Initially, the Living with Art: Modern and Contemporary art of African-American exhibit at the Peninsula Fine Arts Center seemed rather disappointing. Only about a quarter of the work was appealing to me, and some of it was lacking the creativity or artistic quality that I feel art in galleries should possess. The day after attending, however, I realized that even though the majority of the art did not capture my heart, the collection itself did.

Ethiopian expatriate Alitash Kebede of Los Angeles accumulated this collection of African-American work. Her collection includes both unfamiliar and popular artists, and she is obviously passionate about art and enjoys sharing her collection. Now that is something I can appreciate.

My favorite pieces in the show were by a very familiar artist, Jacob Lawrence. His work is so powerful and each piece tells an emotional story. Perhaps the most striking pen drawing in the collection was so sad that you could feel the subject’s pain. Lovers by Charles Alston was another favorite. The couple is intertwined in an embrace that made me feel the comfort that the one was providing the other. So,

yes there were some pieces I enjoyed seeing. Just not enough.

Although I went to the Pfac in anticipation of the African collection, I found I was much more interested in two other exhibits in the gallery - one by Greg Henry and the other by Richard Ward. Greg Henry, a college professor at Christopher Newport University, displayed both paintings and sculptures that show his Guyanese heritage. His work is bold, simple, and fun, and most includes chickens and trees which seemed to be a signature theme.

Richard Ward’s art was more abstract. He used beautiful colors and vast textures in his paintings, but the sculptures were the most interesting of his work. He used familiar objects, like tools, and creates sculptures of musicians. The booby prize goes to whoever can figure out what all the objects used to be.

Overall the show was worth seeing. Personally, the main collection of African-American art was not my taste, but you may disagree. Perhaps it could inspire someone to start collecting art of their own. The other two shows were definitely worth the trip. A fun time to check out the Pfac is on Thursday nights from 5:30-8:00 for the Arts Café. You can listen to live music, look at the art, all while drinking a glass of wine or beer. Hope to see you there one night.

The Living with Art: Modern and Contemporary art of African-American exhibit is on display until August 27, 2006.