Artwork Description
Clarence Heyward – Danger of a Dream Deferred
Dimensions: 35 x 24 x 2″ framed
Year: 2023
Medium: acrylic on canvas with glitter
Danger of a Dream Deferred is a quintessentially autobiographical work for Heyward. When he was a young husband and father, he took on a job with a trucking company to ensure he could provide for his family. He and his wife soon realized that Heyward was a painter whose skill and messages could not be lost. Here, he renders himself in a work outfit, with a tie in colors reminiscent of a jail suit. The helmet illustrates that it’s dangerous out there in the creative world, but it’s more dangerous personally not to follow one’s dream.
Clarence Heyward is a painter whose work explores notions of the Black American experience, primarily focusing on how the use of media and historical documentation are used to shape perceptions of Black American culture. His work investigates cultural truths, challenges stereotypes, and examines identity.
He has exhibited his work in spaces nationally including the 21c Museum of Durham, Harvey B. Gantt Center for Cultural Arts, Wiregrass Museum, Museum of Science and Industry Chicago, Art Miami, Dallas Art Fair, CONTAINER Santa Fe, North Carolina Museum of Art, Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University, and Contemporary Art Museum of Raleigh.
Heyward was the recipient of The Brightwork Fellowship residency at Anchorlight Raleigh in 2019-2020, the Emerging Artist in Residence at Artspace Raleigh in 2021, the Ragdale artist fellowship in 2022 , the 2022 Artist in Residence at NC State University in 2022, and the IEA Artist in Residence at Alfred University in NY in 2023. His work is in the collections of several notable private and public institutions including the North Carolina Museum of Art, Nasher Museum of Art, Mint Museum of Art, Minneapolis Institute of Art, Ackland Art Museum, Cameron Art Museum, as well as several major private collections.