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Bill Hutson

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Bill Hutson, also known as William R. Hutson, (September 6, 1936 – September 21, 2022), was an African-American abstract fine artist, who specialized in painting and collage. Active since the early 1960s,[1] he was based in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and continued painting until his death. Despite becoming legally blind due to glaucoma, Huston worked in large format.[2]

Biography

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Hutson was born in San Marcos, Texas, on September 6, 1936.[1] His father, Floyd Hutson, was a musician, who died when Hutson was four years old. Hutson's mother was a custodian, and she died several years after his father, leaving Hutson and his siblings to live with relatives. Hutson drew throughout his childhood, and took a correspondence course in drawing, but was not aware of art as a career until his late teens.[3] He died in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, on September 21, 2022.[4]

Education

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Hutson completed his high school education in San Marcos, Texas, before enlisting in the United States Air Force.[5] While serving, he took a drawing course at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque from 1956 to 1957.[5] He additionally studied art at Los Angeles City College, Los Angeles Trade Technical College, and the San Francisco Academy of Art in the late 1950s and early 1960s.[1]

In addition to his studies at several colleges and universities, Hutson also completed an apprenticeship with the artist Frank N. Ashley from 1960 to 1962.[6]

Career and travels

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From 1963 to 1970, Hutson traveled extensively throughout Europe, visiting cities such as Rome, Paris, London, and Amsterdam. During this time, Hutson's art was exhibited throughout the continent, and as a result, his art resides in many European collections.[3]

In the years following his European travels, Hutson worked a variety of positions, both in museums and academia, including:

  • 1974-1976: Graphic Arts Advisor, Audio Visual Research Division, The National Museum of Art, Lagos, Nigeria
  • 1979-1983: Adjunct Lecturer, Hunter College of the City University of New York, New York, NY
  • 1984-1987: Assistant Professor, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH
  • 1989: Visiting Artist/Instructor, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD
  • 1989-2010: Associate Art Professor, Franklin & Marshall College, Lancaster, PA
  • 2005-2022: Jennie Brown Cook and Betsy Hess Cook Distinguished Artist-in-Residence, Franklin & Marshall College, Lancaster, PA[6]

Exhibitions

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Hutson's art has been exhibited internationally, in both group and solo exhibitions since 1964.[1] In 2020, Hutson's art was featured in a solo exhibition, titled Bill Hutson: Selections from the Phillips Museum of Art at Franklin & Marshall College, Pennsylvania at the Governor's Residence in Harrisburg, PA.[7] In 2021, Hutson's art was featured in a solo exhibition at Texas State Galleries in his hometown of San Marcos, TX, as well as a group exhibition at The Art Students League in New York, NY.[6]

Notably, in 2004, Hutson curated an exhibition for the Phillips Museum of Art at Franklin & Marshall College, titled Something To Look Forward To.[8] Featuring work by acclaimed artists Howardena Pindell, Alvin Loving, Edward Clark, and Sam Gilliam, among others, the exhibition celebrated the art of selected African-American artists over the age of 60.[9]

Awards and recognition

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Hutson received several awards and public recognition throughout his career. In 1972, he received the Cassandra Foundation Award.[6] In 1974, he was granted a fellowship through the National Endowment for the Arts in the amount of $7500.[10] In 1980, Hutson received recognition through the Creative Artists Public Service Program (CAPS) in New York, NY.[6]

Collections

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Hutson's art has been collected by museums and private collectors all over the world. His art is held at:

Franklin & Marshall College

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Hutson became involved with Franklin & Marshall College in 1989, when he joined the faculty. He taught in the art department from 1989 to 1999.[7] In 2010, Hutson donated a collection of his art and his personal library and papers, including substantial archival materials, to the college.[5] The collection is shared by the Phillips Museum of Art and the Franklin & Marshall College Library. Hutson was the Jennie Brown Cook & Betsy Hess Cook Distinguished Artist-in-Residence at the college, a position he had held since 2005.[11]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d Bénézit, Emmanuel, et al. (2006). Dictionary of Artists. Gründ.
  2. ^ Holahan, Jane (2015). "Curator of 'Just a Few of Us' believes abstract art doesn't need to explain". LNP News.
  3. ^ a b Honig Fine, Elsa (1982). The Afro-American Artist: A Search for Identity. Hacker Art Books. ISBN 0878172874
  4. ^ "Bill Hutson (1936-2022)". 2 October 2022.
  5. ^ a b c Sternberg, Libby (2010)The Art of Giving: The Life, Work, and Generosity of Bill Hutson. Franklin & Marshall Magazine.
  6. ^ a b c d e Hutson, Bill (2022). Bill Hutson. Artists' personal website.
  7. ^ a b Andrelczyk, Mike (2020). "Bill Hutson, who taught First Lady Frances Wolf at F&M, is subject of exhibit at Pennsylvania Governor's Residence." LNP News.
  8. ^ New York Times Online (July 10, 2005). "ART REVIEWS: Abstraction, Symbolism, Metaphor."
  9. ^ Franklin & Marshall College (2004). Something To Look Forward To: An Exhibition Featuring Abstract Art by 22 Distinguished Americans of African Descent. Franklin & Marshall College. ISBN 0910626022.
  10. ^ National Endowment for the Arts (1974). Annual Report 1974.
  11. ^ Franklin & Marshall College (2022). College Directory: Bill Hutson.
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