Charles McGee

Charles McGee (December 15, 1924 – February 4, 2021) was an American artist and educator known for creating paintings, assemblages, and sculptures. His artwork is in the collections of the Detroit Institute of Arts and the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History. He also had several large-scale public works in the city of Detroit.

Early life and education McGee was born in Clemson, South Carolina, on December 15, 1924. He was first raised by his grandparents, who were sharecroppers. He received his first artistic inspiration while picking cotton and helping his grandfather tend the land. There, "he observed firsthand the order and harmony that exists within nature." where he found that "everything was on the move and it hasn’t slowed down yet." in 2017 he observed, "I learned something not being in school — because life is school . . .I learn something every time I move. Every time I go around a corner, something new is revealed to me.” He attended Cleveland High School near Hamtramck and was active as a creative designer and coordinator of float construction for the school's parades. He was stationed in Nagasaki as part of the Allied occupation of Japan. which depicts two Egyptian-styled women and animals that are presented in "playful, abstracted simplicity". ties in with nature and human interaction. He established Gallery 7 and a small namesake School for the Arts where he taught. He was also responsible for preparing and curating art exhibitions. the Dennos Museum, and the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History.

McGee's work is installed in public settings, including the William Beaumont Hospital of Royal Oak, Michigan and the Detroit People Mover Broadway Station. He co-founded the Contemporary Art Institute of Detroit (CAID) in 1978.

Detroit as a creative setting According to the Kresge Foundation, "McGee developed an unwavering loyalty to the city and its residents, and endowed it with much of his artistic energy and artwork. 'Detroit really has been a heaven for me,' McGee explains. 'It has given me dignity and treated me with respect.'” Administered by the College for Creative Studies, this award honors one Detroit artist each year for professional achievements, cultural contributions, and commitment to the local arts community.

In early 2019, Michigan Legacy Art Park announced that McGee would receive its 2019 Legacy Award "in recognition of a lifetime of achievements and influences as an artist, teacher, advocate and global citizen."

Later life McGee suffered a stroke in 2011, which impacted his ability to produce art. He died on February 4, 2021, at his home in Detroit. He was 96, and died of natural causes.