Photo by P?ul Colltoo
Artist Synthkt Saint Jamas, right, chats whhm signing hmr hook.
Artist Svnthia Saint James talks about her work I'
By PAUL COLLINS
T? CHRONICLE
Well-known artist Synthia
Saint James told an audience of
more than 30 people Saturday
that years ago she would often go
to bed at 7 or 8 p.m. so that she
could rise at 4 a.m. to paint before
she had to go to her day joh
At that hour, she would be
fresh after a night's sleep.
"I could give it my best," she
said.
Shg had a passion for painting
but did not earn enough income
from her art to support herself
fully until eight years ago. Until
then, she had to have a series of
"day jobs" to provide the extra
income. For example, she worked
in accounting and had a tax busi
ness for several years.
Saint James talked about her
career Saturday at an event called
"Conversation with an Artist,"
held at Whistling Women on
Brookstown Avenue.
Probably the most widely rec
ognized work of Saint James is
the U.S. postal stamp series of the
African American celebration of
Kwanzaa. She has painted and/or
illustrated more than 20 pieces
and SO book covers, including
works by Alice Walker, Terry
McMillian, Iyania Vanzant and
Julia Boyd. , \
Before Saint James began her
presentation Saturday, she chatted
with several people before and
during a brunch. It was a rather
cozy affair as people sat about
four to a table. A few people sat
on cushions on the floor.
One of those attending was
Debra James, coordinator of race
relations at the Winston-Salem
Urban League.
"Her theme* are ... happy,
cheerful," she said of Saint lames.
"Some black artists, their work is
depressing. She (Saint James) has
almost an overwhelming joyful
theme.in her work. It's like a cele
bration of life I enjoy her style ?
and use of vibrant colors"
Saint James, a small woman
who smiles often, began her talk
by telling the audience that this
was not going to be a formal lec
ture.
"I don't want to do anything
See Serial JsasiM on All
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Around NBTF:
Tears, cheers
and fears
By JERI YOUNG
THE CHRONICLE 2
There's no such thing as a boring .moment at the
National Black Theatre Festival. Just ask any
of the hundreds of people who gathered at the
Adam's Mark Hotel at lunchtime Tuesday.
As actor Ossie Davis joined a host of celebrities for a
news conference. NBTF founder
Larry Leon Hamlin took a break
to fret over locations, a county
commissioner directed traffic and
talked support for the city's largest
cultural event, an elderly couple
had the time of their lives and a 15
year-old got his big break.
Weary, but willing
The National Black Theatre
Festival is only two days old, but
Hamlin
See Festival on A10
Throng gathers for
opening night gala
By FELECIA P. M^MIIlAN ;
COMMUNITY CORRESPONDENT.
There is a rumbling going on in Winston-Salem, and the
reverberation can be felt around the world.
More than 1,000 African American theater enthusiasts
followed the beat of the djembe drum
during the opening night gala proces
sion of the National Black Theatre
Festival Monday.
Led by drummers and dancers
from the Otesha Creative Arts Ensem
ble, the crowd formed a receiving line
to watch as their favorite stars made
their way down the aisle to the dais,
Larry Leon Hamlin, artistic direc
tor and founder of the NBTF, pre
sented special guest Leslie Uggams as
the 1999 chairperson of the festival.
The audience formed a receiving line to embrace Uggams
and the more than 40 celebrities of stage and screen. During
the program, Hamlin recognized several living legends and
announced his plans to establish the NBTF Hall of Fame
and Museum. The museum will include memorabilia from
stars of the stage and screen.
Set Goto <m A10
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Photo by Jen Young
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f
frye
makes
history
Longtime jurist
becomes first black
chiefjustice
v By ANGELA BURRUS
THE TRIANGLE TRIBUNE
RALEIGH - Former senior
Associate, Justice Henry Frye made
history Monday by being named
the first African American appoint- t
ed as chief justice of the N.C,
Supreme Court.
Frye, who will succeed Chief
Justice Burley Mitchell in Septem
ber, will be the 25th chief justice in
the 200-year existence of the state
judicial system.
"As a chief justice in the state,
that alone means a great deal," Frye
said at a news conference. "I sup
pose the fact that somebody can
grow up in Ellerbe with nobody in
the judiciary and come from a farm
in a little place and rise to be the
leader of a judicial system in North
Carolina speaks well for North
Carolina - speaks well for Ameri
ca:" *;
Frye credits Gov: Jim Hunt, as
well as other judges and legislators,
in giving him the "opportunity and
chance to lead us into the next mil
lennium."
One of Frye's goals is to have
See fry* on A8
Programs
expanded
System increases
number of school sites ::
by PAUL COLLINS
THE CHRONICLE " : ^
The Winston-Salem/Forsyth
County school system has
increased the number of schoo'4
in which it offers several special
programs
The programs - which include
a prekindergarten program fof
schools with large numbers of
low-income families; a program
that encourages parents to be
more involved in their children's
education; and the English as g
Second Language program - will
be offered at additional schools,
and the system is also offering
Cisco computer networking
courses for the first time. The
school system also has several new
and converted schools.
Edna Crews, assistant superin
tendent for instructional services,
said the school system ha$
increased the number of schools
in which it offers a prekinder.
garten program for schools iQ
which a large percentage of stuj
dents qualify for free or reduced
price lunch.
This year the program will bfc
-offered at: Ashley, Cook, Digga,
Easton. Forest Park, Hall-Woo<U
ward, Kimberley Park, Lathan\
Mineral Springs, North Hills ang
Petree elementary schools. Last
school year, the program wai
offered only at Easton and Digg}
m
J See Schools on AS
? FOR SUBSCRIPTIONS CALL (33*) 732-3*3* ? MASTERCARD, VISA AND AMERICAN EXPRESS ACCEPTED ? [
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