The Art Collection of Jonathan Green and Richard Weedman

is currently on display at the Gibbs Museum in Charleston.  One Thursday per month, 

both Mr. Green and Mr. Weedman conduct a tour of the collection they have shared with us.

My daughter and I, along with about 100 others, filled the main upstairs gallery, full of

anticipation.  Jonathan Green is my favorite contemporary artist, with many of his works hanging in my home.  His pictures are calm and peaceful, yet infinitely joyful. They make me stop and smile each and every time that I pass them.   His and his partner Richard's peace and joy is shown in the collection on display- how lucky we were to hear both men describe their art and life journeys, their  passion towards life and their deep biblical spirituality expressed in art.  

Both men discussed their long quest to preserve and possess the art created by the WPA government artists in the 1930's.  As much as I've read about the WPA, I have somehow missed the story of the artists who were paid by the US government to create, paint and sculpt; a huge blessing which was blotted out when influential art galleries despaired about a perceived glut on the art market caused by the huge amount of art created.  The government's response was to destroy all government owned art from that period.  The art that was privately or gallery owned was saved, yet most of the saved works ended up in garage sales and antique shops.  Jonathan Green and Richard Weedman have been on a life quest to rescue this art...Bravo to you both!