▁en list ▁in ▁the ▁New ▁Jersey ▁National ▁Guard ▁and ▁found ▁work ▁as ▁an ▁arts ▁and ▁craft s ▁teacher ▁with ▁the ▁Philadelphia ▁Department ▁of ▁Rec re ation . ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 0 , ▁he ▁began ▁att ending ▁Y ale ▁University ▁and ▁graduated ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 2 ▁with ▁both ▁a ▁b ach elor ' s ▁and ▁master ' s ▁degree . ▁ ▁Career ▁ ▁Hend r icks ▁was ▁Professor ▁Emer it us ▁of ▁Studio ▁Art ▁at ▁Connecticut ▁College , ▁where ▁he ▁taught ▁drawing , ▁illustr ation , ▁oil ▁and ▁water color ▁painting , ▁and ▁phot ography , ▁from ▁ 1 9 7 2 ▁until ▁his ▁ret irement ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 0 . ▁In ▁the ▁mid - 1 9 6 0 s ▁while ▁tour ing ▁Europe , ▁he ▁fell ▁in ▁love ▁with ▁the ▁portrait ▁style ▁of ▁artists ▁like ▁van ▁Dy ck ▁and ▁Vel áz quez . ▁As ▁the ▁Black ▁Power ▁movement ▁gained ▁momentum , ▁Hend r icks ▁set ▁about ▁the ▁change ▁what ▁he ▁saw ▁in ▁Europe ▁by ▁correct ing ▁the ▁balance , ▁in ▁life - size ▁port ra its ▁of ▁friends , ▁relatives ▁and ▁str angers ▁encountered ▁on ▁the ▁street ▁that ▁communic ated ▁a ▁new ▁assert iveness ▁and ▁pride ▁among ▁black ▁Americans . ▁In ▁these ▁port ra its , ▁he ▁attempted ▁to ▁im b ue ▁a ▁proud , ▁dign ified ▁presence ▁upon ▁his ▁subjects . ▁He ▁frequently ▁painted ▁black ▁Americans ▁against ▁mon och rome ▁interpret ations ▁of ▁urban ▁n ort he astern ▁American ▁back dro ps . ▁ ▁Hend r