Doves (2 White) from the collection of Georgia Council for the Arts

Doves (2 White)

Eddie Louis Hudgons, known by his artist alias Tim Arkansaw, was an Atlanta-based musician, artist, and public school educator. His childhood in the city’s Summerhill neighborhood was a great influence on his art production, from his original, often place-based songs to his documentary sculptures, which worked to preserve the memory of specific people he remembered from the community. Beginning in the 1960’s with the construction of the Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium, there was increasing tension within Summerhill as residents were pushed out from gentrification efforts and ongoing inequities that contributed to the 1966 Summerhill Riot, or Atlanta Rebellion, in which residents protested the shooting of unarmed Harold Parther by a police officer. By the time the Centennial Olympic Stadium was built for the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, the neighborhood had been largely erased, marking it as one chapter among many in the ongoing gentrification and erasure of historic Black neighborhood throughout the city. Arkansaw’s work as an artist to cement his home in public memory, then, has been crucial.

He exhibited a series of his documentary sculptures, called “Family Bread Winners”, at the Georgia Capitol in the 1990’s. He went on to be the recipient of the Martin Luther King Jr. Community Service Award, as well as the Georgia Citizens for the Arts Award. Of the sculptures displayed here, Arkansaw has inscribed each of them with “Georgia Arts Day 1993” to mark the occasion for their commission. While some figurines exhibit a whimsical sense of humor, others continue his practice of remembering the people he grew up around. All are made from red Georgia clay, which can be distinctly noted in areas where the sculptures have been broken or chipped.

About the artist

Tim Arkansaw

1925-2003

BIO- BIRTH PLACE- EDUCATION- PROFESSION- AWARDS-

Mr. Eddie Louis Hudgons, aka Tim Arkansaw of Atlanta, Georgia, recorded the popular folk hits "The Hell-raisers of Summerhill" and "Blue Cockatoo". He wrote and produced the frequently aired documentary, "The Successful Side of Summerhill". Honored by the State of Georgia and the governor in 1996 as the Georgia Artist of the Year. Mr. Hudgons leaves an artistic legacy founded on his folk art sculptures, the signature of his famous enterprise, Atsumhill Folklore Studios. A long-time member of Shy Temple, Mr. Hudgons dedicated himself to serving the Lord by serving in the community right up to the time of his death. His service to the community included working with the elderly, the disabled, and children, especially in his beloved Summerhill Community, as well as working in the schools all over the State of Georgia. He served as an Artist in Residence for the Georgia Art Schools and Atlanta Art in Schools programs. Mr. Hudgons' community service has made him the recipient of many accolades and awards including the Martin Luther King Jr. Community Service Award.

Additional Details

About the artist

Tim Arkansaw