Nationally renowned speed painter Evan Struck visited the University of North Dakota Thursday, Feb. 20, where he painted a portrait of Rosa Parks in honor of Black History Month.
The event, planned and hosted by the Hilyard Center, took place on the first floor of the Memorial Union from 1 p.m. to 1:30 p.m., with dozens of spectators gathered to witness the artist at work.
“I love civil rights and honoring people that really have significant weight for this country, and the things that they did to change and impact our lives,” Struck said. “My first speed painting I ever did was actually of Martin Luther King Jr. in high school for my school’s talent show.”
Rosa Parks became a leading civil rights activist on Dec. 1, 1955, after her refusal to relinquish her bus seat to a white man. This sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott from 1955 to 1956, a landmark event in the burgeoning American civil rights movement. Nearly 70 years after this historic moment, and two decades after her death, Parks remains a symbol of social justice as well as an enduring figure of Black History Month celebrations.
After a brief introduction of the artist and the history of Parks by Dr. Stacey Borboa-Peterson, director of the Hilyard Center, Struck commenced speed painting, a process that was as performative as it was artistic. In less than 12 minutes and with great flourish, Struck transformed a blank canvas into a highly detailed likeness of Parks.
“I love speed painting for a number of reasons,” Struck said. “I think it’s really impactful when I can perform my art in front of an audience, compared to putting my artwork in a gallery, where maybe a few hundred people might view it, see it, and leave. With speed painting, it’s allowed me to paint for not only thousands but tens of thousands of people.”
The number Struck gave is not an exaggeration: the artist has put his talents on display in a wide variety of settings and contexts since he first began painting professionally, taking part in everything from NBA halftime shows to large charity events where his works are auctioned off to raise money for those in need. Recently, Struck’s work has been increasingly focused on athletes, a turn of events that he says has brought him a wealth of exciting new subjects.
“I’ve had a lot of opportunities recently, of painting different college athletes all over the country as well as NFL and NBA players, and I’m starting to now create my own brand where athletes are constantly inquiring and asking for me to paint them,” Struck said. “I’m also in the process to paint every single one of the Philadelphia Eagles to celebrate Super Bowl 59.”
Despite it being a much smaller event, Struck’s performance at UND was greatly enjoyed by those who attended. For some spectators, his portrait of Parks was more than just entertainment.
“It [the portrait] meant a lot,” Flora Brown, a junior at UND and a peer educator at the Hilyard Center, said. “I love the fact that at this institution we put in a lot of work to embrace and teach about the past, whether it’s Black History Month or Hispanic Heritage Month or anything like that. We teach the students, and we don’t let the past die.”
The finished portrait also served as the centerpiece for the Hilyard Center’s Rosa Parks pop-up exhibit, which opened the following morning, Feb. 21. Like Struck’s event the previous day, the exhibit was dedicated to the life and legacy of Parks, featuring still images of her curated by Brown and fellow Peer Educator Malin Sende, a senior at UND.
“I love this [event], and I love the fact that we are learning and that it inspires the students here on campus,” Brown said.
As for Struck, neither he nor his career show any signs of slowing down.
“I’m excited to keep painting athletes and individuals,” Struck said. “It’s something I love to do.”
Those who wish to view Struck’s full catalogue can do so via his website @ evanstruckspeedpainting.com, or his Instagram profile @ evan_struck_speedpainting.
Quinn Berg is a Dakota Student General Reporter. He can be reached at quinn.berg@und.edu.
