Artist's Bio
Born in Anniston, Alabama. Attended school in Dayton, Ohio and received Masters of Fine Art from Ohio University, Athens, Ohio. Majored in Painting.
Taught at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria, University of Akron's School of Art and currently teaches at the Benedict College, Columbia, SC.
Exhibitions include:
Claflin University, Ponder Fine Arts Gallery, Benedict College, Columbia, SC; Threshold Traveling exhibition sponsored by South Carolina Arts Commission; Triennial 2001, South Carolina State Museum, Columbia, SC; Moia Festival original Art exhibition, Charlston, SC; Sumpter Arts Center, Sumpter, SC; Columbia Public Library, Columbia, SC; Kirchoff/Wohlberg, New York, NY; Akron Art Museum, Akron, OH; National Society of Illustrators, New York, NY; Taft Museum, Cincinnati, OH; Museum for the National Center for Afro-American Artists, Boston, MA; Shawmut Bank, Boston, MA; American Cultural Center, Kano, Nigeria; Hampton Institute, College Museum, Hampton, VA; The National Gallwy of Modern Art, Lagos, Nigeria; Graftery Gallery, Hartford, CT; Atrium Gallery, New York, NY; Isobel Neal Gallery, Chicago, IL; Heffers Gallery, Cambridge, UK; Japan tour sponsored by the Museum for the National Center for Afro-American Artist; Chilford Hall Gallery, Linton, Cambridge, UK; The University of Akron Faculty Traveling China Exhibition, Xian Fine Art Institute, Shaanxi Province, Central China; "Always There, African-Amerioan Presence in American Quilts", Louisville, Kentucky - traveling exhibition; National Gallery of Art, Dakar, Senegal, West Africa.
Awards Include:
Mural commission for the new Freedom Center in Cincinnati OH; 2001 Tanne Awards, individual artist award, Tanne Foundation First Place, Moja Festival, Charleston, SC 2001 Second Place, Moja Festival, Charleston, SC 2000 First Place and Best of Show, Akron Art Expo. The Boston Mills Artfest, Peninsula, OH - Honorable Mention in Conceptual Water Color. Individual Artist Grant, Ohio Arts Council, Columbus, OH. The University of Akron Research Award. The 53rd National Midyear Exhibition, The Butler Institute of American Art, Youngstown, OH. The Robert Duncanson Award at the Taft Museum, Cincinnati OH. The fifth Annual Atlanta Life National Art Competition and Exhibition, Atlanta, GA. Artist Fellowship Grant, Foundation for the Arts and Humanities, Boston, MA. American Book Sellers Pick of the List - 1996 Illustrated Book.
Tyrone Geter has illustrated 10 children's books. His most recent A Change of Plans. His works are in private and public collections in Europe, Africa, Middle East, United States and the Caribbean.
List of Books
- A Change of Plans Irene and the Big Fine Nickel
- Sunday Week Willie Gerome
- Can't Scare Me White Socks Only
- Dawn's Friends
- Caribbean Rhythm
- Dawn and the Round- To-it Bugle Boy
- Jose and the Paint Box
Artist Statement
My mother once told me “sometimes she felt like she didn’t have no life.” That statement made with so much honesty, conviction, and passion yet free of even a hint of self-pity has throughout my career been one of the guiding principles of not only how I live my life, and relate to other people, but has also profoundly influenced the philosophy of my art.
In the early 1900 hundreds when she grew up, life was the struggle. Survival was day-to-day and filled with the perils of discrimination, poverty, illiteracy and a host of other dangers inherited from a lifetime of being poor, black and under educated. She survived and passed her legacy of love, compassion, hope and a sense of “doing the right thing” on to her children.
My work fines its foundation in that legacy. It refers to the trials of youth and the struggle of the aged. It seeks to speak to and for those with no voice. My work is compassion, hope, justice, and perseverance, things I learned from my mother.
To purchase, or for more information, please contact Tyrone at tgeter@hikima.com.