(2020) Black Arts Advocate: Brad Bernard

By: Clarke Hamilton (Lead2Change)


Black Arts Advocate: Brad Bernard

Photography from MIAD, Urban Milwaukee, Oxford Stories, and Brad Bernard

July 23, 2020 // 3:10 p.m. CST


At a glance

“I always pride myself on being an artist who taught as opposed to an instructor who taught and did art every so often.” Brad Bernard is a decorated arts advocate who has established himself as a community arts educator and muralist here in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. As a child, coloring a drawing was just a way to pass time on punishment, but as his parents acknowledged his talent, he began to pursue the career path of an artist and arts educator. Bernard took classes in commercial art illustration at MATC in Madison, Wisconsin, eventually transferring to MIAD (Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design)to receive his Bachelor’s in Fine Arts in 1993. In 2000, Bernard went to grad school at the University of Mississippi Oxford, achieving a Master’s in Fine Arts in 2003. Between 1993 and 2000, he helped to co-found Collaborative Effect Visual Arts Service that is no longer active. After teaching high school art for 5 years, Bernard landed a position at Mount Mary University and taught there for nearly 7 years. He is now a professor at MIAD teaching First-Year Experience and New Studio Practice. 


Brad Bernard says that the idea of being more of an arts advocate emerged from his teaching experiences at different levels and academias for over a decade whilst exemplifying professional development, community service, service to the institution, and service to his department. Helping to coordinate the Community Arts and Music Festival allowed him to step outside of the role of an art educator or community artist and embrace the role of an arts advocate for the Black youth. A recipient of the 2017 Mississippi Humanities Council ‘Teacher of the Year’ Award and Mississippi Valley State University’s ‘Commitment to Blues Legacy’ Honor, Brad Bernard goes in depth of what compels him to create art rooted in Black History and his vision for the future of visual art in the Black Community.




“Portraimentaries”

In viewing Bernard’s masterpieces, I noticed the prominent theme of Black figures in history, specifically blues musicians such as guitarist David “Honeyboy” Edwards, Grammy winner Bobby Rush, and even B.B. King! The paintings of these well-known musicians are of those in which Bernard has had the opportunity to meet and have conversations with. “Well, I had an opportunity to meet Mr. B.B. King on two or three occasions and the last time I engaged with him, I had a half completed painting that I started of him. So, I asked him if he would be willing to sign his name on the guitar neck of my painting which he did!” Bernard excitedly told me. He even has a picture of B.B. King autographing the neck of the guitar in the painting! 


The portrait that intrigued me, however, was of Honeyboy that consisted of transformation, collage, illusion, and storytelling art. It depicted Honeyboy with a honeycomb as the background, Honeyboy covered in honey, as well as a map with images of the road and a guitar with Kente cloth. I wondered why the depiction was pieced together in a quilt like pattern and why Bernard wanted to convey these stories in this manner. “The exploitation of Black musicians is so prevalent, and I was compelled to tell a part of their story because people don’t hear the story outside of the exploitation.” Bernard deems his pieces portraimentaries that include key symbols and information based on the individual and their origin as opposed to the normal “head and shoulder” portrait. 


He came to realize that many of the musicians he portrayed had an impact in Black music more than what he knew on the surface. “Of course, B.B. King is a household name in African-American music, but a lot of the other musicians were relatively obscure or unknown, yet they still had relevant stories to be told.” In artworks such as Honeyboy and the portraimentary of B.B. King, a map and quilt-like design is worked into the portrait as a way to signify quilts being used as navigation devices through the Underground Railroad. It also connects to the metaphor “home is where the heart is,” Bernard states, as blues musicians may travel internationally but will always return to their roots: home.


Letter to the Black Youth

Receiving the 2017 Mississippi Humanities Council ‘Teacher of the Year’ award was a “humbling honor” and gave Bernard the opportunity to speak out on a subject outside of being a visual artist. His presentation “How Blues Put Us In a Funk” overviewed genres of music derived from Black roots and how worldly festivals, such as jazz and reggae festivals, are based upon them. “All of these festivals are rooted in Black music. The revenue these cities are able to make with these kinds of events in their locations boosts the economy of the cities, yet Black people do not control; they may take part and perform in the festivals, yet they are not behind the scenes calling the shots.” For example, the Essence Festival that is produced by the Solomon Group that garners millions for the city of New Orleans. The exploitation of Black music and artists is a subject he focuses on in his art and wants to depict this topic through his expressive art pieces.


Bernard wants his art to reflect positive change that can take place. In terms of the Black community, Bernard says that he wants to educate the Black youth in the importance of cultural legacy through arts and literature so that they can also see their worthiness and how it can be a valuable heirloom or investment in terms of the acquiring of art. “However, we also know that the acquisition of art is also connected to expendable income, so with the disparities that there are and with the racial divide as pertains to wealth, Black people need to be educated on value and worth.”


Caption: Restored mural at the House of Peace by Brad Bernard (2019) Photo by Adam Carr.


Bernard further went on to state on what his visions of education through visual art in the Black community:


“Moving forward, before I die, I want to impact educational programming of Black youth through an art-based curriculum model because we have to take control of the program. Right now, public education is no education, but it is indoctrination, and the Black youth have been indoctrinated in this country, not properly educated. So, it is going to be up to educated Black people to take control of educating Black children.”


Creating a Legacy

Brad Bernard is a Black arts advocate who has contributed to the Black community, touching on issues such as valuable heirloom, exploitation of Black roots, and depicting historical figures with stories to be told in murals outside of the House of Peace and with blues musicians. As well as being active in the Community Arts and Funk Festival group which is launching a virtual platform on August 1st, he is soon to have an unveiling of a Black Lives Matter mural that memorializes two Black Men killed in Milwaukee at the hands of law enforcement, as well as in celebration of the protest organizers and their efforts. He portrays history and events to bring attention to these moments in efforts to spread awareness and help amplify Black voices. Brad Bernard is creating a legacy as not only as an arts advocate, but also a social justice activist who believes in educating the youth in hopes of a brighter future.



Bonus Pictures:

Caption: Bobby Rush signing Brad Bernard’s art piece of Bobby Rush

Original artwork by Brad Bernard. Photo by Kimberleigh Forbes.


Sources

Article Title: Brad Bernard\'s mural adorns the House of Peace

URL:https://urbanmilwaukee.com/2019/10/18/photo-gallery-14-outdoor-murals-in-the-city/nggallery/image/brad-bernards-mural-adorns-the-house-of-peace/

Website Title: Urban Milwaukee

Date Accessed: July 23, 2020 


Article Title: Brad Bernard

URL:https://www.miad.edu/faculty/brad-bernard

Website Title: Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design

Date Accessed: July 23, 2020 

Date Published: January 15, 2020


Article Title: Oxford Stories: Crossroads Cultural Arts Center Helps Strengthen Delta Community

URL: https://hottytoddy.com/2017/06/07/oxford-stories-crossroads-cultural-arts-center-helps-strengthen-delta-community/

Website Title: HottyToddy.com

Date Accessed: July 23, 2020 

Date Published: June 07, 2017


And Brad Bernard!


Comments

  1. If you're going to be a artist be a good one what does that mean being a good one Bernard out step by step it's like a book on how to be a successful artist a meaningful artist someone with substance if you don't stand for something you will fall for anything

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