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"Shining a little light on artist, Earl Wilkie" by Sherry Howard
http://myauctionfinds.com/2010/09/23/shining-a-little-light-on-artist-earl-wilkie/
Every town has its cadre of local artists. Many work in obscurity, below the public line, never known by anyone except other artists like themselves. And then there are those who flutter slightly above, the ones some of us hear about.
African American artist Earl A.T. Wilkie, of Philadelphia, never fluttered high beyond the line. And he seemed to like it that way. He was friends to some local artists whose names I do know (Ellen Powell Tiberino, who died of cancer in 1992) and some international ones (Elizabeth Catlett, who turned 95 this year).
Wilkie partied and smoked and drank and exhibited in shows with artists in Philadelphia’s Powelton Village in the 1960s and then just quit it all, according to his son, David Raine. He wanted to become more spiritual, read and talk about religion and other intellectual subjects, and create his art.
“He wanted life to be functional and beautiful,” said David. “Beauty was not enough for him. Everything had to be both of these things.”
I met David for the first time a few weeks ago at a dedication for a piece of wooden sculpture that he and his sister Lori Schantz had donated to Elwyn, an organization that aids people with special needs. Wilkie had worked there for about 30 years, Read more >>>>
Every town has its cadre of local artists. Many work in obscurity, below the public line, never known by anyone except other artists like themselves. And then there are those who flutter slightly above, the ones some of us hear about.
African American artist Earl A.T. Wilkie, of Philadelphia, never fluttered high beyond the line. And he seemed to like it that way. He was friends to some local artists whose names I do know (Ellen Powell Tiberino, who died of cancer in 1992) and some international ones (Elizabeth Catlett, who turned 95 this year).
Wilkie partied and smoked and drank and exhibited in shows with artists in Philadelphia’s Powelton Village in the 1960s and then just quit it all, according to his son, David Raine. He wanted to become more spiritual, read and talk about religion and other intellectual subjects, and create his art.
“He wanted life to be functional and beautiful,” said David. “Beauty was not enough for him. Everything had to be both of these things.”
I met David for the first time a few weeks ago at a dedication for a piece of wooden sculpture that he and his sister Lori Schantz had donated to Elwyn, an organization that aids people with special needs. Wilkie had worked there for about 30 years, Read more >>>>
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