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Poetter Hall was purchased by the SCAD founders in March 1979. Classes began in September of that year.  
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The Arts

Art mixes with activism



Benny Andrews, in his studio October 2000, is known for his art as well as his activism. "Soloist," painted in 1992, is oil and collage on canvas.

By Hannah Pittard
Published: Friday, January 31, 2003

An outspoken advocate for the inclusion of black and female artists in various American museums and galleries, artist Benny Andrews brings both art and activism to Savannah this winter with his exhibition, "Collage and Lines," and his lecture, "Being an Artist." It is no coincidence that Andrews will visit SCAD during Black History Month. His reputation as both a respected artist and powerful activist make him an obvious and appropriate representative of all that Black History Month stands for, especially at SCAD.

Born to sharecroppers in Madison in 1930, Andrews earned his B.F.A. from the School of the Art Institute Chicago in 1958. Though he has lived in New York City for nearly 45 years, Andrews’ Southern roots pervade even his most recent work, which involves projects related to the activities of his family, including his brother Raymond, his two sons Christopher and Thomas, and his wife Nene Humphrey, a nationally recognized artist and teacher.

Andrews has actively made a life out of his art. He maintains studios in Georgia, New York and Connecticut and served as the visual arts director of the National Endowment for the Arts from 1982 to 1984. He has also taught as a professor or visiting artist at several universities.

"Sometimes, when I have a form developing on the flat, white surface of my paper or canvas, I beg the question, ‘Am I communicating?’ Or to quote the comedian Joan Rivers, ‘Can we talk?’ It’s up to the artist … to establish communication between him and the subject," wrote Andrews of his art and technique.

Surpassing even his oft-labeled Southernism and activism is Andrews’ Americanism. His technique, influenced largely by his father George "The Dot Man" Andrews and the Chicago jazz scene, is instantly recognizable with its soft but powerful hues and its elongated figures. The printmaker/painter/cultural leader/arts advocate uses memories, storytelling and imagination as often as he does oils, ink and collages. "I … wanted to develop my work beyond my previous limitations, country, race, poverty and illustrations," he said. "At the same time, I didn’t want to deny anything about myself or my past."

"Collage and Lines" is made up of 14 pieces on loan from Andrews and another nine from South Side Gallery in Oxford, Miss. The collection includes six drawings and several oils and collages on canvas and paper. The work spans in date from 1989 to 2002. All pieces are for sale.

"Collage and Lines" will be on display at Pei Ling Chan Gallery, 322 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., through Feb. 24. Andrews will give a lecture at Red Gallery, 201 E. Broughton, Feb. 6 at 8 p.m.