Jerry Hanks

JERRY HANKS, ARTIST

Born, 1949

Lives in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania

email contact; jmhanks@hotmail.com


EDUCATION
Corcoran School of Art, Washington, D.C.
Attended selected classes and lectures 1969-1973
while serving in the US Army first in the Office Of Casualties in the Pentagon then as an audio and
recording specialist working in the D.C. area at the
Pentagon, US Capitol and White House level functions.
Last event was the second swearing in ceremony for
President Richard Nixon. After Washington D.C. I was fortunate to become a member of what is now known as the U.S.Army Jazz Ambassadors. Back then it was in formation and called just the Studio Band. A place to best use the talents of great musicians who had been drafted. We toured all over the United States and Porto Rico while I traveled with the group for several years. Learned incredible knowledge of our country and people in all these adventures and the experiences still inspire my work.


SELECTED GROUP SHOWINGS

1967 Virginia Highlands Arts and Crafts Festival

Abingdon, Virginia

1978 Constantine Grimaldis Presents

Morris Mechanic Theater, Baltimore, MD

1980 Art Association Of Harrisburg
Harrisburg, PA

Mint Green Group Show SEPT 28-OCT 8 2008
The Attic Gallery
New Delhi India




SOLO EXHIBITS


1977 CHRISTOPHER G GALLERY

Randallstown, MD


1977 COCOA LANE
Ellicott City, MD


1978 DELISIO'S
Ellicott City, MD


1980 ART ASSOCIATION OF HARRISBURG

Harrisburg, PA

SOLO EXIBITS HELD BY ARTIST AT PRIVATE RECEPTIONS EACH JUNE 3RD AND DECEMBER 3RD BEGINNING IN JUNE 1977 AND ENDING IN JUNE 1980.


PRESENT: Staff member with The Fuschia Tree.Com art gallery as Art Consultant in addition to producing my ongoing artistic endeavors in my studio.


ADDITIONAL LIFETIME CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

Many artists find that as the years go by while we work to develope ourselves and our art that a surprising number and variety of other kinds of employment becomes a rather long list. Jerry Seinfield has stated that he had over one hundred different jobs before he could make a living from his talents. It could be that much for me also if I stopped to count each and every kind of labor I took on to keep eating and paying my way. I have experienced cleaning a major league baseball stadium the morning after a game. Even at that level of employment I found inspiration for my work. I had to fight the thousands of sea gulls and other birds who were bound to consume every half-eaten hotdog or french fry in the place and very willing to challenge me for my garbage. The sound of all those birds, the patterns of their frenzied flight against the summer morning sky and the ranks of empty seats created random patterns so amazing I recall them often when doing certain works.

Why so many different employments? I thought it was because I'd become bored with the duties and wanted a different challenge but instead it was because it prevented me from painting and that dulled the edge of some very exciting and rewarding oppurtunities that I was both blessed and priviledged to acquire. So, here is a short list of the most serious of those many ventures. I believe that every work of art has a story and that a big part of the story is the artist's experiences in the life they have lived when not creating art. I've found as an avid viewer of all art that the more I learn about the maker of the work the more I can understand its existance.


1969-1971 Assigned as a soldier to the Pentagon, Washington D.C. Office of the Adjudent General, U.S. Army, Casualty Division.

One of the most spiritually rewarding living nightmares I've ever experienced. This small office of about twelve to a shift worked twenty-four hours a day seven days a week to recieve all unclassified and unclassified information about injuries, deaths and the missing soldiers fighting in Viet Nam and the world within the past four hours and before the next batch arrived process the information and send the infamous telegram to the parents or loving spouse back home awaiting the return of someone who would not be returning anywhere near the condition he left home if at all. At the bottom of that telegram was the telephone number to our office, no email or website back then, and when they called I was as often as the others the one to take that call and try to help a shocked and grieving wife understand the reality of this horrifing moment the black mistake that was Viet Nam became a yellow piece of paper in shaking hands.
Mine were shaking also and it got worse the more I worked and the more I learned.

1971-1974 Assigned to The Signal Support Group, U.S. Army Military District of Washington D.C

What a fascinating duty, incredible place to be in city and time in history and events witnessed. I served as a member of an audio and recording team which provided services to the Pentagon, Arlington National Cemetary, the National Capitol and White House events among many other high-level needs for sound support or audio taping services. Several of the major events in which I was involved include the second inaugral of President Nixon, the Herbert Hoover eulogy in the Capitol Rotunda, President Johnson's funeral and the Official Retirement Ceremony for Gereral Westmoreland. For the public events as all of these were we also provided the only audio live feed service to all media. No network owned michrophones allowed on the podium is a rule that stands today.

1974-1977 Chief Audio Engineer/Announcer for the U.S. Army Touring Jazz Band. One of the most talented and professional groups of musicians I've known or heard. This was the highlight of the whole army thing for me. The twent-five member big band was made up mostly by well established and future stars who had been drafted. Steve Gadd was drummer for this band before going on to establish himself as one of the best and most in demand drummers for all genre of music. It is here that I learned about professionalism in the arts. We had three eight-week tours a year in addition to several ten and five day trips and many one night stands. I learned about my country through the windows of our tour bus, concert halls and those to came to see us play and thousands of hotels and restaurants.

1982-1984 Director of Marketing, The Pennsylvania Chamber of Commerce. The lead lobby for the entire business community working to promote a positive environment for keeping and attracting businesses to the state through legislation. Great job but when called upon to support resistance to laws providing right to know about chemicals and materials used in the work-place and proper training for employees my soul could not allow me to continue.

There were more positions of prestige and career offers but they all ended the same. I couldn't commit myself to anything that would kill the artistic urge or chance to be the artist I am today.

Jerry Hanks

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