Charles McGee (painter) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Charles McGee
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| Born |
Charles William McGee
December 15, 1924 Clemson, South Carolina, U.S.
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| Died | February 4, 2021 (aged 96) Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
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| Nationality | American |
| Education | College for Creative Studies |
| Known for | Visual artist |
| Awards | 2008 Kresge Eminent Artist |
Charles McGee (born December 15, 1924 – died February 4, 2021) was an American artist and teacher. He was famous for his paintings, sculptures, and art made from different materials (called assemblages). You can find his amazing artwork in places like the Detroit Institute of Arts and the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History. He also created many large art pieces for public spaces in Detroit, Michigan.
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Early Life and Learning
Charles McGee was born in Clemson, South Carolina, on December 15, 1924. He spent his early years living with his grandparents, who were sharecroppers. This means they farmed land owned by someone else and shared their crops.
Nature's Inspiration
Young Charles found his first ideas for art while working outdoors. He picked cotton and helped his grandfather on the farm. He saw how everything in nature worked together in a beautiful, organized way. This experience deeply inspired his future artwork.
Moving to Detroit
When Charles was 10, he moved to Detroit. He had not gone to school much before this. He later said that life itself was his school. He learned new things every day, just by exploring and experiencing the world around him.
In Detroit, Charles went to George Washington Elementary. He also took art classes at the McGregor Public Library. Later, at Cleveland High School, he was very creative. He helped design and build floats for school parades. After high school, he worked at a company called Briggs Manufacturing in Detroit.
Serving His Country
In 1943, McGee joined the Marine Corps. He served for three years, including during World War II. He was stationed in Nagasaki, Japan, after the war. When he returned to Detroit, he used the G.I. Bill to go to college. This bill helped soldiers pay for their education. He studied at the College for Creative Studies, which was then called the Society of Arts and Crafts.
Charles McGee's Art Career
Early in his career, Charles McGee mostly used charcoal and paint. In 1968, he spent a year in Barcelona, Spain. This trip changed his art. After Barcelona, his work focused more on basic shapes and ideas. He moved away from realism, which is art that looks exactly like real life.
New Art Styles
One famous artwork, Noah’s Ark: 'Genesis' (1984), is at the Detroit Institute of Arts. It shows two Egyptian-style women and animals in a fun, abstract way. Abstract art uses shapes, colors, and forms that are not meant to look like real objects. Charles McGee was inspired by artist Jean Dubuffet in this new style.
Nature was always a big part of his art. This came from his childhood experiences picking cotton outdoors. One of his last works, Unity (2018), is painted on a building in Detroit. It shows how nature and people connect.
Teaching and Community Art
Charles McGee taught art at Eastern Michigan University from 1969 to 1987. He also taught at the University of Michigan and the Birmingham Bloomfield Art Center. He even started his own place, Gallery 7, and a small art school. He also helped organize art shows.
You can see McGee's paintings, assemblages, and sculptures in museums around the world. They are always on display at the Detroit Institute of Arts, the Dennos Museum, and the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History.
His art is also in public places. You can find it at the William Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, Michigan. He also created art for the Detroit People Mover at Broadway Station. In 1978, he helped start the Contemporary Art Institute of Detroit (CAID).
In 2016, Marygrove College opened the Charles McGee Community Commons in Detroit. It's a special park across from where McGee's studio was for over 50 years. His sculpture, Playscape II, is the main artwork there.
Detroit's Influence
Charles McGee loved Detroit and its people very much. He put a lot of his artistic energy into the city. He once said, "Detroit really has been a heaven for me. It has given me dignity and treated me with respect."
Awards and Recognition
In 2008, Charles McGee was the very first person to receive the Kresge Eminent Artist award. This award honors artists in Detroit for their achievements and contributions to the local art scene. The College for Creative Studies also gave him an honorary doctorate degree for his work as an artist and teacher.
In 2019, Michigan Legacy Art Park gave him their Legacy Award. This award recognized his lifetime of achievements as an artist, teacher, and global citizen.
Later Life
In 2011, Charles McGee had a stroke. This made it harder for him to create art. He passed away peacefully at his home in Detroit on February 4, 2021. He was 96 years old.
Images for kids
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Charles McGee
