PleinAir Magazine – August 2019

114 August-September 2019 / http://www.outdoorpainter.com

“I’vebeenthinkinga lotlatelyaboutleaningin to thehistoricalaspects

of whatwedoas pleinairpainters,”saysSuzieBaker.“ThispastApril,onthe

longdrivefromHoustonto AtlantafortheOlmstedPleinAirInvitational,

I hadtheideato paintsomeonewhohadexperiencedthecivilrightserain a

significantway.Whileit wasmyfourthtimeparticipatingin theevent,I had

notpreviouslyvisitedtheMartinLutherKing,Jr.NationalHistoricalPark

andmadea pointto doso onthistrip.AftertouringthehistoricEbenezer

BaptistChurch,I talkedovermypaintingideawithparkrangerBruceLee.

Hemadea fewphonecalls,andit allcametogether.Thenextmorning,I

hadthegreathonorof paintingReverendDr.AlbertPaulBrinsonin frontof

EbenezerBaptistChurch,wherehehadservedas anassistantministerwith

Dr.MartinLutherKing,Sr.,andJr.

“Dr.Brinsonspentmuchofhisboyhoodinthehomeof‘ML.’

Infact,hestillmeetswithDr.King’ssisterChristinefordinneron

Sundays. While I painted him, he related story after story of his youth,

beingmentoredbyDr.King,andhisinvolvementwiththecivilrights

movement.TheMartinLutherKing,Jr.NationalHistoricalParkis oneof

thefewnationalparkswherehistory still walks among us. Dr. Brinson is

part of that living history.”

postcards from the road

Leaning In to History

Suzie Baker poses with Dr. Brinson and parkrangerBruceLee.

suziebaker.com

LivingHistory

2019,oil, 16 x 20in.

Privatecollection

Plein air