139:. He received his first artistic inspiration while picking cotton and helping his grandfather tend the land. There, "he observed firsthand the order and harmony that exists within nature." He had no formal schooling until moving to Detroit at age 10, where he found that "everything was on the move and it hasn’t slowed down yet." in 2017 he observed, "I learned something not being in school — because life is school . . .I learn something every time I move. Every time I go around a corner, something new is revealed to me.”
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As a boy, McGee attended George
Washington Elementary and took art classes at the McGregor Public Library in Highland Park. He attended Cleveland High School near Hamtramck and was active as a creative designer and coordinator of float construction for the school's parades. After high school, McGee
284:, "McGee developed an unwavering loyalty to the city and its residents, and endowed it with much of his artistic energy and artwork. 'Detroit really has been a heaven for me,' McGee explains. 'It has given me dignity and treated me with respect.'”
296:, this award honors one Detroit artist each year for professional achievements, cultural contributions, and commitment to the local arts community. The College also awarded him an honorary doctorate for his work as an artist and educator.
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in 1968 to learn and sightsee. This experience represented a crossroads in his artistic career. The artwork he produced afterwards centered more on fundamental elements and less on subject matter, and he abandoned the
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in 2016, stands at the corner of West McNichols Road and
Wyoming Avenue in Detroit, across the street from the space that served as McGee's studio for over fifty years. McGee's
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115:(December 15, 1924 – February 4, 2021) was an American artist and educator known for creating paintings, assemblages, and sculptures. His artwork is in the collections of the
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announced that McGee would receive its 2019 Legacy Award "in recognition of a lifetime of achievements and influences as an artist, teacher, advocate and global citizen."
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named as a key inspiration. Nature was also a key theme in his work, inspired by his childhood experiences while outdoors picking cotton. One of his final works,
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McGee's paintings, assemblages and sculptures are held in U.S. and international collections, and are on permanent display at the
Detroit Institute of Arts, the
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and a small namesake School for the Arts where he taught. He was also responsible for preparing and curating art exhibitions.
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from 1969 until 1987. He also taught at the
University of Michigan and the Birmingham Bloomfield Art Center. He established
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McGee enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1943 and served for three years, including during World War II. He was stationed in
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McGee suffered a stroke in 2011, which impacted his ability to produce art. He died on
February 4, 2021, at his home in
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789:"The Charles McGee Community Commons at Marygrove College Dedicated Friday, September 23, 5:30 p.m. ET"
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220:(2018) painted on the outside of 28 Grand Building, ties in with nature and human interaction.
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Charles McGee: Metamorphosis and
Kinetic Energy, an interview with Nick Sousanis,
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572:"Artist Charles McGee, a central figure in Detroit's art scene, has died, aged 96"
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McGee was named the inaugural Kresge
Eminent Artist in 2008. Administered by the
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that had dominated his early drawings. One notable exception to this was in
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135:, on December 15, 1924. He was first raised by his grandparents, who were
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123:. He also had several large-scale public works in the city of Detroit.
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850:"Revered and preeminent Detroit artist Charles McGee, 96, has died"
720:"Renowned Detroit artist Charles McGee, 92, designs 11-story mural"
264:(CAID) in 1978. The Charles McGee Community Commons, dedicated by
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511:"Charles McGee, Artist, Philosopher, Grandmont Rosedale Resident"
820:"Detroiter Charles McGee named first-ever Kresge Eminent Artist"
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McGee's work is installed in public settings, including the
351:"Charles McGee, leading light of Detroit art, dies at 96"
759:"Metamorphosis: Nomadic Arts Organization Finds a Home"
454:"Charles McGee's Vibrant Art and the Beauty of Detroit"
659:"Site Search Results — the Detroit Institute of Arts"
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United States Marine Corps personnel of World War II
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Charles H. Wright Museum of
African American History
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McGee employed in the early part of his career were
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Charles H. Wright Museum of
African American History
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875:"2019 Legacy Award: Detroit Artist Charles McGee"
689:"Legendary Detroit Artist to be Honored Up North"
538:"Charles McGee: Metamorphosis and Kinetic Energy"
718:Staff, Lester Graham, Stateside (May 19, 2017).
175:, then known as the Society of Arts and Crafts.
388:"Beloved Detroit artist Charles McGee has died"
904:Artist Charles McGee, 2018 PBS video interview
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743:: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (
487:http://www.thedetroiter.com/nov04/mcgee.html
191:and painting. He had a one-year sojourn in
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315:. He was 96, and died of natural causes.
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599:"Detroit artist Charles McGee dies at 96"
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639:from the original on January 13, 2015
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931:Charles McGee at Work : Detroit
848:Baetens, Melody (February 5, 2021).
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991:People from Clemson, South Carolina
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548:from the original on April 28, 2005
386:Graham, Lester (February 5, 2021).
272:is the centerpiece of the Commons.
926:Charles McGee Profile, Metro Times
699:from the original on July 18, 2019
687:Boissoneau, Ross (July 13, 2019).
627:Sousanis, Nick (January 4, 2006).
597:Welch, Sherri (February 5, 2021).
349:Stryker, Mark (February 5, 2021).
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1006:20th-century American painters
452:Meis, Morgan (July 22, 2017).
223:McGee regularly taught art at
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276:Detroit as a creative setting
294:College for Creative Studies
173:College for Creative Studies
145:Briggs Manufacturing Company
89:College for Creative Studies
976:Artists from South Carolina
225:Eastern Michigan University
167:, he took advantage of the
16:American artist (1924–2021)
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106:2008 Kresge Eminent Artist
247:William Beaumont Hospital
206:Detroit Institute of Arts
171:to attend classes at the
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946:Michigan Legacy Art Park
879:Michigan Legacy Art Park
603:Crain's Detroit Business
301:Michigan Legacy Art Park
163:. After returning to
127:Early life and education
919:March 18, 2020, at the
629:"The Art of Seeing Art"
492:March 18, 2020, at the
133:Clemson, South Carolina
58:Clemson, South Carolina
605:. Crain Communications
159:as part of the Allied
971:Painters from Detroit
941:Kresge Eminent Artist
824:The Kresge Foundation
724:www.michiganradio.org
260:. He co-founded the
202:Noah’s Ark: 'Genesis'
44:Charles William McGee
795:. September 20, 2016
428:on February 24, 2019
255:Detroit People Mover
881:. February 12, 2019
633:Detroit Metro Times
251:Royal Oak, Michigan
161:occupation of Japan
914:Charles McGee 2004
517:. January 18, 2016
416:Najor, Stephanie.
355:Detroit Free Press
131:McGee was born in
576:The Art Newspaper
418:"Force of Nature"
282:Kresge Foundation
280:According to the
266:Marygrove College
212:he adopted, with
143:went to work for
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77:Detroit, Michigan
54:December 15, 1924
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885:February 23,
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71:(2021-02-04)
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966:2021 deaths
961:1924 births
859:February 6,
799:February 9,
609:February 8,
582:February 8,
394:February 6,
360:February 6,
955:Categories
669:January 9,
319:References
307:Later life
238:, and the
50:1924-12-15
466:0028-792X
229:Gallery 7
193:Barcelona
85:Education
917:Archived
767:Archived
739:cite web
697:Archived
637:Archived
578:. London
546:Archived
490:Archived
253:and the
189:charcoal
157:Nagasaki
119:and the
313:Detroit
198:realism
185:mediums
169:GI Bill
165:Detroit
773:May 7,
703:May 7,
643:May 7,
552:May 7,
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288:Awards
179:Career
103:Awards
79:, U.S.
60:, U.S.
218:Unity
887:2019
861:2021
832:2019
801:2021
775:2020
745:link
731:2019
705:2020
671:2015
645:2020
611:2021
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554:2020
523:2019
473:2019
462:ISSN
434:2019
396:2021
362:2021
183:The
66:Died
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