1 week Ago
Artist Baruti Tucker, a native Staten Islander, who painted a 20-foot, 1,000-pound mural golf tee structure commemorating Black caddies to coincide with The Masters, will make his national television debut Saturday morning at 8 on CNN’s First Of All With Victor Blackwell . The monument titled, “ Augusta’s African American Champion Caddies,” was unveiled a week ago on the grounds of the Sand Hills Community Center, within playing range of Augusta National Golf Club -- host of The Masters. Tucker, who resides in Augusta was chosen by curator Ed Durant, a local who knew of Tucker’s involvement in the community and his art creations; in addition to framing his work.
“There was another artist, a couple of artists that were doing some mock ups for the tee, but one artist just dropped down,” Tucker, who is Black, said. “The other artists said that they were on other projects. And then he turned to me, and it’s like, ‘I should have asked you this a long time ago.
’ So that’s when it came into fruition, after I gave him the model he liked.” Baruti Tucker stands next to his artwork highlighting Black caddies in golf. (Photos courtesy of RedWolf Advertising Rhian Swain) RedWolf Advertising Rhian Swain Accepting the challenge, the non-golfer took to the hardened foam wrapped around a steel core and began his creation, painting with his fingers and viewing pictures as his guide.
The married 58-year old, father of five and five grandchildren, crafted his skills with exterior paint for three months, six hours a day inside an old bowling alley, while standing atop a trailer. And to preserve his masterpiece, it was brushed with polyurethane. “Through art, we learn.
Through art, I build,” said Tucker, who grew up in both New Brighton and West Brighton. Baruti Tucker said the Black caddies artwork was one of the most challenging pieces of art he has worked. (Photos courtesy of RedWolf Advertising Rhian Swain) RedWolf Advertising Rhian Swain Tucker says he has created larger murals on his artistic journey, but nothing as challenging.
“In terms of material, yes, this is the first time I’ve ever painted on a rounded shape, to scale the figures and in its human form, that’s not easy to do,” Tucker said. “This is me doing it organically. And I think for me, that’s the most precious part of this process, was being able to scale with my eye and scientifically maneuver around that shape so that the faces weren’t oblong.
The faces were not deformed in a way because of the shape. So I had to truly, truly use my eyes and quite honestly, it was hard in the beginning.” Baruti Tucker says without Black caddies there would be no golf champions.
(Photos courtesy of RedWolf Advertising Rhian Swain) RedWolf Advertising Rhian Swain Tucker is a master at his craft, and by the looks of his art, there is no task that he can work on his canvas. “I’ve learned a lot from this project, the Black caddies project,” he said. “It’s a beacon of truth, respect and history; and without those Black caddies there would be no golf champions.
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