SAN ANTONIO – San Antonio artist Kaldric Deshon Dow believes that representation matters. He’s known for his fabric portrait-art that captures the everyday lives of African Americans.
- Local artist creating portraits of African Americans
- He’s thinking about black representation in visual arts
- Reflecting on how to keep people interested in black art outside of Black History Month
“You see us in sports, you see us—basketball, football— but in visual-wise, you don’t see really anybody who looks like me,” Deshon Dow said. “So, that’s kinda started me on a path.”
It’s a journey that started in Houston when Deshon Dow went on a fourth-grade trip to a museum when he saw a life-size portrait of a black man.
“I was like, ‘You can put that in this? This is here?’” Deshon Dow said. “I felt like that was my uncle or my brother or somebody that I could relate to. And it was huge, and it was— it was unapologetic about being there.”
When Deshon Dow left Houston to attend UTSA he started seeking guidance from professional artists such as Gary Sweeney. Deshon Dow became Sweeney’s studio assistant and honed his craft of portrait-art and experimented with fabric canvases.
“Fast forward to a few years later, I saw him again and he started posting some stuff on Facebook,” Sweeney says. “And I was really impressed my how much he had improved in such a short period of time.”
Several of his fabric pieces are on display in two Black History Month exhibitions at the San Antonio International Airport and San Antonio College. But he wants black artists to be recognized all year.
“Here’s the thing, you get— you get really recognized during Black History Month, right? And it’s like, well, where was the recognition and seeking for African Americans throughout the rest of the year?” Deshon Dow said. “Right, where was this at? That no one was looking for it then? So, well now I’ve got to find out why— one— and how to keep you engaged with it.”
Since Deshon Dow is one of very few San Antonio artists telling African-American stories, he believes it will be an uphill battle.
“There are still going to be challenges but you’ve kind of laid way, an example to follow,” Deshon Dow said. “But it’s definitely a great experience just representing people who’s not represented.”