FAMILY RESEMBLANCE YOUNG ARTISTS FOLLOW IN THEIR MOTHER'S CREATIVE FOOTSTEPS.

Byline: Rick Coca Valley News Writer

In a case of the fruit not falling far from the artistic tree, nearly all of Jessie Dawson Wilson's five children followed in her creative footsteps.

Wilson, an educator and poet, read a series of poems and sang gospel spirituals at a recent reception for an exhibit featuring the paintings and drawings of her children, Joi and Terry Wilson.

The Wilsons' art was displayed at Tia Chucha's Cafe Cultural in Sylmar in honor of Black History Month. The closing-night reception was presented by the Hazze Hip-Hop Culture Dream Center, a frequent Tia Chucha's collaborator dedicated to improving the lives of young people through the positive influence of hip-hop. Its aim at the reception was to recognize the talent of the Wilson family.

The Wilsons first moved to Reseda in the late 1960s and today, Jessie, Terry and Joi live in Sun Valley. Younger brother Jason, also an artist, lives in Northridge.

Terry Wilson said when he was younger, he enjoyed drawing in the narrow margins of ruled paper and would challenge himself to put as much detail as he could in the confined space. As he grew up and pursued his art further, he transferred that to the ``cramming'' style that was evident in his sharp political cartoon drawings on display at the exhibit.

Joi Wilson said she gets much of her inspiration for the black women and children in her paintings from newspaper clippings.

Tia Chucha's co-owner Maria Trinidad Rodriguez said she appreciated Joi's paintings, which are rich in color and expression.

``I just think it's incredible,'' Rodriguez said. ``She picked up a whole sense of family, especially her theme of mother and children.''

Jessie Dawson Wilson, a sharecropper's daughter, began writing poetry as a child in Texas.

Wilson said she has experienced deep racism in her life, including many incidents here in the Valley when her children were young. And she has experienced prejudice from other black people who thought her skin was too light for her to truly be a part of that community.

But Wilson said she never gave up when faced with adversity and taught her children to do the same.

As a poet, Wilson enjoys writing in rhyme and looks to expound on universal truths.

``Pain is not Afro-centric,'' Wilson said. ``Love is not Afro-centric. I picked with the Mexican field hands (as a child in Texas). That sun was shining down on all of us.''

For information on Tia Chucha's Cafe Cultural, call [phone], or go to www.tiachucha.com. For information on the Hazze Hip-Hop Culture Dream Center, go to www.altrue.net.

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Poet and educator Jessie Dawson Wilson is seen with her children, artists Joi Wilson, whose painting is displayed in the background, Terry Wilson and Jason Wilson.