vernard r gray
ArtObjects & Technology
2309 S Street
Washington, DC 20020
202.396.3520/h
4309 Miami Place
Gwynn Oak, MD 21207
443.982.1091/o
202.262.7571/c vrg@bemojazz.com
D.O.B. 7/7/41
Divorced
Parent of three (3) daughters (my greatest accomplishments):
Education:
• District of Columbia, Public Schools – 1959/60 Graduate
• Howard University (1960-1962) *
• Bowie State University (1963-1964) *
• Washington Technical Institute (1966-1967) *
* no degree earned
Professional Experience:
From the mid 60’s until the mid 70’s, I provided professional photography and videography services on a freelance basis for business and government clients.
From 1969 until 1972, I served as director of the Fides House Communications Workshop, developing my administrative skills that included non-profit grantsmanship, program design, and program & fiscal management.
In 1972, with the formation of CA-FAM III, Inc., I continued personal development in the area of arts administration.
In one of our earliest undertakings, the Shaw Community Documentation Project (SCDP), CA-FAM III, Inc. took a direction similar to that of others who had gone before it. Born in the Shaw Community of Washington, DC, we have been very interested in promoting the concept of meaningful information transference. We began the process with the distribution of historical information, as did Dr. Carter G. Woodson when he founded the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History in 1937, in the very same Shaw community. SCDP, centered around recording oral histories, was multi-generational –bringing elders and young people together- with common objectives.
In July, 1976, founded the Miya Gallery, a cultural project dedicated to presentation of creative expressions from the African Diaspora through exhibition of visual art, demonstration of varied handcraft techniques and presentation of performance art. Since its beginning, the Miya has exhibited the work of more than 200 artists/craftspersons, hosted the first “Men Who Cook” fundraising activity in the District of Columbia (1982), and is generally credited with significantly popularizing the decorative natural hair design industry in this country during the early 1980’s. Miya Gallery closed in the fall of 2001 after 25 years of service.
Beginning in the mid 80’s I developed skills in fabric dyeing and wearable art design. Exhibiting in national and local arts festivals from New York to New Orleans, my work developed a significant reputation until the mid 90’s.
In the spring of 1996, I organized an exhibition –Togu Na: A Spiritual Domain, Designs for Living - at the Banneker-Douglass Museum in Annapolis, MD. This experience allowed me to gather previously developed skills into one project with significant success. More than thirty artists / designers were presented this is exhibition.
In 1994, I discovered an applied interactive technology called the Internet and by early 1996 began Nappylinks.net as a web development / internet hosting service.
Beginning in the fall of 1996, CA-FAM III, Inc., through its relationship with the Marshall Heights Community Development Corporation, became a member of the Community Business Partnership of the Greater Washington Board of Trade. Our relationship with the Board of Trade continued through 2004.
In the fall of 1998, CA-FAM III created the Black Family Net Project as a technology demonstration project of the annual Black Family Reunion Celebration hosted, annually, by the National Council of Negro Women. The 1999 version of the project focused on technology workforce issues. Our relationship with the Black Family Reunion Celebration continued through 2004.
In March 2000, CA-FAM III launched ConnectDC 2000, an intergenerational, technology literacy and neighborhood history project using interactive media technologies for content delivery. During the summer we provided 28 young people technology (web design, graphics, videography, photography and interviewing techniques) for a eight week period through the DC Department of Employment Services, Youth Services Administration. Results of the project can be found at http://connectdc.com/project/index.html . Through the efforts of Cheryl Dobbins, President of Basic Technologies, International, an evaluation of our Summer 2000 program was produced. It can be found on the Internet at www.connectdc.com/cdc2000report
In September 2001, I closed the Miya Gallery. Since then I’ve continued to record personal family histories in Washington – Baltimore communities, organizing my collections of artobjects, books, vinyl records and memorabilia of the African American experience in the 20th Century. In addition, I’ve started a Internet multimedia production service.
In March 2008, I founded a jazz preservation project called Be Mo Jazz. information is available at www.bemojazz.com. I’ve presented more than thirty concerts in ten different neighborhoods within the city and Pikesville, including Ashburton. Consequently, I have established working relationships with a great number of persons and institutions – churches, museums, educational institutions, galleries & entertainment venues.
On December 10, 2009 DC based artist Michael Brown and I purchased, from Verizon of Maryland, a building in Northwest Baltimore with the objective to create a multiuse cultural center housing the arts, holistic wellness and newmedia, internet and sustainable [green] technologies. I have begun the process of organizing support within communities in the area for the center. The project – 3911 Project – has begun fundraising efforts as well.
Community Service
Skills:
I have a high level of competency in photographic and videographic technologies (analog & digital), exhibition design and management, web site design and management, retail management and organizational administration.
Web site management:
