February Exhibit

Booker T. Washington High School - Photography
Reception: Sunday, February 7
12:00 - 2:00 p.m. in the Gallery

The Goodrich Gallery exhibit for February showcases the photography of students at Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts. This exhibit is another step in the gallery committee’s efforts to support local artists of all ages and stages. The show opens on Sunday, February 7 with a reception from 12:00 – 2:00 p.m. in the gallery. Many of the student photographers will be in attendance.

Located in the Dallas Arts District near the heart of the city, BTWHSPVA attracts students from throughout the metropolitan area, boasting an enrollment of 700 students in grades 9-12 who attend school full-time following a curriculum of arts and academic classes.

The building was erected in 1922 as the first African American high school in Dallas. In 1955 space was added for vocational training and it became a technical high school. A court order on desegregation in 1976 prompted Dallas Public Schools to meet specific needs to educate gifted artists with both potential and aspiration for careers in the arts by establishing BTWHSPVA as a school solely dedicated to this mission. Over the years the high school has received national acclaim as a prototype for other magnet schools throughout the United States and Canada. In 1994 it was named a Mentor School by the Texas Education Agency and in 1995 was named a Texas Blue Ribbon School by the United States Department of Education. A new building, erected on the original Arts District location, was opened in April, 2008.

Over the years, the school has produced a stellar list of famous graduates, including R&B vocalist Erykah Badu, jazz trumpeter Roy Hargrove, and members of the gospel group, “God’s Property.” Other noted graduates include dancer Jay Franke, cellist John Koen, visual artists Chris Schumann and Chris Arnold, drummer Aaron Comess, and musicians Edie Brickell of the “New Bohemians” and Norah Jones.
To grasp more fully the vision and mission of Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts visit the school’s Web site at www.dallasisd.org/btw. For a more personal view of the impact of that vision and mission, hear the words of Kelsey McKinney, a visual arts senior who is published monthly in The Dallas Morning News:

I am a new photographer. Though my mother took photographs of my sister and me all throughout my childhood, I had never placed my eye behind the lens until August. To be fair, I knew how to point my digital camera toward objects and shoot, but it wasn’t until I found myself in Cassie Edmondson's fourth period class that I learned the beauty of the photograph.

There are thirty people crammed into my photo class. We are dancers, painters, set designers, and musicians. We are all talented in incredibly different ways, and for many of us the only thing we have in common is this one class. Though we may fight and bicker over who gets computer priority, ultimately we are honing each other. Our unique areas of expertise allow us to individually approach photography in exquisite and beautiful ways.

On “inspiration days”, the thirty of us huddle together and watch projections of up-and-coming photographers. We dream of adopting their styles and are taught the nuances of their approaches. We learn, through practice and assignments, our own places in the photography world. We learn what exactly it means to be a photographer.

The committee hopes you will visit The Goodrich Gallery during February to enjoy this very special exhibit.

Gallery hours are Sunday - Friday, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Saturday, 8 a.m. - Noon.

Call Music and Arts, 214-220-2727, ext. 218.

HOME | SITE MAP | MAKE A DONATION | CONTACT