iola . The poverty and human suffering was so prevalent , I was amazed at the paintings done by people with no formal training . I bought some that I really liked . That was the beginning of a lifetime of collecting originals from native autodidactic artists . It was about this time that I was deciding to specialize in Psychiatry .
Dr . Charalampous became very wellknown in Psychopharmacology . His works and his trips took him frequently to the Caribbean .
Heidi : How long have you been building this fabulous collection ?
Dr . Charalampous : Since the 60s .
Heidi : That is a very long time , spanning a large part of the regions history .
Dr . Charalampous : About 60 years .
Heidi : How did you decide what pieces to put into this exhibition ? Did you decide on a theme ?
Dr . Charalampous : The museum is in East Texas . I had the idea of a cruise ; Haiti , Cuba , Mexico , and Texas .
Heidi : So that gives it the flow . These pieces represent a small part of the collection . How long will it be here in the Czech Center ?
Dr . Charalampous : This one will be here until Mid-March . There will be other exhibits . I wish to share the paintings with art lovers .
Heidi : How do you decide on which pieces to purchase ?
Dr . Charalampous : When you get to a country , first you find the galleries and make friends with the people there . They will lead you to the best restaurants and introduce you to the best artists . I always felt that you needed to see a painting twice before taking it with you . At that time , the airlines were very cooperative so I was able to purchase large pieces and even sculptures . As my collection grew my taste grew more refined and
I became more selective about which pieces to purchase . I enjoyed getting to know the artists whenever possible and watching their careers grow over the years .
The Czech Center is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a . m . to 4 p . m . The exhibit , “ From the Caribbean to the Gulf of Mexico to Texas ” is scheduled through mid-March . To schedule a tour call 713-528- 2060 . If you wish to schedule an event at the Czech Center Museum mail events @ czechcenter . org .
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