Artist Joey Young at work in his Lambfish Art Gallery in downtown Clarksdale. Photo by Chasiti Moore of Moxie Photography
By Poor William
MEMPHIS, Tennessee
VIDEOS in post
A “way cool” fourth-floor loft apartment in downtown Memphis provided a fine, urban backdrop for Clarksdale artist Joey Young to show his “stuff” last Sunday evening. Poor William tagged along to cover the event, drink some wine, chew on some black beans and flans and portage Joey’s crates of pottery and paintings up to the crib with a balcony view of the Mississippi River. It ain’t “easy” being Joey’s friend!
Delta Bohemian subscriber, Memphis nurse, owner of an awesome shack at Shacksdale near Hopson and all around cool chick Erin Lee commissioned the gadabout-town artist to paint a Delta Landscape to go with two, green shutters on her three-story living room wall. “Untitled 2011” is eight-feet-tall by six-feet-wide.
Joey is known locally for his Delta Crucifix series with telephone poles, landscapes with vibrant colors, and—of course—a tornado. But don’t think Joey doesn’t have some funky, macabre, insane pieces! Dude got issues! Just Kidding! He’s My Boy!
The event was attended by several local members of the Delta Bohemian Underground—an eclectic, Bohemian, artistic, musical, literary, out-of-the-box, don’t-fit-in-the-proverbial-box, non-status quo, loosely-federated group of folks who are not waiting on the wheels of bureaucracy to fund, maintain, or jumpstart their investment in the Delta. We are just happy to be here! But we ain’t against funds!
Hambone Gallery owners Stan and Dixie Street, John Magnusson, a local artist, contractor, bartender, and “John-of-all-trades,” plus Poor William rounded out the Clarksdale contingent. Many of Erin’s cool Memphis friends attended the showing, including Memphis nightlife and music writer Michael Donahue.
Joey is an artist, art teacher, booker of Indie bands and local waiter. A member of the Delta Bohemian Underground, Young can often be seen working his pottery wheel in his shop, listening to some blues or other music at one of several music venues in the area, or just chillin’ downtown. pw
Lambfish Art Company was opened in September 2008 at 114 Third Street in downtown Clarksdale. When in town visit Young’s gallery, email him at: lambfishart@yahoo.com, and/or give him a call at 662-934-4226.
Enjoy the pics and video of the event! Many of the photographs taken at Lambfish Art Company are by the talented Chasiti Moore of Moxie Photography, native of Clarksdale and now a resident of Davenport, Iowa. Keep up to date on her latest photos and view on life by subscribing to her blog here. We highly recommend you check her out. We are sure you will agree she has a fantastic eye with the camera lens. Follow her on twitter @BiPolarBiMOXIE
PHOTO GALLERY
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I am an artist (Painter and Printmaker) and native of Clarksdale. I left there in 1967 to attend the Kansas City Art Institute (BFA 1971) and the University of Miami (MFA 1975). I taught at Shelby State Community College in Memphis, 11 years and retired after teaching at Mississippi Valley State university, Itta Bena, MS, 23 yrs. I returned to Clarksdale after a 39 yr. absence in 2006 and left a second time and returned to Memphis in 2010.