote the music for. I worked with the editor to make a rough cut and then Jimmy and I worked on this together in a cutting room off the Champs Elysées for very many weeks.

We spent all our time together and Beauford was with us on most evenings for very many weeks/months.

Les Amis: What was your first impression of Beauford and how did this change over time (if it did at all)?

DIJ-R: I adored smiley warm cuddly Beauford from the very first meeting. I found him extremely grandfatherly - and fun to talk to about many things and nothing. There was an inner peace in him for me. He was so sparkly and twinkly.

Les Amis: James Baldwin referred to Beauford as a cross between Brer Rabbit and St. Francis of Assisi. Would you describe him this way?

DIJ-R: Oh yes! James has the last word here - being a master of words which I am not!

Les Amis: Did Beauford have any artistic influence on you?

DIJ-R: I am not an artist but he opened my eyes to some artists I did not know, being in my early twenties.

Les Amis: What is your fondest memory of Beauford?

DIJ-R: Roaring around Paris in my friend Alain’s Mini with Jimmy in the front wrapped in a brightly coloured shawl his sister had brought from the Ivory Coast and Beauford and me sandwiched in the back.

Beauford, slightly dreamy and smiling benignly, somewhat knowingly about life.

And then meeting up with Bernard later for dinner at Fouquet’s or similar places.

Fouquet's signage - 1969
Fair use claim
Much merriment, eating and drinking - being a teetotaler at the time I was able to take everything in.

One night we were stopped by the gendarmes who were somewhat surprised to find a young, long-haired, chic hippy driving this assorted group - remembering that these were the list 1968 days when the street were lined with those big black police vans. After a few questions I suspect they thought we were altogether too much for them to cope with and they let us go - we were lucky. So many bad things happened then.

Les Amis: Are there any other thoughts that you'd like to share?

DIJ-R: I was honoured to have known, been friends with, worked with, and had fun with beloved Beauford, and James and Bernard.

Amazing Grace Is Yellow - The Cast

The play entitled Amazing Grace Is Yellow is the latest of an increasing number of projects and programs in the U.S. and France being organized to honor and extend Beauford's legacy. It will bring his life to the stage in three acts that follow him from Knoxville to Paris.

Playwright Silver Wainhouse asked award-winning writer Jake Lamar, a long-term Paris expat, to review the script and offer constructive criticism. Lamar’s response was as follows:

Congratulations on a beautiful and deeply moving work! I really have no critique to offer. I just can't wait to see actors bring this to life!

Because Lamar had his play, Brothers in Exile, read at a Paris theater a few years ago, and because he recently had a 10-part radio drama called Viper's Dream recorded for French radio, I asked him to help us identify professional performers who might be willing to participate in a reading of the play as a prelude to a full stage production. He came back with two recommendations - Patrick Rameau and Vanessa Dolmen. Dolmen generously shared the names of other actors who she thought would be good for the project.

As a result, the cast of Amazing Grace Is Yellow consists of professional actors and actresses who are active in stage and screen productions in France. Some are native Francophones with an excellent command of English. All were excited to learn about Delaney’s life and work and expressed bewilderment and frustration that they had never heard of him prior to becoming a part of the project.

The main characters in the play are Beauford; his mother, Delia; and his dear friend and mentee, James Baldwin. Eleven additional characters, real and fictional, round out the list of characters. For the reading, most of the performers will take on multiple roles.

The Cast and Director Silver Wainhouse
Front row: Audrey Mikondo, Silver Wainhouse, Edouard Chény
Back Row: JaQuincy Atkins, Vanessa Dolman, Patrick Rameau
© Silver Wainhouse
Patrick Rameau has been selected to portray Beauford. A professional actor for stage, screen, and television, his work has been seen all over the world. He is also a playwright - his work entitled ROSARIES has been produced Off Broadway. His latest film script, The Fall, is currently in pre-production phase. Patrick is especially proud of his school, Actor without Borders, which opens in Paris this fall with the first rehearsal workshop of Othello.

Patrick Rameau
© Entrée to Black Paris
Vanessa Dolmen will portray a fictional character who Beauford meets on the train to Boston and the Harlem landlady who robbed Beauford of his possessions and money on his first day in New York City. She recently finished a run in the Paris musical production Maya, Une Voix about the late, great Maya Angelou. After obtaining a master's degree in English, Vanessa briefly imagined herself as an English teacher but her true calling got in the way! She has performed in the award-winning short film Barbara, several feature films, and several radio dramas, including Jake Lamar's Viper's Dream.

Vanessa Dolmen
© Entrée to Black Paris
Audrey Mikondo, also from the cast of Maya, Une Voix, will read the roles of Mrs. Sparrow, a black society matron who introduced Beauford to many prominent African Americans in pre-Depression Boston, and Delia Delaney, Beauford's mother. Audrey is a French actress who worked in communications before deciding to pursue acting. She studied theater in English and in French at Cours Florent, culminating with several performances at the Théatre des Bouffes du Nord in Pais. She recently co-created Cygnet Theatre, an English-speaking theater company that will present its third production, Much Ado about Nothing, at the end of the month at the beautiful Jardin des Arènes de Montmartre in Paris.

Audrey Mikondo
© Entrée to Black Paris
Edouard Chény will recreate James (Jimmy) Baldwin and will also read the roles of a man at the New York boarding house and a fictional character that Beauford converses with in a Paris café. As an artist, he is always looking to get involved in inspiring projects. His goal as an actor is to serve great stories and impact people on a big scale. He says that faith, authenticity and love are the words he tries to live by every single day.

Edouard Chény
© Entrée to Black Paris
JaQuincy Atkins will portray a fictional character whom Beauford meets on the train to Boston (this character and the one portrayed by Vanessa Dolmen are husband and wife). Additionally, he will portray as another fictional character that Beauford meets in a Paris café and a patient at Sainte-Anne's Hospital, where Beauford spent the last four years of his life. He is a graceful presence embodying light shining outward. Those who surround him can feel his warm, humble spirit and bright smile. With the gift of creativity, he strives to remind those with passions to express love and humility.

JaQuincy Atkins
© Entrée to Black Paris
Chény and Atkins model as well as act. Hailing from Los Angeles, Atkins is the only U.S.-born actor in the group.

Inspired by playwright Wainhouse's opening exercise during the first rehearsal, which required everyone to give a brief introduction of themselves and state a single word that described their feelings about participating in the reading, a bond quickly formed among the actors.

Playwright Silver Wainhouse
© Entrée to Black Paris
Emotions ran high several times as the story unfolded and the actors settled into their parts. If the energy generated during the rehearsal is any indication, the reading at Columbia Global Centers | Paris at Reid Hall will be ELECTRIFYING!

To see photos of the rehearsal, click HERE.

Delia Delaney is Adopted!

In last week's blog post, I shared that four of the six actors who will portray characters in the reading of Silver Wainhouse's play, Amazing Grace Is Yellow, have been "adopted" by donors who want to support the play.

This week, I'm pleased to announce that the actress who will read Delia Delaney's part (Beauford's mother) in the play has been adopted as well!

Portrait of the Artist’s Mother
(1930) Pencil, ink and watercolor on paper
© Estate of Beauford Delaney,
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Here's a preview of what you'll hear during the exchange between Beauford and Delia when you attend the reading (scene from Beauford's New York years):

BEAUFORD: Sometimes I hear crying. Sometimes crying and laughing at the same time. Moaning. Even… cussing… Why do they do that, Mama?

MAMA: Don't know baby. Wish l could carry that for you.

BEAUFORD: Mama, sometimes they stop when I paint. I think they're quenched by paint. When I make the right strokes, strokes they like, pleasing them, I can hear them drinking and getting full. Satisfied. I've discovered that some days they like yellow- some days red- orange even. They let me know. (he laughs softly). They still and watch.

MAMA: (holding his face). Look at me. Everything pauses at beauty, Beauford. Even people intent on destroying it. They stop if only for a breath -- look at it, recognizing it for what it is. Make beauty, Beauford. That's your gift. God given gift.

BEAUFORD: But why Mama? Why do folks want to destroy it?

MAMA: It's a power. The devil wants to destroy it. (upbeat). But the devil can't fight our songs. And your voice is another gift. When you sing… the way your voice is cloaked. When your voice dropped on your way to becoming a man. It dropped so. I thought I would have to take a train or dig a well to go get it. Yep it dropped fast. And Deep. (she laughs but is quickly serious). I'm your Mama, Beauford. I know. I see what you carry. Let’s sing. Keep the devil at bay.

Rehearsals for Amazing Grace Is Yellow begin on September 10th in preparation for our October 16th reading at Columbia Global Centers Reid Hall. We have made great progress with fundraising and are currently seeking donations to support our final actor, the venue for the reading, and production fees.

Ten Things I've Learned from Beauford

By Silver Wainhouse

Silver Wainhouse is the author of Amazing Grace Is Yellow, a three-act play that presents Beauford's life as he moves from Knoxville to Boston, Boston to New York, and New York to Paris.


This is a warning!

Beauford Delaney has an infectious power. Start reading about him and looking at his work and he will infuse you, captivate you, get into your blood …

I am living proof of this experience. I was already drawn in by his story when I went to visit his grave. From that moment on, I have been under his continuing spell.

Silver Wainhouse at Beauford's Gravesite
© Discover Paris!
Beauford’s spirit is palpable - he speaks to me in a way that allowed me to write Amazing Grace Is Yellow. Below is a list of things I have learned from him.

1. Beauford was generous; sometimes even to a fault.

You always have enough to share.

2. He constantly sought those from whom he could learn, and took their advice as to when to move.

Mentors are life changers.

3. Beauford continued to study and take lessons from other painters he admired. He studied and incorporated newly-learned techniques.

Even genius needs practice and benefits from it.

4. One of his joys was to meet with friends in French cafés. There, he found people who cared about him and would check in on him, something he needed more and more as his health declined.

An artist needs community.

Café Scene
(1966) Oil on canvas
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
5. Beauford loved all kinds of music. His favorite was the spiritual “Amazing Grace.”

Music fortifies you and will get you through.

6. Beauford was homosexual. The hiding he did was such tremendous pressure.

The closet takes a toll.

The Eye
(1965) Oil on canvas
Private Collection
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
7. Beauford was a God-fearing man. Son of a preacher, faith was instilled in him at birth.

Believe in something greater than yourself.

8. Beauford had several personas and selected the appropriate one to adapt to the environment in which he found himself.

When someone calls your name, the part of you that answers depends upon who is calling.

9. Beauford’s legacy is real.

One has the ability to continue to touch lives after physical death.

10. Beauford always sought the sun, the son, and the light.

When we seek the light, we find grace -- and that grace is amazing!

Untitled
(circa 1960) Oil on canvas
Signed at lower right and on back of canvas
84 x 75 cm
© Estate of Beauford Delaney,
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator

Amazing Grace is Yellow - A Play

Beauford is in the air!

An increasing number of projects and programs on both sides of the Atlantic are serving to honor him and extend his legacy. These include the Gathering Light project in Knoxville, Tennessee and the Classes Duo program that connects elementary school students in Paris, France and Knoxville through Beauford’s life and art.

The latest project to emerge in France is Amazing Grace is Yellow – the life of Beauford Delaney, painter. This play, written by Silver Wainhouse, will bring Beauford’s life to the stage in three acts that follow him from Knoxville to Paris.

Background - Detail from Untitled
(circa 1960) Oil on canvas
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
An excerpt from the play’s introduction reads as follows:

Amazing Grace is Yellow was inspired when, during a conversation with Dr. Monique Wells about the life of Beauford Delaney, I said that his life should be presented in a play. She replied, “Why don’t you write it?” This play is the result of my having undertaken her challenge. Beauford Delaney is a beautiful haunt prodding all who take time to explore his richness, complexities, and beauty to make known his contribution to art.

Not surprisingly, the main characters in the play include James Baldwin

Collage of Portraits of James Baldwin by Beauford Delaney
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
Individual images reproduced
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
and Beauford’s mother, Delia.

Delia Delaney
(1933) Pastel on paper
Knoxville Museum of Art
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Eleven additional characters, fictional and real, named and unnamed, round out the cast.

In preparation for a full stage production, a reading of Amazing Grace is Yellow has been scheduled at Columbia Global Centers | Paris, Reid Hall, on October 16, 2019. Casting for the play is currently underway.

40th Anniversary of Beauford's Transition

Tuesday, March 26th will mark the 40th anniversary of Beauford's transition.

In commemoration, Les Amis is taking a look at what he was doing during his 40th year of life.

In 1941, Beauford was living at 181 Greene Street in Manhattan. According to his biographer, David Leeming, he was "already experimenting with pure abstractions concerned with light and color without reference to objective forms" at this time.

1941 was also the year that Beauford "came out" as a modernist with a one-man show at the Vendome art gallery in midtown Manhattan. His paintings entitled Greene Street,

Greene Street
(1940) Oil on canvas
Photo by André Moran from the Artsmia Web site
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Untitled (The Artist and Woman Seated),

Untitled (The Artist and Woman Seated)
(1940) Oil on linen canvas
762x914 mm; 30x36 inches
Signed and dated in oil, lower left
Image courtesy of Swann Auction Galleries
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
and Dark Rapture

Dark Rapture
(1941) Oil on masonite
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
were exhibited in this show.

In December 1941, several of Beauford's paintings were shown alongside the works of other African-American artists in an exhibition at Edith Halpert's Downtown Gallery. The New Yorker magazine singled out one of his abstract paintings, a "swirling red-and-yellow 'Still Life'" for comment.