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Artist of the Month – Al Bright
 Al
Bright
(Liberty)
was
fortunate to have Jon Naberezny as his 7th grade art teacher at
Hillman Jr. Hi. When Naberezny left to become director of the art
department at Youngstown State University, Jim Lepore became Al’s
8th grade art teacher. Soon, Lepore also moved to the YSU art
department.
Al
grew up never expecting to go to college. In fact, he was on a
waiting list to go to barber college upon graduation from South H.S.
Originally majoring in psychology and philosophy, he graduated from
YSU with a BS in art education, followed by an MA degree in
painting from Kent State in 1965 . He has been teaching at Y.S.U.
ever since. Eventually, he became coordinator of the painting area
of the art department, as well as chair of the Black Studies
department He is now retired—professor emeritus—still teaching
painting one semester each year.
Al
developed a passion for art as early as age 9. Then he got serious
about abstract expressionism which was THE major movement in America
when he was in junior high school—a time when 1st generation
abstract expressionist artists, such as Pollock, DeKooning, &
Motherwell, were catapulting American Art to the forefront of Modern
Art. His interest in abstract expressionism was inspired by jazz. Al
came from a strong musical family. Jazz was a major part of his
musical experience. (He plays jazz flute.)
Al
says, “I sincerely believe that visual art and music are
inextricably tied together. Both disciplines share a common lexicon.
Painters and musicians both describe their creations in terms of
coloration, form, harmony, composition, tonality, rhythm, texture,
and movement.”
Al is
a pioneer in performance art, having painted on large canvas pieces
in live performance with many jazz greats, as well as symphony
orchestras, church services, dance companies, and primal screaming.
He’s had over 50 one-man shows throughout the country. He tries to
attend major exhibitions all over the world, especially the Venice
Biennale every two years. His plan now is to concentrate on the
development of a serious body of work “before I die.” He has a
studio at 6229 Market St. in Boardman, which is open by appointment. |
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