Debra Hand
Encyclopedia
Debra Hand is a self-taught artist
and sculptor whose work graces prominent museum collections. In fact, it was at the prestigious DuSable Museum of African American History where Hand first publicly unveiled her work.
The unveiling was arranged by the museum's principal founder, Dr. Margaret Taylor-Burroughs
who took a personal interest in Hand's work and showcased her during Burrough's historic "Lifetime in the Arts" retrospective exhibit at the museum. It was during this momentous occasion that she invited Debra Hand on stage and introduced her to a packed audience of art patrons and dignitaries as an emerging-artist with great potential; one that they should watch for on Chicago's fine-art scene.
Since the museum presentation, Debra Hand's rise to prominence has continued steadily. Debra Hand's work can be found in diverse collections ranging from Museum collections - to corporate and private collections.
Hand's body of work is noted for its contemporary and figurative sculptures, dancers, musicians, and stringed instruments. The collection of stringed instruments titled "Strings Attached' was created after she was given a real violin by the Illinois Philharmonic Orchestra and challenged to use it as a canvas for a work of art.
Debra Hand's sculptures, paintings and stringed-instruments have been filmed by every major network in Chicago and in 2005 she was featured by Harry Porterfield of WLS-TV
, as "Someone You Should Know." Her work has also been featured in "Curators of Culture" an Emmy-Award-winning documentary by producer, Rita Coburn Whack http://v1.chicagoemmyonline.org/news/archives/2005_Emmy_Nominees.pdf. The film traces the history of the South Side Community Arts Center, one of Chicago's great art institutions. The SSCAC, like the DuSable Museum in Chicago, was also cofounded by the esteemed Dr. Margaret Taylor-Burroughs who stood alongside Eleanor Roosevelt
(wife of President Franklin D. Roosevelt
) as the ribbons were cut to this great Works Progress Administration
institution.
Works by Debra Hand can be found in prestigious and historic collections such as that of the DuSable Museum, the Smithsonian Institution Anacostia Museum
, the United Negro College Fund
and the Plaze Club located atop the Prudential Building in downtown Chicago. Works by Debra Hand also appear in many publications including "The Art of Culture - Evolution of Visual Art by African-American Artists" published by the Africa International House, "African Art: The Diaspora and Beyond" by author Daniel Parker, DTEX publishing; and in nationally distributed magazines.
Artist
An artist is a person engaged in one or more of any of a broad spectrum of activities related to creating art, practicing the arts and/or demonstrating an art. The common usage in both everyday speech and academic discourse is a practitioner in the visual arts only...
and sculptor whose work graces prominent museum collections. In fact, it was at the prestigious DuSable Museum of African American History where Hand first publicly unveiled her work.
The unveiling was arranged by the museum's principal founder, Dr. Margaret Taylor-Burroughs
Margaret Taylor-Burroughs
Margaret Taylor-Burroughs was a prominent African American artist and writer and a co-founder of the DuSable Museum of African American History. She also helped to establish the South Side Community Art Center, whose opening on May 1, 1941 was dedicated by the First Lady of the United States...
who took a personal interest in Hand's work and showcased her during Burrough's historic "Lifetime in the Arts" retrospective exhibit at the museum. It was during this momentous occasion that she invited Debra Hand on stage and introduced her to a packed audience of art patrons and dignitaries as an emerging-artist with great potential; one that they should watch for on Chicago's fine-art scene.
Since the museum presentation, Debra Hand's rise to prominence has continued steadily. Debra Hand's work can be found in diverse collections ranging from Museum collections - to corporate and private collections.
Hand's body of work is noted for its contemporary and figurative sculptures, dancers, musicians, and stringed instruments. The collection of stringed instruments titled "Strings Attached' was created after she was given a real violin by the Illinois Philharmonic Orchestra and challenged to use it as a canvas for a work of art.
Debra Hand's sculptures, paintings and stringed-instruments have been filmed by every major network in Chicago and in 2005 she was featured by Harry Porterfield of WLS-TV
WLS-TV
WLS-TV, virtual channel 7, is an owned-and-operated television station of the Walt Disney Company-owned American Broadcasting Company, located in Chicago, Illinois, USA. The station operates their full power digital operations on UHF channel 44, with their digital fill-in translator on VHF channel...
, as "Someone You Should Know." Her work has also been featured in "Curators of Culture" an Emmy-Award-winning documentary by producer, Rita Coburn Whack http://v1.chicagoemmyonline.org/news/archives/2005_Emmy_Nominees.pdf. The film traces the history of the South Side Community Arts Center, one of Chicago's great art institutions. The SSCAC, like the DuSable Museum in Chicago, was also cofounded by the esteemed Dr. Margaret Taylor-Burroughs who stood alongside Eleanor Roosevelt
Eleanor Roosevelt
Anna Eleanor Roosevelt was the First Lady of the United States from 1933 to 1945. She supported the New Deal policies of her husband, distant cousin Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and became an advocate for civil rights. After her husband's death in 1945, Roosevelt continued to be an international...
(wife of President Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin Delano Roosevelt , also known by his initials, FDR, was the 32nd President of the United States and a central figure in world events during the mid-20th century, leading the United States during a time of worldwide economic crisis and world war...
) as the ribbons were cut to this great Works Progress Administration
Works Progress Administration
The Works Progress Administration was the largest and most ambitious New Deal agency, employing millions of unskilled workers to carry out public works projects, including the construction of public buildings and roads, and operated large arts, drama, media, and literacy projects...
institution.
Works by Debra Hand can be found in prestigious and historic collections such as that of the DuSable Museum, the Smithsonian Institution Anacostia Museum
Anacostia Museum
The Anacostia Community Museum is a Smithsonian Institution museum in the Anacostia neighborhood of Washington, D.C., United States, opened in 1967...
, the United Negro College Fund
United Negro College Fund
The United Negro College Fund is an American philanthropic organization that fundraises college tuition money for black students and general scholarship funds for 39 private historically black colleges and universities. The UNCF was incorporated on April 25, 1944 by Frederick D. Patterson , Mary...
and the Plaze Club located atop the Prudential Building in downtown Chicago. Works by Debra Hand also appear in many publications including "The Art of Culture - Evolution of Visual Art by African-American Artists" published by the Africa International House, "African Art: The Diaspora and Beyond" by author Daniel Parker, DTEX publishing; and in nationally distributed magazines.