The Tioga Trails building, located on the corner of Lake and Main Street in Owego, recently set the stage for a display of artwork, to include a piece created by resident Kathye Arrington. With February being recognized and celebrated as Black History Month, we were able to interview Kathye and talk about what Black History Month means to her, how she infuses it into her art, and what it was like growing up black in Owego, N.Y.
On how she chose what to create for the display, she replied, “They wanted me to bring something that reflected my personality, and also some of my culture; the theme of my artwork is family. So I have a lot of artwork that depicts family. This young man is surrounded by his parents, and if you look in the back, it’s symbols of his ancestors. The symbols used in the framing symbolize faith, love, strength, wisdom, these things that his parents instill in him.”
For Kathye, she said Black History Month means family.
“It means pride. I think about all the things that my parents and grandparents taught me about community and taking care of each other.”
She said that how she was raised played a big part in how she perceives Black History Month, and added, “My father and my mother were very strong and they always made sure we knew who we were, and did not let people tear us down or tell us that we were less than who we knew we were. For me, Black History helps me know who I am, and that I exist and I’m a part of this world.”
Kathye Arrington grew up and went to school in Owego, which has a population that is over 95% Caucasian. Growing up black here had challenges.
Kathye Arrington’s artwork, pictured, tells a story. (Photo by Dominick Matarese)
In our recent interview, Kathye stated, “There were some black kids, but there weren’t a lot of them. I just thought most black kids were like me, middle class. But when I went to college I ran into a lot of inner city kids and it was eye opening.”
She added, “I knew a little about them, but they looked at me like I was foreign. They would say ‘oh well you don’t sound black because you have this accent, and you aren’t part of the black community,’ and I said, ‘there’s no such thing as the black community, just like there’s no such thing as the white community.’”
She elaborated by saying; “It’s interesting. You have to find people who are willing to open up or willing to listen to you or accept who you are. I hate the word when they use colorblind, because I wouldn’t want to be colorblind to you because that means I don’t see you; or I don’t acknowledge you’re there, and I think everyone should be celebrated no matter what their background is.”
She touched on some of the racially divisive experiences she had growing up, describing, “I grew up in the seventies; it was different because that was five years after segregation, and it’s funny because people thought it was all over; but no, it took a long time. I think when things started to really change and when people started to open up more was more in the eighties. I still remember when Martin Luther King Day was coming up and there were so many people around here that were not for that.”
Kathye Arrington’s artwork, pictured, tells a story. (Photo by Dominick Matarese)
She continued, “When I got [to Owego] I realized that there were a lot of kids that weren’t used to me. I got called everything from the ‘N word’ to whatever. I remember it was mostly boys that were more aggressive, and I got in a lot of fights with boys. And it hurt my feelings because I felt like because I was black they couldn’t see me as a girl.”
Her Father, former Owego Mayor Edward Arrington, played a big part in how she grew up, and she said both her parents taught her that you couldn’t hate.
“Just because someone hates you, you can’t give it back.”
She said her father just wanted to help, and that was his motto. She talked fondly of him, stating, “I still remember when we had the flood in 2011, I didn’t see him for hours, he was out here trying to help people, and next thing I know there’s people in the house, and we’re housing people, and they’re saying ‘Ed said we’re spending the night here.’”
When asked about the candlelight vigil for Breonna Taylor and George Floyd in front of the courthouse last summer, and the daily protests where a small group held up signs in favor of the “Black Lives Matter” movement, she commented, “I was impressed and shocked because that was never something I thought I’d see in Owego.”
She said of the movement, “That was the thing that really touched me this summer with ‘Black Lives Matter’; several years ago when they said ‘Black Lives Matter’ it was just black folks, and people were like ‘all lives matter’, and then when I saw a bunch of white people, Asian people, and realizing that they get it – it touched my heart, especially seeing so many young people. It gave me hope for the future.”
She compared the racial justice protests of last summer to other movements, saying, “It’s kind of a watershed moment, much like in the sixties when my parents were younger, and the civil rights movement.”
Kathye is a strong believer in the power of community, and ended the interview by saying, “This country is a family and we really have to start treating each other like a family.”
Wonderful article! I so remember Kathy and her inspiring art at the Tioga County Council on the Arts . I remember sweet quiet Mother and her wonderful larger than life Father – Mayor Arrington! What a great Family!! Kathy’s brother a veterinarian helped my Daughter Jennifer with her horse when the horse had a problem The Arrington Family are a blessing to Owego – and an inspiration to the world . If only we could all live with the same kindness and giving spirit if this beautiful family – what a wonderful world this would be!
you couldn’t get a better photo of her artwork?
They were not able to access the building the day of the interview, unfortunately, but Kathy is a well-known local artist, and I believe she displays her work throughout a normal, non-pandemic year. We will try to find out when she has a show coming up.