by Charlene Graves
As of Thursday, Sept. 21, at 11:00 am, an exhibit of 15 panels will be hung on Henry Street. The panels are 6’ by 8’ enlargements of some of David Ramey’s drawings used in his first book, “Life and Times on Henry Street,” printed in 2012. The panels cover the fence surrounding the construction site of the addition to the Claude Moore building, one of the only original buildings, remaining on the east side of Henry Street, the old Ebony Club. This new building will belong to the Virginia Western Community College as an extension to the already existing Culinary School. The exhibit is sponsored by the Roanoke Higher Education Center located in the old Norfolk and Western office building.
In 2006, the Harrison Museum of African American History allowed me to create “Henry Street Live,” an exhibit centered around the businesses that existed from 1915 until the late 1980’s. Finding pictorial information to display was very difficult. I therefore began a long, tedious relationship with the Roanoke Public Library’s Virginia Room.
Not long after the Henry Street Live show ended, I was asked to create an art project for the local chapter of Links Inc. The project involved five regional artists selected by various members of the Links organization. David Ramey represented the Roanoke area.
After the Links event, David invited me to visit his studios–he had two, one in his shed and the other was at his kitchen table. He often would sit on one side of the table and his granddaughter, “Too Sweet” would be on the other side drawing. Much like he experienced while watching and sketching with his father.
It was love at first viewing. David’s extraordinary photographic memory allowed him to create drawings and paintings of his experiences in Gainsboro, the oldest neighborhood in Roanoke. Most of his drawings show Gainsboro prior to urban removal.
After visiting his home, I was hooked. Pictures of beauty parlors, pool halls, Nicks, Weeby’s and many, many more Henry Street establishments. Other subjects included religion, the railroad, and of course Gainsboro. He was deeply impacted by the murders of children. He has paintings depicting Christ taking the children to heaven. He was very distressed at the death of innocence.
Most of his drawings began on 9×12 inch drawing pads. His medium of choice was colored pencil. He also used oil paints.
I enjoyed accompanying him to lectures and festivals. David didn’t talk a lot, that was my job.
People would often recognize themselves in his work. I remember a Henry Street Festival where a mother and daughter were visiting from out of town and they came to our table. The mother stopped and stared at a painting and she began to cry. Her daughter asked what was upsetting her and she pointed at a church in the painting and responded that she had been married at that church and her home was over the hill. Her daughter purchased the painting.
I thank you David Ramey for introducing to some and reminding others of this important part of our past.
To see more of David Ramey’s legacy visit Fine Art America.com, DavidARamey.com, Facebook, David A Ramey Artist. You may contact David Ramey Jr., at 540-206-3468 or 336-508-8654. His work in the City of Roanoke’s Art Collection, hanging in the Municipal Building and at Arby’s on Williamson Rd.
This is David Ramey’s Henry Street.
