Charles Humes Jr.
Drawing · Printmaking · Mixed Media
December 12, 2024 – February 9, 2025
This solo exhibition tells visual stories about Black life through drawing, printmaking, and mixed media pieces created by artist Charles Humes Jr. between 1985 and 2021.
Artist Statement
“My work is a reflection of my goal to be a visual writer, telling stories about the lives, times, trials and genre of people of color, people who look like me. No matter the subject, style, media or method the unifying mantra in my work is Black life.”
Biography
Miami born, Charles E. Humes, Jr. comes from a rich family heritage of the Grand Turks, Exuma, and the Eleuthera Islands of the Bahamas. The nationally acclaimed painter, print-maker, draftsman, muralist, and educator has been a professional fine artist for over 40 years. Influenced as a youth by the Civil Rights Movements of the '70s and '80s, in which social perception and status was based on the color of one’s skin or the place one calls home, Humes' early expressions found a voice championing the plight of the homeless, urban conditions, and stereotypes predicated on socio political, educational, economic prejudices, and bigotry. Humes received many national and regional awards for his signature depictions of the African-American condition. Humes studies included Florida State University, Florida International University and Miami-Dade Jr, College earning arts degrees in Painting, Printmaking and Arts Education. A recipient of the State of Florida’s Individual Artist Grant in painting, a Smithsonian Southern Arts Federation Print-making Fellow, a Arvida Bake-House Arts Complex Fellow and Residency, a Florida State Artist Fellow, and is presently a Visual Arts Scholar-Residency at the University of Miami's Center for Global Black Studies. Humes paintings and drawings has been exhibited in galleries and universities throughout the United States. Humes has created acclaimed multi- media large scale mosaic murals for arts in public places throughout the State of Florida and is considered a master technician in the art of glass, shell and ceramic mosaics. A member of the NCA (National Conference of Artist), NEA (National Educators Association), FEA (Florida Educators Association), DEA (Dade Educators Association), UTD (United Teachers of Dade), and the Kuumba Artist Association of Florida, Inc., the Post-Kuumba Collective Organization and is a founding member of the Liberty City Artist Exchange.