Art Changes Things: the Art and Activism of Georgette Seabrooke Powell exhibition records

Biographical / Historical

Born Georgette Ernestine Seabrooke on August 2, 1916, in Charleston, South Carolina, her family migrated from the south to New York City in 1920 seeking better opportunities. The family settled in the Yorkville neighborhood. After graduating from the Washington Irving School, which at that time was the only school for girls majoring in the arts, her educational path led her to the Cooper Union School of Art in New York City in 1933. At Cooper Union she refined her talents and thrived under her instructor, artist John Steuart Curry. And she would later earn the Silver Medal for her painting of St. Marks church, entitled "Church Scene" while at Cooper Union.

Throughout her journey Powell actively participated in the Harlem Workshops led by James Lesesne Wells, alongside other notable African American artists, such as Palmer Hayden and Jacob Lawrence. She was encouraged by the artist, Augusta Savage to participate in the Works Progress Administration (WPA), Federal Arts Project. As the youngest artist participating in WPA, she garnered acclaim for her project, "Recreation in Harlem" a mural at the Harlem Hospital in the nurse's pavilion. This mural is revered for its portrayal of life in the Harlem community and stands as one of her most prominent achievements.

In later years Powell relocated to Washington, D.C. with her husband Dr. George Wesley Powell and their three children, where she continued to impact the arts. In 1966, she created "Art in the Park", an annual event held in Malcom X Park in Northwest DC. She founded the Operation Heritage Art Center to provide community art programming in 1969, later its name was changed to Tomorrow's World Art Center. The organization utilized the arts as a vehicle to empower and support young artists in the community. A common theme throughout Powell's life was empowering youth through the arts, community, and social activism. She was an active member of the District of Columbia Art Association from 1974 through 1998 and served as its President in 1989. The Anacostia Museum held a solo exhibition for her entitled "Art Changes Things: The Art and Activism of Georgette Seabrook Powell" in 1995, which featured many of her paintings depicting the family theme, as it relates to life, church and community.

Her legacy encompasses not only her artistic portfolio but also her pioneering work, in art therapy. Beyond painting Powell was a trailblazer in art therapy using her skills to aid others in healing and self-expression. In 2008, she received the American Art Therapy Association (AATA) Pioneer award for lifetime achievement from George Washington University. Powell's commitment to nurturing creativity and promoting healing through art has made an impression motivating artists for years to come.

American artist and art therapist, Georgette Seabrooke Powell (1916-2011), made significant impacts using the arts as an agency for healing underserved communities, and nurtured a profound love for both creating art and teaching it throughout her life. She passed away on December 27, 2011, in Palm Coast, Florida.