Inspiring Artist Draws on Memphis Roots

The occasional customer walked by the outdoor table at Community Bakery in Little Rock where artist Perrion Hurd sat, leaning over a piece of scratchboard eking out a work of art he will sell or convert into a handprinted greeting card for the gift shops at Alice Walton’s prestigious Crystal Bridges American Art Museum or the beloved Mosaic Templars Cultural Center .              

“I grew up in south Memphis in the 70’s and 80’s,” Hurd said. “We had lots of instructors and teachers. They were very good people who took it upon themselves to help us. I had some great art teachers in elementary and high school.”

But, Hurd is a “self-taught” artist. He explained, “I’ve had some art instruction. You know how life is. You go through life, and sometimes you have to be what you have to be. But, I’ve known since third grade I wanted to be an artist. I took some classes, and my instructor said I couldn’t draw so I taught myself.”

As if transported back to the third grade, Hurd smiled and offered the story that reunited him with his love of art.

“It was 1993…the day my daughter was born. It was an 11-hour delivery, and I went home and started drawing,” he said. “That birth opened a door for me.”

Hurd is known for illustration and acrylic painting. Last year he started printmaking using scratchboard which is made using a board or paper covered with a white Kaolin clay ground and then coated with black India ink. Hurd uses a sharp utensil to “scratch away” at the surface of the board.

“After scratching them out, you glaze them and can frame them,” explained Hurd. He also uses his linoleum blocks to create greeting cards which are carried by two very popular museums. Hurd credits Instagram with bringing his work to the attention of the staff at Crystal Bridges in Bentonville.

“We don’t have to have gallery representation, anymore. It’s still good to have,” he stated. “But, social media has changed that.”

For aspiring visual artists, Hurd provided encouragement. “Get your work out there. Be seen,” he urged.

With his leather tote filled with scratchboards and samples of his art, Hurd turned contemplative. “I think there’s a new appreciation for African American art and artists with the rise of Kehinde Wiley,  Kara Walker, and Lina Iris Viktor,” he said. “I believe the children of the new generation can see that our art is part of Black history. This is the time for us to shine.”