A beautiful and vibrant light was taken from our world far too soon on March 25th, 2025. Dee Wayne McBee Jr. had a deep love for art. He was proud of his artistic creations, always willing to paint anyone and anything. His canvas was not always the standard type. He painted on shoes, recycled wood, walls, and had some of his art pieces made into shirts and bags. A good friend would regularly say, “Dee IS art.” When spending time with him, one could find themselves entranced by the tattoo work that covered his earthly vessel. His artwork had a deeper meaning, as Dee was always on a journey for depth and passion in this world.

At Dee's request, his family will hold a celebration of Dee's life at Art 634, a place that served as his second home for almost half his life. Please save the date of July 19th, 2025 and join us in your finest tie-dyed attire from 12p to 5p to honor his legacy. In addition to wearing tie-dye, please feel free to bring a piece of cloth or thread to add to a community weaving project taking place during the event thanks to Justine Melville. Cloth/thread will also be available on-site.

At the celebration of life, Dee's family will showcase and will be selling Dee's artwork. All proceeds will be donated to Segue Inc. to fund the art program that brought him immense joy during his final year. Dee helped individuals express their trauma through art, and motivated them to live their best life. We are committed to preserving his program and supporting those he helped. In his honor, a bench will be placed at each of his two favorite locations, Art 634 and Segue Inc.