Page 4 - Florida Sentinel 10-18-19

Feature
Tampa Native Displays Art Collection ‘America The Beautiful’ At C. Blythe Andrews, Jr. Library
BY MONIQUE STAMPS Sentinel Feature Writer
Our local libraries are an oasis for those looking to lose themselves in literature and art. At the C. Blythe Andrews Jr. Public Library, those seek- ing art will find a beautifully unique exhibit by local artist and photographer, Deborah ‘Debbie’ Rodriguez.
Ms. Rodriguez was born in Boston, but has lived in Tampa for all of six decades of her life. She is the middle daughter of the late Rev- erend Francisco Ro- driguez, ESQ, the late prominent Civil Rights attor- ney and minister and Mrs. Bea Rodriquez.
Ms. Rodriguez grew up
with a keen sense of justice and the need for equality. Often the whole family accom- panied Rev. Rodriguez as he traveled through small towns in the south advocating for civil rights and working for poor African Americans with- out access to legal services. It was dangerous work at times, being a well-to-do Black fam- ily seeking lodging where they were not wanted. By 1964, the Civil Rights Act had passed and Reverend Rodriguez added to his work by checking compliance to the act by re- questing rooms at formerly segregated motels and hotels.
Attorney Rodriguez
also documented their travels through photography. His love of photography became
Deborah
driguez will display her art at the library until December 4th.
his daughter’s love of photog- raphy. His sense of social jus- tice is seen throughout his daughter’s work.
Ms. Rodriguez mainly does portraiture in her pho- tography work, using faces or parts of faces to convey her message.
An earlier exhibit, “Face as Canvas,” was an ode to the indigenous people of the world. Every indigenous cul- ture has some sort of face painting as part of their his- tory. Ms. Rodriguez used this fact as evidence that every human being is connected. By joining this ancient art to the modern world of photogra- phy, people see kinship and relatability in her artwork.
Her latest work that is now on display at the library, “America the Beautiful,” stems from the love and admi- ration Ms. Rodriguez has for former First Lady, Michelle Obama.
Mrs. Obama’s famous phrase “When they go low, we go high” was her specific in- spiration. With this collection, Ms. Rodriguez aims to go higher with a positive message for all. Every portrait is a member of her family, show- ing the range of age from elder members to the youngest members. She uses one of her favorite elements, face paint-
ing, to convey timelessness. Kente cloth is used to show family togetherness and re- spect. Ms. Rodriguez’s aim is to show the positivity of our families, positivity of our vil- lages, positivity of America, and positivity of being human. The detail from older skin to younger skin, face painting to bare face show differences as a cohesive force.
The exhibit will be at the C. Blythe Andrews Jr. Public Li- brary through December 4, 2019.
Ms. Rodriguez also does several other forms of artwork including painting and fiber artistry. She has a BA degree in Fine Arts from Ringling School of Art and Design; Master of Art Education de- gree from the University of South Florida, and a Master of Fine Art degree from the Sa- vannah College of Art and De- sign.
Ms. Rodriguez taught Art in the Hillsborough County School System for over 30 years.
‘Debbie’
Ro-
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