Gene Pearson

Gene Pearson

History

Gene Pearson, born in 1946 in St. Catherine, Jamaica, is a 1965 Graduate of the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts. He taught at several high schools in Jamaica and also the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts. He has exhibited widely both locally and internationally including at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London and UC Berkeley in Berkeley California.

His work is represented in films, Publications and leading corporate and private collections internationally including the private collections of celebrities in California and other parts of the USA like Stevie Wonder, Singer/Musician, Arnold Schwarzenegger, former governor of California and actor, Alice Walker, author of the Book and Movie "Colour Purple" and others. He has completed commissions for several local hotels, including Swept Away Hotel and Grand Lido Hotel. He was interviewed on the tv program "Black Renaissance" aired on Channel 44 for his 1991 and 1993 exhibitions in California.

His work has been presented by successive Prime Ministers as gifts to several foreign dignitaries, including Heads of States and other celebrities. Beneficiaries of his work included; Leonid Breshnev of the Soviet Union, Prime Minister Phan Van Dong of Vietnam, President Lopez Portillo of Mexico, Mr. Taba Marouf Vice President of Iraq, Mr. David Rockefeller President of Chase Manhattan bank of New York USA, President Nelson Mandella of South Africa, Ms. Roberta Flack Singer/ Musician, Ms. Maya Angelou renowned American Poet and Author and President Bill Clinton of the USA.

His work appears on the Jamaican $1.40 stamp released on 26th April 1993 depicting "Jamaica Ceramics" from the Hardingham Collection. In March 21, 2001 he was awarded the "Hall of Fame" Award For Excellence in the Field of Visual Arts and in 2006 he was given national honours in the rank of O.D. for distinguished performance in the Arts. In October 2010, he was awarded the Silver Musgrave Medal in the field of Arts by the Institute of Jamaica. Over the years his exhibitions have received critical acclaim.