Inaugural Inspiration & “The Past We Step Into”
Can you believe it? We are already in the midst of February 2021, an opportune time to explore and celebrate the complexity and richness of black history while also looking optimistically toward new horizons.
We are embracing this moment by honoring the renewed spirit that comes with inauguration by recognizing some recent and significant inaugural moments:
Source: whitehouse.gov
Our country has inaugurated its first woman Vice President, the highest ranking female official in U.S. history and the first individual to hold this position of both African-American and south Asian descent.
As of February 1st, Grupology inaugurated its headquarters by opening its doors to private, in-person instruction. We’re being cautious, taking it one thoughtful step at a time.
And we ponder the newfound wisdom of Amanda Gorman, acclaimed inaugural poet:
“But in all the bridges we’ve made,
that is the promise to glade,
the hill we climb.
If only we dare.
It’s because being American is more than
the pride we inherit,
it’s the past we step into
and how we repair it…”
“For while we have our eyes on the future,
History has its eyes on us…”
(from The Hill We Climb — selected excerpts)
On the weekend of February 6th and 7th, we hosted our first private, on-site art class featuring the talent, unique techniques, and legacy of the artist Alma Thomas (1891–1978), the first African-American woman to have her artwork exhibited in the White House. Her painting entitled, Resurrection, has been prominently displayed since 2015 when Michelle Obama proudly unveiled the piece which hangs on the wall of the Old Family Dining Room. Alma Thomas’s art is known for its vibrant colors and use of concentric patterns, most often circles.
Our amateur artists rose to the occasion creating bright, multi-colored masterpieces using mixed media materials including beans of varying shapes and sizes. Check out Grupology’s inspirational Artist’s Studio art program under the enthusiastic instruction of Raquel Gunther.
