By Susan Lin
Visitors shouldn't expect to view art objects within the setting of a mansion surrounded by a field of grass and trees. The African American Museum is one floor, and located off a busy sidewalk behind what could be a storefront.
Those interested in visiting the African American Museum -- which is considered the center of African-American art on Long Island -- might consider this weekend a good time to do so.
Opening Friday is "Upon the Shoulders of Our Ancestors," an annual year-end exhibit featuring the paintings, watercolors and sculptures of African-American artists on Long Island. About 30 artists are contributing works to the exhibit this year.
The artworks reflect the culture and history of Africa, the Caribbean islands, including Trinidad and Jamaica, as well as that of African Americans.
"The artists are trying to make a statement, and obviously that statement is that we have come this far based on the efforts of those who have gone before us," said Willie Houston, the director of the African American Museum.
One artist featured in the exhibit is James Count, 73, of Roosevelt. He is contributing a bust of an African princess, a bust of a Mafai warrior (the Mafai is an African tribe) and a bas-relief titled "Motherland."
Count believes that the sculptures are a suitable contribution because the other art pieces in the exhibit are paintings and two-dimensional. "A sculpture is something you can put your hands on, and that brings a sense of reality as opposed to reading something in a book," he said.
A native of Brooklyn, Count has contributed to group shows at the Brooklyn Museum, the New York Coliseum Expo and the Queens Museum.
Count says he has especially appreciated being a fine artist during the past few weeks. "Just about everybody is stressed out to some degree, but if you're a sculptor, you get some clay and you start sculpting. You get lost in that, and it takes a lot of the stress off. I think artists are the most fortunate people in the world," Count said.
Marcia Braunwell, 55, will also be part of "Upon the Shoulders of Our Ancestors." Braunwell is bringing a mixed-media work titled "Two African Market Women"; and two paintings named "The Journey of Mother and Child" and "Joy in the Morning."
"I would like viewers to enter my artwork, and to leave with a sense of discovery," said Braunwell, who is recognized for her vibrant landscapes of the Caribbean sea, and scenes with the people who live in those parts.
Braunwell -- who said "I can't think of anything else I enjoy as much as painting -- has shown her work at the Olympia 2 Conference Center in London, The Heckscher Museum of Art in Huntington, and the Jacob Javits Center in New York.
Braunwell grew up in Jamaica, and first visited America at age 19. Currently she lives in Uniondale.
Tying all the varied art pieces together, said Houston, is a belief that art is not something merely beautiful, but also educational and reflective of the artist's culture.
"Art that tells a story of one's struggle is to me worthy of its weight in gold. For African Americans, we need to be reminded of our past, our great history and our culture. And artists are the preservatives of that history and culture.
"I think art plays a significant role in the growth and development of any people," said Houston.
At a Glance
"Upon the Shoulders of Our Ancestors"
Sat., Nov. 10 - Fri., Dec. 21
African American Museum
110 N. Franklin St. (corner of Jackson St.), Hempstead
(516) 572-0730
Hours: 6 - 9 p.m. Wed.
10 a.m. - 4:45 p.m. Thurs. thru Sat.
1 - 4:45 p.m. Sun.
Free admission
