Artist Ted Ellis will commemorate the historic home of Rosa Parks during a live, on-location painting from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Jan. 14 at 1026 Rosa Parks Ave., the Cleveland Court Apartments. The public is invited to watch as Ellis creates an original painting of Parks' former home."This event is open to all and we invite the public to come and observe the artist create a historic work of art," said Viola Moten, curator of Troy University’s Rosa Parks Museum.
The event coincides with the opening of Ellis's exhibit, "Our History, Heritage and Culture: An American Story, the Art of Ted Ellis," which will be on display at Troy University's Rosa Parks Museum from Jan. 13 to Feb. 24. Paintings featured in the exhibit include scenes of southern African American life during the early 20th century, as well as portraits of notable figures including Louis Armstrong and President Barack Obama
Born in New Orleans, Ellis is a self-taught artist currently based out of Texas known for his paintings exploring the life and culture of African Americans in the south.
"The subjects (Ellis) paints are inspiring, as well as nostalgic, depicting historic events from the past and present," Moten said. "He has strong ties to his community as well as a strong appreciation for the history of African Americans and he is able to evoke that to the viewer through his art."
The exhibit hall at the Rosa Parks Museum is free and open to the public from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday. For more information about the exhibit or the live painting, call (334) 241-8701.
-- posted by Teri Greene
