Angelina College Fine Arts Gallery presents Black History exhibition
+ Beginning Monday, Feb. 4 and running through Feb. 28, the Angelina College Gallery presents its annual black History Month Exhibition.

The show will feature the work of African American artists Karen Christopher and Blake Bean.

An artists' reception will take place from 6-7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 5 in the Angelina Center for the Arts Gallery.

Karen Christopher has contributed to AC's Black History Month celebration for many years. She is a musician and public speaker, and holds a managerial position in Nacogdoches' Norbord plant as well. She is a degreed artist, holding a Bachelor of Fine Arts from SFASU. Known for her fine drawings, Christopher does commissioned portraits as well as religious or spiritual subjects. For this year's exhibition she will be showing both drawings and paintings.

Community service has long been a staple of Christopher's life, and for this exhibition she will share one of her latest experiences combining art, music and service to her faith. Christopher conducted a Drawing Workshop for young people in Americus, Georgia last year in conjunction with a gospel music conference, AmeriGospel Presents. She will include examples of student works from that workshop along with photographs of the children working.

Blake Bean will also be featured in this year's exhibition with his fine paper mosaics and paintings. An artist by profession, Bean is from Corrigan, and is the son of Angelina College instructor Janice Harris. He is represented by Black Heritage Gallery in Houston, and a number of significant clients, including George Foreman and Beyoncé Knowles collect his work. Currently he has pieces on display at Lufkin's First Street Art Center as well.

Bean's collage work is characterized by meticulous construction that still holds an ease and spontaneity about it. While obviously time consuming to complete, the mosaics have a sense of freshness and vitality, giving the viewer's eye much information on more than one spatial level. His paintings have a strength and vibrancy that set them apart.

There is no admission charge for attending the exhibition.