At Carrington Arts, exhibit exposes Underground Railroad

SANDUSKY — A new exhibit at Carrington Arts spotlights some unsung heroes and unappreciated themes related to the Underground Railroad.Debuting Friday at the downtown Sandusky gallery: A show titled "Karen Hampton presents The Light of Freedom, Stories of African-American Threads of my Family, Their Journeys Towards Freedom and the Abolitionists."A portion of Carrington Arts for "The Light of Freedom" gallery is dedicated to the abolitionists, including Harriet Tubman and John Brown. Debuting Friday, the show pays tribute to the Underground Railroad along with emphasizing Sandusky's rich history in helping runaway slaves achieve freedom.Many in the industry consider Hampton a critically acclaimed contemporary artist. For more than two decades, many prestigious museums and well-respected galleries have displayed her work.Though she's never before shown off her pieces in Sandusky.Marsha Carrington, who owns Carrington Arts, believes the timing in welcoming Hampton to Sandusky couldn't have worked out better."In 2016, I learned that the Sandusky bicentennial was coming up in 2018," Carrington said. "I knew, then, that I wanted to have a special show at the gallery that related to Sandusky's rich history of the Underground Railroad."This piece, Journey to Freedom, features a slave named Matthew Roberts that escaped and joined the Union army. Robert is one of artist Karen Hampton's ancestors. Sandusky represented an important stop along the Underground Railroad, a network of secret routes dotted with safe houses inhabited by abolitionists, who helped slaves reach their freedom destination, often in Canada.In fact, Harriet Beecher Stowe used Sandusky as the gate to freedom for runaway slaves in her novel "Uncle Tom's Cabin," a 19th century best-selling novel.After hearing Carrington's idea, Hampton quickly agreed to participate. She offered up some reasons as to why."As an artist of color, I have made a lifelong commitment to creating artwork that responds to the lives of my ancestors," Hampton said. "My lens is anthropology, and I study my own genealogy. I travel in my ancestor's footsteps. I walked the roads where they lived, explored the plantations where they were enslaved. I am the storyteller. As their medium, I provide a vehicle for my ancestor's spirits to transcend history and remain as historical memory."Karen HamptonCarrington is ecstatic about Hampton's participation and enthusiasm for the show."I love being a part of beautiful downtown Sandusky, and I felt this show might be a unifying experience for our diverse community," Carrington said. "There is a lot to celebrate here, and what better way to celebrate 200 years than through art that which is not only relevant to this city but also enlightening, moving and educational.""Walk With The Ancestors" is one of the piece featured in Carrington Arts' newest gallery by artist Karen Hampton. Debuting Friday, the show pays tribute to the Underground Railroad along with emphasizing Sandusky's rich history in helping runaway slaves achieve freedom.Want to go?What: "Karen Hampton presents The Light of Freedom, Stories of African-American Threads of my Family, Their Journeys Towards Freedom and the Abolitionists"; The show pays homage to Sandusky's bicentennial by playing up its rich history and ties to the Underground Railroad.Where: Carrington Arts, 231 W. Water St., SanduskyWhen: A special opening reception takes place 6-9 p.m. Friday. The entire exhibit, meanwhile, is available through July 21.Cost: The show is free to attend.More: Call 419-621-7617 or visit facebook.com/marshagraycarringtonart for more information.Carrington Arts newest gallery exhibition featuring textile artist Karen Hampton opens Friday, June 8, 2018. The show pays tribute to the Underground Railroad along with emphasizing Sandusky's rich history in helping runaway slaves achieve freedom. Reach reporter Andy Ouriel at ouriel@sanduskyregister.com and follow him on Twitter @AndyOuriel.