This summer the Mason-Scharfenstein Museum of Art at Piedmont College will showcase the work of the late Lenn Redman of Chicago, a prolific caricaturist and animator who was also a poet, author, teacher, and civil rights activist.

The exhibit is on display now through Aug. 18, at 567 Georgia St. in Demorest. Museum hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

A reception will close out the exhibit from 5-7 p.m. Aug. 18, at the museum. Admission is free.

The exhibit features a group of paintings among Redman’s last works and rarely seen in public. These paintings, which the artist called "articatures," are depictions of famous artists such as Henri Matisse and Pablo Picasso among others, created in the style of the subject.

Also in the exhibit are cell drawings Redman did during the years he was lead animator at Hanna-Barbera, and two illustrations from his groundbreaking publication for children, "What Am I?" in the early 1970s.

Born in Chicago in 1912, Redman studied at the Chicago Academy of Fine Arts and the American Academy of Arts. From the 1930s until his death in 1987, he fascinated and entertained audiences around the U.S. with his unique and creative impressions.

His professional work ranged from caricaturist at multiple World Fairs to animator for Walt Disney (Fantasia) and Leon Schlesinger (Porky Pig). During his long career, he was a poet, author, collector and even an entertainer, having worked on radio and TV shows. One of his noteworthy achievements from his TV appearances was the ability to draw an uncanny likeness of someone just by talking to them on the phone during a live segment.

Some of his later work was inspired by the civil rights movement, such as the publication of "What Am I?," written and illustrated by Redman to help break down national and ethnic prejudice. By the time his career ended, it is estimated he created more than 200,000 caricatures of people from life.

For more information, contact director Daniel White at dwhite@piedmont.edu or call 706-894-4201.