THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, September 15, 1996 TAG: 9609130260
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 14 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: COVER STORY
SOURCE: Rebecca Myers Cutchins
LENGTH: 57 lines
The painting shows an African-American family in brightly colored garb - the father resting his hand on his wife's shoulder, the son looking up at his parents.
For the last five years, that illustration has served as the symbol of the Umoja Festival.
You've probably seen the family numerous times - on the sides of TRT buses and the fronts of T-shirts, on posters and handbills.
Maizelle, a practicing artist for 30 years who goes only by her first name, initially did the painting for the cover of InSyte Magazine, a now-defunct monthly tabloid that targeted black readers. Shortly after the magazine was launched in June 1991, a cover story was written on the city's first Umoja fest.
``The publisher called me and told me he was a big fan of mine,'' said Maizelle, a Norfolk resident who works out of a small studio at The Art Atrium on High Street. ``He explained the Umoja Festival to me and he wanted me to do the cover design.''
Maizelle decided to depict an African-American father, mother and son because she thought ``a family would be best representative of unity,'' which is what Umoja stands for.
``I'm not an expert on African culture even though I'm always recording my roots,'' Maizelle said.
After city officials saw Maizelle's work on the magazine's cover, they contacted her for permission to use the design as the festival's official symbol. The city now owns the rights to the logo.
One of the nicest things ever to happen to Maizelle, she said, was to be invited to the first Umoja Festival VIP reception.
``I knew by using my symbol, the city would acknowledge me, but when I got to to The Max (for the reception), they had a lot of my artwork all spread out in between the buffet tables,'' she said. ``And it was the shock of my life to receive the key to the city of Portsmouth.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo
Artist Maizelle says she decided to depict an African-American
family in the logo because she it represents unity, which is what
Umoja stands for.
Graphic
ART SHOW
What: Umoja Festival Art Exhibit and Reception.
Featuring: Wood sculpting, ceramics, collages and paintings by
local artists Alexis Joyner, Betty Jo Woodhouse, Robert Davis,
Robert Floyd III and Maizelle.
When: Opening reception from 3 to 5 p.m. today; exhibit will run
through the Umoja Festival.
Where: The Art Atrium, 629 High St. During the Umoja Festival,
visitors can take the African-American Heritage Trolley to the
museum. by CNB