Texarkana, Texas – In recognition of Black History Month, Texas A&M University-Texarkana will host two presentations by Dallas-area teacher and professional artist Curtis “Derall” Ferguson, a graduate of Texas High School in Texarkana, Texas.
An exhibit featuring Ferguson’s work also is on display in the John F. Moss Library on the A&M-Texarkana campus through the end of February.
Ferguson will present “Flowers in the Dirt” at 6 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 15, in Eagle Hall of the University Center on the A&M-Texarkana campus at 7101 University Avenue in Texarkana, Texas. A reception will follow in the John F. Moss Library atrium on the third floor of the University Center.
On Tuesday, Feb. 16, the artist will present “Create Your Masterpiece” at a noon luncheon in Eagle Hall. Both presentations are sponsored by the John F. Moss Library and the Office of Student Life.
The events are free and open to the public.
Specializing in fine art oil paintings, commissioned portraits, residential, public and commercial murals, Ferguson’s works encompass a variety of painting techniques shared with him by instructors at Henderson State University in Arkadelphia, Arkansas, Italian artist Impeclia in New York and decades of studying traditional methods of the Old Masters.
For the A&M-Texarkana exhibit, Ferguson depicts figures in a process of transformation in 12 acrylic-on-board paintings.
He said his goal is to “share a message of peace, harmony and hope for today’s youth” and that he “teaches his audiences that the achievement of excellence and success is a journey that we must individually define and then strive for every day.”
Ferguson has more than 25 years of experience in the public education system and in corporate administration. He has won 12 Teacher of the Year Awards from five different schools in four different school districts in Texas and numerous community-service awards.
His work with at-risk youth includes two mentoring programs – The Man Up Group and The Q.U.E.E.N.S. Program. A work-study aspect to these programs puts youth to work for Eddie Deen and Company Catering in Dallas. Ferguson also owns Ferguson Communications and Painting U Designs.
