Valrico Artist Sees World From All Angles

Brooklyn, NY-born James Vann, 72, clearly recalls his first work of art, a fingerpainting done when he was just a toddler.

"Painting that picture is my earliest recollection," said the Valrico artist. "Just seeing the colors blend together was amazing to me. I've had a paintbrush or pencil in my hand ever since."

The award-winning artist was 10 years old when a relative gave him his first paint set.

"I loved it. It was like a refuge for me. When you're painting, you go somewhere else, to a serene place," he said. "There's nothing like it."

His artistic talent didn't go unnoticed. In junior high school, Vann won a Keep New York City Clean contest for a poster he created.

His teachers recommended he apply for the Art & Design High School in Manhattan, and he was promptly accepted.

"There, I was exposed to a lot of different mediums including airbrush and illustration," said Vann.

After a four-year stint in the Marine Corps, Vann went to the Albert Pels Art School in New York City on the GI bill. But the need to earn a living to support his young family (he married his childhood sweetheart, Jeannette, while in the Marines) outweighed his love of art.

Son of Sam Was His Student

After graduating, he went to work for the New York Corrections Department, assigned to guard duty at New York City's main jail complex on Rikers Island, also known as The Tombs.

But when his artistic talents were discovered, he was appointed art director for the Kings County, NY, correctional system, teaching art to the inmates throughout the county. Among the notorious inmates he taught to paint was Daniel Berkowitz, known as the Son of Sam, who killed six people during a New York killing spree in 1976-77.

"I used to take the prisoners' painting down to galleries in Soho to exhibit," said Vann. "Their works sold better than mine because people liked the idea of owning a piece of work done by an inmate."

It wasn't until he retired and moved to Florida 15 years ago that Vann was able to pursue his own artwork in earnest again.

"Like everyone who moves to Florida, I started painting palm trees and landscapes but realized this was the kind of work everyone was doing," he said. "I wanted my own identity so I developed what I call neo-cubism. It's cubism that you can understand."

Characterized by big, bright and bold geometric shapes, Vann's work often incorporates his love of jazz. His influences include artists Jacob Lawrence and Romare Bearden, "although people tell me my work is reminiscent of Picasso," he said. "Picasso's work was taken from Africa. Being an African American, it makes sense that I'd develop a similar style."

Although he started out using oils, today he prefers using fast-drying acrylics on large canvasses. However, he's willing to paint on just about any surface including pillows, cigar boxes he and his wife transform into purses, even earrings.

Black Foot Patrol Mural

He also has his work reproduced on men's ties and women's scarves, available for purchase through his website as well as in the Center Place Gift Shop at 619 Vonderburg Dr., Brandon.

However, he may be best known for his largest project. He was commissioned by the Hillsborough County Arts Council to create a series of murals in East Tampa including a mural depicting the historic Black Foot Patrol, 19 black police officers who patrolled East Tampa neighborhoods from 1947-52.

Then-Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio unveiled the block-long series of murals along 22nd Street on March 16.

"The murals brought a lot of awareness of the Black Foot Patrol and their contributions during the early days of the Civil Rights Movement," said Vann. "Back then, the patrol faced all kinds of discrimination. They had to sit at the back of roll call and couldn't eat in the same lunchroom with the other police officers."

The unveiling of his murals wasn't the only honor Vann received this year. On Oct. 27, during the Brush Strokes Awards ceremony at Center Place, Vann was named the area's Artist of the Year.

The Brush Strokes Awards for Excellence in the Arts were created by former Brandon News columnist Cheryl Kuck eight years ago to honor the area's arts community. The awards are now sponsored by the Greater Brandon Arts Council.

"It was very humbling to receive the award, especially with so many talented artists present," said Vann. "I don't have the words to express what it means to me. So many artists spend their entire careers and never get recognized."

Others Brush Strokes honorees were:

2011 Greatest Corporate Contribution: Bay Area Cardiology.

2011 Arts Activism recipient: Debra Bryant.

2011 Arts Educator of the Year: Andi Tomassi of .

2011 Creative Contribution Enriching the Community: Florida Museum of Photographic Arts, Melinda Chavez, executive director.

Nonprofit Benefit to the Community (two awards presented for this category): The Children’s Board, presented to Luanne Panacek, CEO; and Natalie Clamp, network manager, The Network.

2011 Exhibit of the Year: The Dali Museum- Open Exhibit & Children's Exhibits of Surrealistic Art.

2011 Arts Executive of the Year: George Ann Bissett, executive director, Dunedin Fine Art Center.

2011 Development of the Arts in the Community: Gill Gott, executive director, Plant City Photo Archives & History Center.

2011 Performing Arts -Outstanding Contribution or Performance: Dave Loebig, founder, Brandon Idol.

2011 Artist With a Heart: Doreen Donovan

2011 Meletha Everett Lifetime Achievement Award recipient: The Gorilla Theater.

2011 Highest Contributions Raised to Benefit the Arts: Barbara Schwabe, candidate for honorary mayor of Brandon.

The Visionary Award: Jan Kaminis Platt