(ThyBlackMan.com) Thy Black Man has partnered with The Phoenix Unleashed to present African American men that are making a difference in the area of arts, business and community service through our weekly column “Brothers Changing the Game”.
William Burton Jr. is one of the most versatile visual artists in the St. Louis area. He is a 1985 graduate of Central Visual and Performing Arts High School. Burton received 4 art scholarships from Columbus College of Art and Design, the Art Institute of Chicago, the Rhode Island School of Design and the Kansas City Art Institute. After choosing and attending the Kansas City Art Institute. Burton returned to St. Louis to begin his art career.
When returning to his home town in St. Louis, MO William began airbrushing at a local clothing store and today he is curator of the 14th Street Artist Community, living out his purpose and using his talent to give
back to others.
Burton is not only an artist he is also a strong advocate for the community, working closely with non-profit agencies and programs that are focused on making communities better.
Through his partnerships with CAT (Community Arts Training) Institute and his active membership with F.I.T Family Is True, a grass roots community organization and as an instructor for MAP (Mural Arts Program) through the Craft Alliance, William aims at using his love of art to help others.
This was strongly reiterated in my interview with brother Burton. When asked of the significance of arts in our educational system he shared his love for helping our youth and the need for arts in education.
Burton expressively shared the following:
“At one time during the Harlem Renaissance we were artists, we were black people, we were innovators defining a time and a movement. Creating a sense and an opportunity for our people to be expressive and to breathe and to exist.”
“We want to bring that creative expression, that hub, that Mecca of creative expression that will in turn inspire and motivate our children who live in this vicinity to be on a positive mode and be intact and engaged in creative expression.”
“Because when you suppress that then you get negative results. You get negative explosion because they feel no one wants to hear it….”
William Burton is not only an artist, but he is a community advocate for our children. The 14th Street Artist Community is not only an art studio, but it is also a outlet for many local visual artists, musicians, singers, dancers and poets/
The studio plays a significant part in the rejuvenation and growth in the community once occupied by the old outside14th Street Mall. The 14th Street Artist Community offers hot meals to those in need, African dance, open mic nite and a host of other gatherings bringing a diverse community together.
William Burton Jr. uses the studio and the artist community as a safe haven and point of refuge for our youth and young adults to stay off the streets and to use their energy in a creative and positive manner.
Powerful and in-depth interviews with Bill Burton can be viewed at The Phoenix Unleashed.com. You can reach William Burton Jr. on Facebook.
Click below for interviews of William Burton Jr.
http://thephoenixunleashed.com/bill-burton-paints-with-a-purpose
http://thephoenixunleashed.com/william-burton-saves-our-children-through-art/