I guess i would say, i have known Freddy for a long time,
He is leaving San Marcos, to go to Dallas, which marks an end of an era here in san marc for him.
Freddy has been one of my best friends over the years , i first meet him over in Kismet, a local art/resturant,. they hung college art, nice walls,. well Linda introduced him to me and we started chatting about what's art -etc, he seemed starved to have some contversations on art topics, and wanted to absorbe the local rhetoric by the college art crowds,.
, he want to see what they would throw at them, i always a glutton on art dialoges enjoyed talking to him and getting his unique perspective on art and life..
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He ended up getting involved in the San Marcos Fine Art center and moved down to Hopkins street( a couple of houses down from me), he was living at Gary Job core for a while, (as a teacher).
His art has changed over the years from moody blues figures of musicians, tragic love seens, and the plight of living in the getto, to biblicaly cubists aligorys , now he has infused all this, into these more designly slick "issue" spun works all evolving out of the massive mural project he made in the Austin Carver center libery mural., After that project, he started designing space in more interesting fashion, an threw in a bit more Africain elements, or colors combunations,. The mural project, cause of humungus scale, changed the way he worked in creating interesting spaces, or compusitions,.
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One of the good things about Freddy is we would always argue over art topics. his enthusaiam to argure over stufff or explore isssues is fun, we have a differt additude about what's a sucessful artist , and how to treat your work, (the whole serious vs casual) thing
Fredy was more serious, and it refected in the theames he painted and how they were painted, i like thorton Dial or a Swearigen, i showed him their work he was like ,
what the fuck thay cann't paint!
, He is an old modernist masters type, likes Picasso, MonteParis, Harlem Renisanses(sp) type of stuff ,Jazz &chess, geometric patterns and iconic figures.
His studio is overloaded with projects, and clean too, as clean as drek or even Serg!,
he is going to have an endeding BBQ , Ill get photos,
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We also talked about politics alot too, interpitations of events, and exploring black vs white issues which are always fun and insightful
but one of the amazing things about Freddy is his capiblity to comand me outta a funk, when i get down about women, he has seen me threw alot of zones(girlfriends), and,
has learnet me to put a black mans approach to a white boys follys in dealing with women, . Now don't get me wrong, Freddy is a devout husband , fathered two kids, and a steadfast Christian, but he has realistic apprach to life, and this enthusiam thats make me sorta revamp my mascline side,
i would always say,... when in doupt, ....Ask
"what would Freddy do? hummm" some thing to think about.
We would argue about all kinda stuff, Serge, women, serious art, cultureal issues, i got to explore the black vs white issue, in a personal level, which i consider a privaliage to have had that experiance and talk about backgrounds and impressions dispelling myths, on the racial issues, .
Alot of his work deals with racial issues, and identiny. To address them in a painting is important. Sorta a warnnig sign or a delima he likes to investigate.
His unique perspective , (which if i am not mistaken was growing up in St.Luis,) finds issues or news issues and makes works around them, kinda like he is arranging an lucid story not yet complete but based onthe timeline thats at hand here in America.
With him leaving the area, ends what i figured was 12 plus years for him to be presant
,.i think he is ready to move on to a place that, will champian his art and character,...
and a true display of his power as an artist,
will manifest.
Central Texas is done...
Freddy-- we will miss you!!!
Feddy is the greatest painter in the world and I have know him a long time too. I like the way George discribe all of Fredy's work. Oh -- your studio is really neat and orderly--I am impressed!!!
What we he do in Dallas?
Karen Marie Cross
Freddie as I see it is more than just the greatest artist alive, his neatness is his causeway to life, born out of necessity and raised by life events. The projects in St Louis nurtured his hunger and the world provided the desert. So, I raise my glass and say, "Here's a toast to the fool that let him go." I Love the greatest artist in the world, his work has been my inspiration for 42 years, his blood is my lifeline. My Brother STL 11.
Mr. Freddrick McCoo........ A true and commited artist. What does it mean to express that which is inside in a voice that is unmistakable? What does it mean to stay committed? what does it mean to look into the void, over and over, and come back with something. To face the challenge of laying hand to brush and brush to paint and paint to canvass. His commitment is something that I have rarely witnessed in any disipline. I at times fancy myself an artist, but each time I get carried away with this idea, I can check myself against the example he is setting.
One cool thing I learned from Fred. Every New years. When one year ends and the new one begins, when many are thinking over their past and considering the future, you can find him in front of the easel. Locking each year down with the recorded thought and considered movement that results in something so personal.
Even though I am no longer in San Marcos, I will feel the hole.
Good luck Fred.
Colin.
Yo Freddie,
It's about time! I definitely hope to have had some influence in your exodus. There's too much world for the likes of us and to linger in any place for too long is the equivalent of artistic suicide. Let Dallas be only the first stop on a much greater creative adventure, see, feel, taste and explore everything and everyplace that you are blessed to encounter…
live my brother, you’ve waited long enough.
My mind races with the creative visual possibilities that may come from this.
All the best,
Mark
P.S. Whenever you chose to make the trek out to California you’ll have a place.
.
As the eldest of the children fathered by Fred McCoo, I am elated to know that the city my father swore would quell his artistic endeavors has acknowledged him as the real thing. Moving within walking distance of the "chicken shack" as my sub-culture liked to call it, was like following the yellow brick road to a place where creativity and cohesive thought ran as free as the chickens themselves. Visits from George were always welcomed because I knew we were going to endulge in the good left-overs and I got to "ear hustle" bits and pieces of Vincent and Theo type conversations. As a youth, George's interpretation of yard bird was always comical, but in my maturity both as an adult and as an art collector I developed a taste for his brush strokes. I believe I can speak for my father and I when I say San Marcos and all of its' leading characters will be missed.
P.S. Shout out to the Matlocks who I also miss and Uncle Dre.
We are going to go far old man...