Art Partners Studio puts local artist on display at Coatesville Savings Bank
By Kyle Carrozza, Staff Writer, The Times
COATESVILLE – In places like Coatesville where identity is a near tangible, living and breathing entity, the history of a place can almost feel like a personal family for the residents of the place.
Organized by Art Partners Studio, the Coatesville Savings Bank has that history on display this spring with the paintings of Coatesville’s late Lee Carter.
State Representative Harry Lewis makes an appearance at the opening for the Lee Carter Exhibit at Coatesville Savings Bank.
“I think it’s important to know the history of the area that you’re from or living in,” said Teresa Salinas of Art Partners. “It’s celebrating the past, present, and future of Coatesville.”
Many of the paintings depict properties from around the area that part of the Underground Railroad. Salinas said that having them on display allows people to learn about Coatesville’s history from a source beyond just the classroom or word of mouth. She believes that the city’s narratives often center on the steel industry, which is important but not the whole picture.
“There are so many people in this community who have these creative gifts that you might not suspect,” she said.
Carter’s daughter, Jacqueline Carter-Hamilton said that the family suspected these gifts least of all. Lee graduated from Coatesville and went on to work 38 years at Lukens. Only after his retirement did his family find out about his abilities. Jacqueline said that when her father was 62, the family was watching TV one night. Lee saw a painting that prompted him to say, “I can draw like that.” Even his wife, who had known him since he was 14, did not believe the proclamation until he sketched the piece he had seen. The incident pushed him to pursue his artistic efforts.
Jacqueline said that her father would be thrilled to know that the city is recognizing his work.
“It’s a proud moment for me and the family. It’s something that he would like to have had done again and again and again so the community could take part in his work and the history of our town,” she said.
She said that paintings like these allow people to see the history of Coatesville that they do not always know about.
“Coatesville has a rich history. So does Chester County,” she said. “Children need to know it, and more voices need to speak out about how wonderful Coatesville is. It’s a rich place to grow up.”
That history is captured through the paintings of sites like the Gardner-Beale House that stands on the Coatesville Area High School Campus and Lincoln Highway and a painting of Lincoln Highway in 1912.
Carter’s works will be on display until May 11.
