Background

Eric Humphries was born and raised in rural Norman, Oklahoma. From a early age Humphries was interested in drawing and painting and spent much of his free time doing so. With few artistic influences to call upon, he practiced copying comic books and cartoons. In later years, Humphries found himself drawn to politically motivated artist such as Diego Rivera and Keith Haring, and inevitably decided that he would take his art in a socially conscious direction as well. His works reflect an individuality forged by years of experimentation and an emphasis on simplifying down key elements. The paintings are allegorical, depicting true life historical events as seen through the eyes of an artist.

In the past Humphries has tackled such topics as AIDS awareness, evolution and war and for the last fifteen years he has been working on a large series of paintings centering around true historical tragedies known collectively as “The Atrocities”.

Most recently Humphries has finished work on a fourteen month long project detailing the events surrounding the Tulsa Race Riot of 1921.

Main Focuses

1- Humphries focuses on art with a purpose, showing students that creativity can be used for more than passive entertainment. “You can actively influence people with art.”

2- Humphries hopes to bring the story of the Tulsa Race Riot of 1921 to as many people as possible.

Offerings

“Art with a purpose” Talk -In this one hour talk, Humphries discusses the concept of art with a purpose by providing historical examples, as well as, using actual photographs to show students how he constructs his art and the meanings of the key elements he uses and why. This talk is appropriate for high schools, colleges and adults.

Tulsa Race Riot Talk-In this one hour talk, Humphries presents an oral version of his latest series about the Tulsa Race Riot of 1921 entitled “Is the whole world on fire?”. Students are given a brief introduction to the artist’s work and then led step by step through the events surrounding the riot. Actual photographs and painted works are utilized to teach students about this important chapter in Oklahoma history. This talk is appropriate for middle schools, high schools, colleges and adults.

Tulsa Race Riot Traveling Exhibit -The Tulsa Race Riot was one of the
worst riots in American history. During sixteen hours of fighting, over 800 people were injured and 10,000 people were left homeless. There were more than 1,000 homes destroyed by fire and millions of dollars in damage occurred. The number of black citizens killed by whites, as a result of the riot, is estimated at around 300. Greenwood, the black side of Tulsa, was destroyed.

This exhibit, entitled “Is the whole world on fire?“, is comprised of a series of eight canvases depicting the events occurring May 31 through June 1, 1921, in Tulsa, Oklahoma, commonly known as the Tulsa Race Riot. The paintings are arranged in chronological order. Each one tells a part of the story so that the viewer is led through the entire event one canvas at a time. Each canvas is also accompanied by several small signs which tell their own part of the story and a print of the actual photograph that inspired the painting. This exhibit is appropriate for all ages and a minimum of forty feet of wall space is needed for hanging the display. The exhibit is available for one to three month rentals.

Availability

Eric Humphries is available for schools, colleges, and libraries throughout the state of Oklahoma and beyond.

Fee

Negotiable