The University of North Georgia is collaborating with the Redman Family Foundation and the Quinlan Visual Arts Center to create an exhibition surrounding diversity and inclusion.  

The exhibition, titled “And I am Multicolored,” centers around late caricature artist Lenn Redman’s illustrated poem “What Am I?” The show will debut at the Quinlan Visual Arts Center in June 2026. 

Lenn, whose animation work includes projects such as Walt Disney’s “Fantasia” and Warner Brothers’ character Porky the Pig, was also a civil rights advocate throughout his career.

Mark Redman, Lenn’s son, and an Oakwood resident, explained his father wrote the poem as a call for peace for major social issues in the late 1960s.

“While he’s [working as a commercial artist], he’s also watching what’s going on in the world,” Mark said. “And he’s concerned in the sixties about our country and what’s happened with the [Vietnam] War and war protests going on and all the racial problems we were having …and he ends up writing a poem and illustrating that poem, and he calls it, ‘What am I?”

The poem promotes an overarching theme that all individuals are unique, but that individuality makes everyone equal. 

“The way God made things is we’re not at all alike, and that’s what makes us the same. We are all different, and we can use these differences for our collective good.” – Mark Redman, son of artist Lenn Redman

The foundation recently reproduced the illustrated poem into a picture book, which features Lenn’s original drawings and prose. 

The exhibition with UNG and the Quinlan Visual Arts Center will curate contemporary art pieces that embody the themes of Lenn’s work. 

Senior art history student Olivia Tinsley is working as the project’s curatorial intern alongside UNG art professor Ana Pozzi. Tinsley is tasked with researching Lenn’s “What Am I?” series to produce texts for the upcoming exhibition and an art historical paper to present at research conferences and publicity events. She also will curate pieces for the exhibition.

“There is a lot of history and work to cover, but every day I am drawn closer to Redman’s mind and world, and my excitement grows. I am so thrilled to have this opportunity to share his work, message and beliefs with others. He truly had a heart, passion and love for others. I feel connected to him already, and hope I can present his principles and work to the world in a way that does it the justice it deserves.” – Olivia Tinsley, UNG senior art history student  

Tinsley said as a student, her goal is to not only learn about the process of art historical research and curation but to educate others about Lenn’s message. 

“I am very passionate about the subjects of diversity and inclusion – both my personal learning of and educating others about them,” Tinsley said. “…The themes, ideas, beliefs and implications embedded in Redman’s work align with my personal moral principles and beliefs and how I strive to live my life daily – loving and learning from others and embracing equality and differences.” 

Large printouts of Lenn’s 12-verse poem will also be featured alongside the pieces selected for the exhibition. 

“And I am Multicolored” will open from June 18 to August 15, 2026, at the Quinlan Visual Art Center in Gainesville.