Culture Black Fine Art Expo 2023 Program

KBK FOUNDATION PROUDLY PRESENTS
2023
“Education: The Transmission Of Knowledge”
LYN LOGAN-GRIMES, CURATOR
CONGRESSWOMAN JOYCE BEATTY, HONORARY CHAIR
September 29th-October 1st
345 E. FIFTH AVE. COLUMBUS, OH. 43201

TABLE OF CONTENTS
ABOUT CULTURE BLACK FINE ART EXPO
ABOUT KBK FOUNDATION
2023 CULTURE BLACK FINE ART EXPO THEME
MEET KEVIN NANCE WEST, FEATURED ARTIST
SIGNATURE ART PIECE “ I CAN DO ALL THINGS”
MEET THE ARTISTS
SPONSORS
2023 CULTURE BLACK FINE ART EXPO PLANNING COMMITTEE

ABOUT CULTURE BLACK FINE ART EXPO
THE CULTURE BLACK FINE ART EXPO, INTRODUCED BY KBK FOUNDATION, IS
AIMED AT HIGHLIGHTING THE VALUE OF BLACK FINE ART AS BOTH A
REPRESENTATION OF BLACK CULTURE AND A VALUABLE INVESTMENT. THE EVENT
WILL FEATURE A SELECTION OF REPUTABLE GALLERIES AND BLACK FINE ARTISTS
FROM COLUMBUS AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY, CHOSEN BY KBK FOUNDATION TO
PARTICIPATE IN THE EXPO.
WITH A MISSION TO SUPPORT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT,
SOCIAL SERVICES, AND THE ARTS IN THE COMMUNITIES THAT WE SERVE, KBK
FOUNDATION IS COMMITTED TO “BRIDGING TODAY’S REALITIES WITH TOMORROW’S
POSSIBILITIES.”
Lyn Logan-Grimes
CURATOR
Congresswoman
Joyce Beatty
HONORARY CHAIR

ABOUT KBK FOUNDATION
KBK FOUNDATION IS A NON-PROFIT 501(C)3
ORGANIZATION THAT WAS FOUNDED WITH
THE MISSION OF “BRIDGING TODAY’S
REALITIES WITH TOMORROW’S
POSSIBILITIES”. OUR ORGANIZATION IS THE
COMMUNITY SUPPORTIVE SERVICES
PARTNER OF KBK ENTERPRISES. THE
FOUNDATION PROVIDES PROGRAMS AND
SERVICES TO ALL RESIDENTIAL SITES EITHER
OWNED OR MANAGED BY KBK ENTERPRISES.
THESE PROGRAMS PROVIDED BY KBK
FOUNDATION EMPOWER RESIDENTS BY
ASSISTING THEM TO TAKE SIGNIFICANT STRIDES TOWARD SELF-SUFFICIENCY.
THE PASSIONATE OBJECTIVE OF KBK FOUNDATION IS DEMONSTRATED THROUGH
OUR CORE PURPOSE OF EMPOWERING COMMUNITIES AND CHANGING LIVES. FOR
MORE INFORMATION VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT KBKFOUNDATION.ORG

CULTURE BLACK FINE ART EXPO THEME
“EDUCATION IS THE TRANSMISSION OF KNOWLEDGE”
EDUCATION HAS BEEN A LARGE PART OF THE BLACK EXPERIENCE IN AMERICA. FROM OUR
EARLIEST FORMS OF STORYTELLING THROUGH GENERATIONS OF SPOKEN WORD AND
ART, TO BROWN VS. BOARD OF EDUCATION, TO THE FOUNDING OF HBCU’S, THE
FORMATION OF THE DIVINE 9, AND ONWARD. CULTURE BLACK FINE ART EXPO EMBRACES
EDUCATION AND KNOWLEDGE AS OUR 2023 THEME. THE DEFINITION OF EDUCATION IS
THE TRANSMISSION OF KNOWLEDGE. AS IT RELATES TO ART, BLACK STORYTELLING IN
ART CAN BE A MEANS OF PRESERVING CULTURAL HERITAGE, ADDRESSING SOCIAL ISSUES,
AND SHARING NARRATIVES UNIQUE TO THE BLACK EXPERIENCE. ADDITIONALLY, BLACK
ART OFTEN SERVES AS A PLATFORM FOR EDUCATION AND KNOWLEDGE DISSEMINATION,
OFFERING INSIGHTS INTO HISTORY, IDENTITY, AND SOCIAL COMMENTARY.

Kevin studied at the Herron School of Art and Design in Indianapolis prior to exploring
business ventures in art. (Early initiatives included teaching art classes at the Boys and
Girls Club of Indianapolis and hosting private portrait painting workshops.) With the goal
of bringing art to everyone, Kevin launched Gifted Custom Art in 2014. He built out a
custom application called Photomatic, the process of creating and scaling custom imagery
became automated. For the first time, amateur artists were able to create portraits of their
loved ones using the ‘paint by number’ technique. This model was quickly licensed by
(paint and sip) affiliates across the country.
Kevin, a cancer survivor, has not let life’s obstacles stop him. Rather, they have fueled the
passion for his craft. His larger than life art is filled with colorful lines of emotion dancing
across the canvas.) In his twenty years as a professional artist, Kevin has experimented
with a variety of mediums and concepts including mixed media and broken records. His
abstract portrait art done with acrylics celebrates figures of pop culture and Black
influencers, athletes, and entertainers.
In 2020, Kevin was selected by Indy10 Black Lives Matter and other community groups to
help design and implement the Black Lives Matter mural along Indiana Avenue; a street
that was once the center of Black life in Indianapolis.
Kevin is currently is focusing on his fine art career. He is represented by Golden Galleries
of Denver,Co Owner Keith Golden.
Additional recognitions include:
KEVIN NANCE WEST
“FEATURED ARTIST”
Kevin Nance West is a Nationally
recognized professional fine artist, art
entrepreneur (and art instructor) in the
Indianapolis area, specializing in
contemporary abstract paintings and
portrait art. Kevin is the founder and CEO
of West Innovations, which is responsible
for custom ‘paint by number’ technology
used to service over one hundred seventyfive
sip and paint studios and companies
(nationwide) including Storie Brush, Wine
and Canvas, and Canvas and Cocktails.
500 Art Festival ‘Young Artist of the Year’1997
Meet the Artist: Top 50 Artists of the Decade Indianapolis Library
Work featured at Nationally recognized Cincinnati Art Museum, Cincinnati,Ohio.
Work featured at Nationally recognized Newfields Art Museum, Indianapolis, In.
2023 Solo Exhibition with Gallery 42 Indianapolis, Indiana
Commissioned by Wiley Publishing to paint the cover of Robert G. Hagstrom autobiography of Warren Buffett, Titled:
Warren Buffett, Inside the ultimate money mind.

“I Can Do All Things”
"I CAN DO ALL THINGS" IS A REPRESENTATION OF WHAT WE SHOULD BE INSTALLING IN
OUR CHILDREN FROM BIRTH. THIS PIECE IS A NOD TO HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO
NOURISH ALL OF OUR YOUTHS' GIFTS. ART EDUCATION IS OFTEN UNDERESTIMATED BY
MANY WHO BELIEVE THAT SCHOOL WAS CREATED TO TEACH ONLY ANALYTICAL
CONCEPTS SUCH AS MATHEMATICS AND LITERATURE. HOWEVER I KNOW FROM
EXPERIENCE THAT ART COURSES ARE IMPORTANT, EVEN NECESSARY FOR STUDENTS IN
ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE, AND HIGH SCHOOLS. THESE ART CLASSES MAY INCLUDE NOT ONLY
VISUAL ARTS BUT PERFORMING ARTS SUCH AS DANCE, THEATRE AND CHOIR. WITH THE
UTILIZATION OF VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS, STUDENTS CAN BEGIN TO ENHANCE
THEIR PERSONAL GROWTH. BY PRODUCING ORIGINAL WORKS, ENJOYING THE TIME
SPENT ON THE PIECE OF ART, AND HAVING A SENSE OF PRIDE IN ONE’S
ACCOMPLISHMENTS, AN ART STUDENT WILL EXPERIENCE AN INCREASE IN SELF-ESTEEM
AND CONFIDENCE. A CHILD WHO RECEIVES PRAISE FOR THEIR ARTWORK FROM PARENTS
AND TEACHERS WILL MOST LIKELY BE MORE POSITIVE IN THEIR ARTISTIC ABILITIES.
Kevin N. West

MEET THE ARTISTS
Israel Solomon
MY NAME IS ISRAEL SOLOMON, AND I AM A VISUAL ARTIST WITH A STUDIO PRACTICE
BASED PRIMARILY IN INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA. VISUAL ART HAS BEEN A PRIMARY
MEANS OF EXPRESSION FOR ME THROUGHOUT MY LIFE, AS I BEGAN DRAWING IN MY
EARLY CHILDHOOD. I RECALL COMING HOME FROM SCHOOL AND TURNING ON PBS TO
WATCH MY FAVORITE SHOW ABOUT DRAWING, “SECRET CITY”, WHERE I LEARNED
TECHNIQUES IN RENDERING AND SHADING. AS SOMEONE WHO HAS NOT ALWAYS BEEN
VERY VOCAL, I OFTEN FOUND IT EASIER TO EXPRESS MY FEELINGS AND THOUGHT
PROCESS THROUGH MY CREATIVITY. I TOOK A VARIETY OF ART CLASSES IN HIGH
SCHOOL AND OBTAINED A DEGREE IN ART EDUCATION FROM BALL STATE UNIVERSITY
IN 2003. MY PROFESSIONAL CAREER AS AN ARTIST DID NOT BEGIN UNTIL LATER INTO
ADULTHOOD, WHERE I DECIDED TO FOCUS INTENSELY AS A CREATIVE. I BEGAN
MAKING CONNECTIONS AS AN ARTIST IN MY EARLY THIRTIES AND ALLOTTED TIME
FOR MYSELF DAILY TO SHARPEN MY CRAFT. THE CONSISTENT DEDICATION THAT I
CHOSE LED ME TO IMPROVE AS AN ARTIST, AND I NOTICED MY ARTWORK BEGINNING
TO MATURE IN CONTENT AND TECHNIQUE. THIS MATURATION AS AN ARTIST IS AN
ONGOING PROCESS FOR ME, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO FURTHER DEVELOPMENT AS THE
FUTURE UNFOLDS. IT IS IMPORTANT FOR ME TO CREATE WORKS THAT ARE PERSONAL
TO MY EXPERIENCES, IN HOPES THAT OTHERS CAN CONNECT WITH THE ENERGY THAT I
CONVEY THROUGH EXPRESSION. MY PASSION AND DEDICATION HAVE LED TO MANY
OPPORTUNITIES AS AN ARTIST, SUCH AS THE BUTTER ART FAIR, WORKING WITH
MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER’S JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION 2021, ASSISTING WITH THE
CURATION OF AN EXHIBIT AT THE CHILDREN’S MUSEUM OF INDIANAPOLIS, AND
CREATING ARTWORK FOR STARBUCKS. I LOOK FORWARD TO MY CONTINUED GROWTH,
AND FINE TUNING MY DEVELOPMENT AS ARTIST.
PAUL BRANTON WAS BORN IN 1973 IN CHICAGO. HE WAS INFLUENCED AT AN EARLY
AGE BY THE SIGHTS & SOUNDS OF THE SOUTH SIDE’S URBAN ENVIRONMENT. HE
RESPONDED THROUGH VARIOUS FORMS OF ART; DRAWING, SHORT STORIES, ACTING,
AND EVENTUALLY PAINTING. HE HAS BFA FROM MILLIKIN UNIVERSITY IN DECATUR,
ILLINOIS.
THE ART OF PAUL BRANTON HAS BEEN EXHIBITED THROUGHOUT ILLINOIS, AND HANGS
IN THE HOMES OF PRIVATE COLLECTORS FROM NEW YORK TO LOS ANGELES AS WELL
AS A FEW CORPORATE COLLECTIONS. HIS WORK HAS BEEN FEATURED IN EBONY
MAGAZINE AND VARIOUS TELEVISIONS SERIES SUCH AS 61ST STREET (AMC),
SOUTHSIDE (HBO MAX), BLACK INK CHICAGO (VH1) AND RENOVATION GOLDMINE
(HGTV)
Paul Branton

MEET THE ARTISTS
JAY DURRAH IS A SELF-TAUGHT ARTIST WHO HAS BEEN SKETCHING SINCE THE AGE OF
NINE. JAY’S STYLE STRATEGICALLY PLACES COLORS ON CANVAS TO CREATE
PORTRAITS. THE USE OF MULTIPLE COLORS REPRESENTS THE MULTIRACIAL ASPECT OF
HUMANS. THROUGH HIS ART, JAY WOULD LIKE PEOPLE TO FOCUS ON THE
COMMONALITY OF HUMANITY. JAY HAS SHOWN HIS WORK IN MUSEUMS, GALLERIES,
CORPORATE SHOWS, MUSIC AND ART FESTIVALS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY. A
HIGHLIGHT OF HIS JOURNEY WAS GETTING SELECTED FOR A GROUP SHOW AT THE US
EMBASSY IN ROME. JAY HAD 4 SOLO SHOWS AT THE LAMAR ART CENTER IN
BARNESVILLE, GA, GALLERY O ON H IN WASHINGTON, DC, THE HARLEM COFFEE CO. IN
HARLEM, NY AND HARMONY HALL ART CENTER IN FT. WASHINGTON, MD.
JAY COMPLETED SEVERAL PUBLIC ART PROJECTS IN THE DMV AREA. JAY HAD A MURAL
ON DISPLAY AT THE NATIONAL BUILDINGS MUSEUM DURING THE GEORGE FLOYD
PROTESTS.
Dorian Jay
Durrah
ROEDERICK, BORN IN 1949 IN TOLEDO, OHIO, SEES HIS LIFE'S DIVINE PURPOSE AS A
VESSEL FOR GOD'S EXPRESSION. THROUGH VISUAL ART, HE AIMS TO IMPART LIFE,
STABILITY, AND HOPE, ULTIMATELY SEEKING TO TEACH, REACH, AND TRANSFORM
LIVES.
HIS ARTISTIC JOURNEY BEGAN AT A YOUNG AGE, PAINTING AT FOUR AND ATTENDING
THE TOLEDO ART MUSEUM AS A GUEST STUDENT AT NINE. HE FURTHER HONED HIS
SKILLS IN FINE ARTS AND ILLUSTRATION AT THE COLUMBUS COLLEGE OF ART AND
DESIGN IN OHIO. CURRENTLY RESIDING IN STONE MOUNTAIN, GEORGIA, WITH HIS
WIFE, SHARRON, ROEDERICK'S ARTISTIC ENERGY IS DRIVEN BY A PROFOUND
CONNECTION WITH GOD'S INSPIRATION.
HE DESCRIBES HIS CREATIVE PROCESS AS AUTOMATIC, NEVER EXPERIENCING
ARTIST'S BLOCK AND CONSTANTLY SEARCHING FOR TIME TO BRING HIS
KALEIDOSCOPE OF IDEAS TO CANVAS. HIS WORK, MARKED BY DIVERSITY OF
EXPRESSION, EMBODIES MOTION, SPIRITUALITY, WHIMSY, AND DRAMA, ALWAYS
NARRATING STORIES.
ROEDERICK ACKNOWLEDGES THE DIFFICULTY OF PRICING HIS ART, GIVEN DECADES OF
SELF-INSTRUCTION AND DEDICATION TO HIS CRAFT. FOR HIM, THE TRUE WORTH LIES
IN THE ECSTASY OF CREATION, THE PRIVILEGE OF CHANNELING GOD'S GIFT OF
BEAUTY AND JOY TO THE WORLD. HIS PURPOSE TRANSCENDS MONETARY VALUE,
EMPHASIZING GRATITUDE AND RESPONSIBILITY FOR HIS CREATIVE GIFTS.
Roederick
Vines

MEET THE ARTISTS
LASHUN BEAL, CONTEMPORARY, FIGURATIVE ARTIST, BORN JANUARY 28, 1962, HAS
DEDICATED HIS CAREER TO PERFECTING HIS ART. HE IS A NATIVE OF DETROIT WHO
NOW RESIDES IN THE HOUSTON AREA. HE CHALLENGES AND EXPRESSES HIMSELF
THROUGH MANY MEDIUMS. THE GROUND SURFACES AND CANVASES THAT HE USES
HAVE THEIR OWN DISTINCTIVE CHARACTER AND MATCHLESS CAPACITY WHICH GIVES
VOICE TO HIS WORK AND COMPLEMENTS HIS UNIQUE STYLE. AFTER MASTERING THE
TECHNICAL SUBTLETIES OF DIFFERENT MEDIUMS AND SUBJECT MATTERS, BEAL IS
CONTENT WITH THE SPIRIT THAT DRIVES HIM TO CREATE A PARTICULAR WORK OF
ART; AND, THE EVOLUTION OF HIS PROGRESS WHICH IS EXEMPLIFIED IN HIS
CREATIONS. HE HAS DONE EXTENSIVE TRAVELING THROUGHOUT EUROPE, SOUTH
AMERICA AND THE FAR EAST WHICH HAS AFFORDED HIM THE OPPORTUNITY TO
WITNESS OTHER CULTURES WHICH IS REFLECTED IN HIS ART.
LaShun Beal
FATHER OF FLYING CALABASHES
Talle Bamazi
TALLE BAMAZI, HAILING FROM KARA, TOGO, WEST AFRICA, IS AN ARTIST WHOSE
CANVAS SERVES AS A PLATFORM FOR ACTIVISM. DESPITE STARTING AS A SELF-
TAUGHT ARTIST, HIS ARTISTIC JOURNEY BEGAN AT A YOUNG AGE. WHILE
INITIALLY STUDYING CONSTRUCTION BUILDING MANAGEMENT TO BECOME A SITE
CONSTRUCTION MANAGER IN LOMÉ, HIS TRUE GIFT WAS IN VISUAL ART.
BAMAZI ARRIVED IN NEW YORK IN 1995, KNOWING NO ENGLISH, EMBARKING ON A
CHALLENGING ADVENTURE. HE IMMERSED HIMSELF IN AMERICAN CULTURE AT THE
NEW YORK STUDENT ART LEAGUE, MARKING THE BEGINNING OF HIS
CONTRIBUTIONS TO CONTEMPORARY AFRICAN ART IN THE U.S. HE FURTHERED HIS
EDUCATION AT THE NEW YORK ACADEMY OF ART, EARNING A MASTER'S DEGREE.
AFTERWARD, AMID THE VIBRANT NEW YORK ART SCENE, BAMAZI EXHIBITED IN
NUMEROUS GALLERIES AND INSTITUTIONS. HIS PASSION SHIFTED TOWARDS
ELEVATING THE VISIBILITY OF AFRICAN AND AFRICAN-AMERICAN ARTISTS. IN
2003, HE REALIZED THIS VISION BY FOUNDING THE KIACA (KABIYE IMPACT
CONTEMPORARY AFRICAN ART) GALLERY IN COLUMBUS, OHIO. KIACA EDUCATED
PATRONS ABOUT AFRICA'S ENDURING CULTURAL CONTRIBUTIONS AND SUPPORTED
YOUNG ARTISTS OF COLOR.
KNOWN AS THE "FATHER OF FLYING CALABASHES," TALLE BAMAZI'S STUDIO AT 700
BRYDEN ROAD IN COLUMBUS, OHIO, HAS PRODUCED POWERFUL WORKS FEATURED
WORLDWIDE, INCLUDING AT THE 2022 DAKAR BIENNALE AND THE 9TH BEIJING
INTERNATIONAL ART BIENNALE. HE AIMS TO REDEFINE CONTEMPORARY AFRICAN
ART'S PLACE IN THE GLOBAL ART LANDSCAPE.

MEET THE ARTISTS
RAISED AND COMPLETED PRIMARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION IN ZIMBABWE
1973, OBTAINED A B A DEGREE IN SOCIOLÖGY FROM LINCOLN UNIVERSITY IN PA.
AFTER SEVERAL YEARS OF WORKIBG IN ZAMBIA,MALAWI, AND ZIMBABWE, I
DECIDED,TO RETURN TO THE UNITED STATES IN 1989. IN 1991, I STARTED MY OWN
IMPORT BUSINESS DEALING IN AN ARRAY OF PRODUCT FROM THE SOUTHERN AFRICAN
REGION IT DID NOT TAKE TOO LONG FOR ME TO REALIZE THAT THERE WAS TOO MUCH
OF THE SAME PRODUCT CIRCLING IN THE U S..I WANTED TO BE DIFFERENT.
IT WAS AT THIS JUNCTURE THAT I DECIDED TO DEAL STRICTLY WITH THE UNIQUE
SHONA STONE SCULPTURE FROM MY OWN COUNTRY, ZIMBABWE. THIS WAS THE
BEGINNING OF AN INTERESTING AND FASCINATING JOURNEY THAT STILL SURVIVES
TO THIS DAY. THIS JOURNEY HAS HONORED ME WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET
SEVERAL DISTINGUISHED INDIVIDUALS AMONG THEM
Colin
Thompson
1. DR. LOUIS SULLIVAN MD, FORMER SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES IN
THE ADMINISTRATION OF FORMER PRESIDENT GEORGE HW BUSH
2 FORMER MAYOR OF ATLANTA AND AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED NATIONS DURING
THE ADMINISTRATION OF PRESIDENT JIMMY CARTER, ANDREW YOUNG.
3.THE GREAT BASEBALL LEGEND, THE LATE HANK AARON
4. MUSICIAN, PATTI LA BELLE OF PHILADELPHIA
ALL SERIOUS COLLECTORS OF THIS POWERFUL ART FORM.
THE TERM SHONA REPRESENTS THE LARGEST TRIBAL GROUP IN ZIMBABWE WHO ARE
HEAVILY INVOLVED IN CREATING THESE BEAUTIFUL SCULPTURES
I AM TRUELY HONORED TO BE A PART OF THIS ARTISTIC MOVEMENT ALLOWING
SEVERAL HUNDRED ART LOVERS TO HAVE THESE PIECES IN THEIR HOMES.
Stuart McClean
STUART MCCLEAN, BORN IN TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO, SHOWED AN EARLY PASSION
FOR ARTS AND CRAFTS, THANKS TO THE NURTURING GUIDANCE OF HIS ARTIST
MOTHER, SYLVIA MCCLEAN. HIS ARTISTIC JOURNEY BEGAN AT THE SAN FERNANDO
GOVERNMENT SECONDARY SCHOOL, EARNING A DISTINCTION IN ART. STUART
VENTURED TO THE UNITED STATES TO PURSUE A CAREER IN ART AND FASHION,
DESIGNING FOR RENOWNED BRANDS LIKE BLOOMINGDALES, PATRICIA FIELDS,
GRAFFITI, AND TRESKA. LATER, HE CO-FOUNDED A MANUFACTURING COMPANY IN
TEXAS.
IN 1987, A CHANCE ENCOUNTER WITH ACRYLIC PAINT ON CLOTHING REIGNITED HIS
ARTISTIC FERVOR. STUART ESTABLISHED CLOTHES ART IN HARLEM, KNOWN FOR HIS
VIBRANT, 3-D EFFECT "FEEL GOOD ART" INFLUENCED BY TRINIDADIAN AND CARNIVAL
SPIRIT. HE RELOCATED TO ATLANTA, FOUNDING THE STUART MCCLEAN GALLERY,
SHOWCASING BOTH ESTABLISHED AND EMERGING ARTISTS AND HOSTING NOTABLE
EVENTS LIKE THE ART BATTLE AND ALVIN AILEY DANCE THEATER GALA.
STUART'S ART ENJOYS WIDESPREAD APPEAL, CAPTIVATING AUDIENCES NATIONALLY
AND INTERNATIONALLY. HIS MOVE TO NEW ORLEANS, WHERE HE MET HIS WIFE
DENISE, LED TO THE STUART MCCLEAN GALLERY IN THE CITY. HIS WORK HAS BEEN
FEATURED AT PROMINENT EVENTS LIKE THE ESSENCE FESTIVAL, JAZZFEST, AND ART
BASEL IN MIAMI. HE WAS HONORED AS THE 2022 FEATURED ARTIST AT SEABREEZE
AND DISPLAYED AT THE NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM AND IN THE CARIBBEAN. STUART
MCCLEAN'S ART EXUDES EUPHORIA AND CULTURAL VIBRANCY.

MEET THE ARTISTS
Kay
Onwukwe
ARTWORKS BYMAZI KAY ONWUKWE MOVEMENT, COLOUR AND RHYTHM = HERITAGE KAY
ONWUKWE, AN ARCHITECT, A DESIGNER AND AN ARTIST USES HIS DRAWINGS AND
PAINTINGS AS AN OUTLET EXPRESSING HIS AFFECTION FOR HIS HERITAGE AND AFFORD
AUDIENCE CULTURAL INSIGHTS INTO THE CONTINENT OF AFRICA. WITHOUT FORMAL
TRAINING IN THE ARTS, KAY’S PAINTINGS AND DRAWINGS DEFY CLASSIFICATION. HIS
ECLECTIC APPROACH TO PAINTING IS EVIDENT IN HIS STYLES AND PLETHORA OF
SUBJECT MATTERS. VERY EXPRESSED IN HIS WORKS ARE THE PULSATING MOVEMENT,
THE VIVID, BOLD, BURSTING COLOURS AND THE RHYTHMIC DELINEATION OF HIS
SUBJECTS WHICH EVOKES EMOTION, PASSION, AND MOTION. THE INSPIRATION FOR HIS
ARTWORK IS STRONGLY ROOTED IN HIS CULTURAL BACKGROUND, WHICH IS
REINFORCED BY HIS PROFESSIONAL AND EDUCATIONAL TRAINING. THE LOOSE
ABSTRACT GEOMETRIC FORMS REFLECT THE AFRICAN IN HIM WHILE THE FORMAL AND
SYMMETRICAL IMAGES EXPLAIN THE ARCHITECTURE IN HIM. BY HIS ARTISTIC
EXPRESSION, HE PERMITS EXPERIENTIAL INSIGHT INTO THE AFRICAN WORLDVIEW. HIS
WORKS HAVE BEEN EXHIBITED IN GALLERIES, RESIDENCES (PRIVATE VIEWING),
LIBRARIES AND OFFICES EITHER AS SOLO, GROUP OR JURIED EXHIBITIONS. HIS WORKS
HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED IN THE KANSAS CITY STAR, COLUMBUS DISPATCH, AND THE
AMERICAN SOCIETY OF ARCHITECTURAL PERSPECTIVISTS, JUST TO MENTION A FEW.
KAY ONWUKWE ATTENDED KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY WHERE HE RECEIVED GRADUATE
DEGREES IN CITY PLANNING AND LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE, UNDERGRADUATE
DEGREES IN SOCIOLOGY AND A PROFESSIONAL DEGREE IN ARCHITECTURE. HE IS A
PRINCIPAL - IN - CHARGE OF DESIGN WITH THE ARCHITECTURAL AND URBAN PLANNING
DESIGN FIRM OF MKO STUDIOS – SUCCESSOR FIRM TO HKI ASSOCIATES INC; HE IS
ALSO THE FOUNDER OF MAZI GROUP, A MULTI-DIMENSIONAL DESIGN COMPANY. HE IS
AN ADJUNCT FACULTY AT COLUMBUS STATE COMMUNITY COLLEGE, COLUMBUS, OHIO.
HE HAILS FROM IGBO, NIGERIA IN AFRICA
MATTHEW COOPER IS AN EMERGING, SELF-TAUGHT ARTIST SPECIALIZING IN MIXED
MEDIA PAINTINGS. HE RECEIVED HIS ALA FROM VINCENNES UNIVERSITY IN 2012 AND
ATTENDED IUPUI HERRON ART & DESIGN WHERE HE STUDIED DRAWING AND MINORED
IN AFRICANA STUDIES. FROM EXHIBITING IN GALLERIES DURING HIS EARLY CAREER,
TO BEING COMMISSIONED TO PAINT MURALS AROUND INDIANAPOLIS AND BECOMING
A FEATURED ARTIST AT THE ARTS COUNCIL AND CIRCLE CITY INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX
IN 2021, MATTHEW HAS HIS FINGER ON THE PULSE OF HIS COMMUNITY AND IS MAKING
HIS MARK ON HIS HOMETOWN OF INDIANAPOLIS, IN.
Matthew
Cooper

MEET THE ARTISTS
GRACE MUGALA IS A KENYAN ENTREPRENEUR, ART SCOUT AND CURATOR WITH A
PASSION FOR CONTEMPORARY KENYAN ART. SHE WAS BORN IN VIHIGA, WESTERN
KENYA AND HAS UNPARRALLED EXPERIENCE ON KENYAN CULTURE AND ART. SHE
FOUNDED THE ASANTE AFRICAN ART IN 2009 AFTER SHE RELOCATED TO THE STATES
AND HER PASSION WAS TO SHOWCASE THE IMMENSE BEAUTY OF KENYA, HER DIVERSE
CULTURAL LANDSCAPE, THE WARMTH OF THE PEOPLE AND UNIQUE URBAN CULTURE
THATS CONSTANTLY UNFOLDING. HER GREATEST INSPIRATION IS THE AFRICAN
WOMAN IS THE FOCAL POINT OF ALL ECONOMIC ACTIVIES OF RURAL AFRICA THUS
DESERVES A BIGGER SPACE ON ANY AFRICAN CANVAS.
Grace
Mugala
AS AN ART SCOUT SHE CONTINUES TO PROMOTE TALETED KENYAN ARTISTS AND HAS
CURATED NUMEROUS SHOWS AND EXHIBITIONS BOTH LOCALLY IN HER HOME COUNTRY
KENYA AND IN THE USA. PART OF THEEXHIBITIONS SHE HAS TAKEN ART IN INCLUDE THE
R IVERSIDE ART FESTIVAL, NEWHOPE ARTS AND CRAFT, AFRICAN ART FESTIVAL AT
MARTHERS VINEYARDS, MUSICFEST 2009, UN NEWYORK, BANDYWINE ART FESTIVAL IN
WINNINGTON DELAWARE, DINE ART AKUVE IN QUAKERTOWN, PENNYLVANIA, TROPICAL
MEDICINE CONFERENCE IN HYGIENE - PHILADELPHIA 2011, MARRALERS ART FESTIVAL IN
WASHINGTON DC 2013. SHE PARTICIPATED IN STATUS OF WOMEN 56 SHOW IN 2012
WHICH WAS AN INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON WOMEN ORGANISED THROUGH
KENYAN EMBASSY, NEWYORK WHERE SHE REPRENTED KENYA, SHOWCASING KENYAN ART
TO THE WORLD. HER WORKS HAS BEEN FEATURED WIDELY IN NWSPAPERS SUCH AS
BETHLEHEM -2009, MORNING CALL, EASTON PENNSYLVANIA.
ASANTE AFRICAN ART REPRESENTS WORKS BY ARTISTS MARTIN BULINYA, GILBERT
OUMA, SIMON MUREITHI.
4509 BALTIMORE AVENUE, PHILADELPHIA, PA 19143
TEL. (267) 721-5093
ASANTESANAART@GMAIL.COM
Christopher
Hartway
I AM A SELF-TAUGHT VISUAL ARTIST BASED IN COLUMBUS, OH. MY ARTISTIC JOURNEY
BEGAN AT A YOUNG AGE WHEN I ATTENDED THE CCAD YOUTH PROGRAM IN 1974, AND
SINCE THEN, I HAVE ACQUIRED A RICH AND DIVERSE BACKGROUND IN ART. AFTER
PURSUING A CAREER IN GRAPHIC AND VIDEO MEDIA PRODUCTION, I REDISCOVERED
MY PASSION FOR VISUAL ARTS WHICH LEAD ME TO SCULPTURAL DESIGN AND HAVE
SINCE DEDICATED MY CAREER TO CREATING WORKS THAT INSPIRE, INTRIGUE, AND
ENTERTAIN MY VIEWERS. MY ART DEFIES (METAPHORICALLY) GRAVITY AND
CHALLENGES MY OWN IMAGINATION, EACH PIECE TELLING A UNIQUE NARRATIVE THAT
SPANS TIME AND IMAGINATION. DRAWING INSPIRATION FROM MY AFRICAN AND
MESO/NATIVE AMERICAN ANCESTRY, MY WORKS ARE A REFLECTION OF CULTURAL
DIVERSITY AND MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCES. THROUGH MY ART, I AIM TO BREAK
DOWN THE BARRIERS THAT DEFINE “BLACK” ART AS INFERIOR IN VALUE AND DEMAND,
AND TO HELP OTHER EMERGING ARTISTS RISE UP TO THEIR CALLINGS. MY PORTFOLIO
SHOWCASES A RANGE OF SCULPTURES THAT ARE BOTH VISUALLY STRIKING AND
INTELLECTUALLY ENGAGING. MY USE OF COLOR, TEXTURE, LIGHT, AND FORM CREATES
A SENSE OF DEPTH AND DIMENSIONALITY THAT DRAWS THE VIEWER IN AND INVITES
THEM TO EXPLORE THE STORY BEHIND EACH PIECE. WITH A UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE AND
DEDICATION TO THIS CRAFT, I FEEL THAT MY ART WILL BE HIGHLY RECOGNIZABLE IN
THE ART WORLD, AND MY WORKS ARE SURE TO MAKE A LASTING IMPRESSION ON
ANYONE WHO VIEWS AND COLLECTS MY ART. WHETHER YOU’RE AN ART COLLECTOR, A
CURATOR, OR SIMPLY SOMEONE WHO APPRECIATES THE POWER AND BEAUTY OF
VISUAL ART, MY WORKS ARE NOT TO BE MISSED.

MEET THE ARTISTS
Antoinette
Savage
ANTOINETTE SAVAGE, AN EXCEPTIONALLY SKILLED SELF-TAUGHT ARTIST FROM
COLUMBUS, OHIO, THRIVES IN THE REALMS OF MIXED MEDIA ART, DOLL MAKING,
SCULPTURE, AND WEARABLE ART. THROUGH HER ARTISTRY, ANTOINETTE DELVES INTO
THE DEPTHS OF SYMBOLISM, USING HER CREATIONS AS A MEDIUM TO EXPLORE HER
PROFOUND CONNECTION WITH HER ANCESTORS. HER ARTISTIC EXPRESSION THRIVES
ON THE USE OF VIVID AND VIBRANT "KOOL-AID" COLORED FABRIC SCRAPS, WHICH
HAVE BECOME HER SIGNATURE PALETTE.
SHE HAS EXHIBITED NATIONALLY AT THE INTERNATIONAL BLACK DOLL SHOW,
ATLANTA GA., FLORENCE MUSEUM OF THE ARTS, HISTORY AND SCIENCE, FLORENCE, SC,
CHICAGO MUSEUM OF SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY, CHICAGO, IL, AVERY RESEARCH CENTER
FOR AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY AND CULTURE, CHARLESTON, SC. HER WORKS ARE IN
MANY PRIVATE COLLECTIONS. IN 2019, ANTOINETTE WAS SELECTED TO PARTICIPATE
IN THE CUBA ARTIST EXCHANGE WHICH CULMINATED IN A GROUP EXHIBIT AT THE
LOLO GALERIA-TALLER.
HER ARTISTIC ACHIEVEMENTS HAVE GARNERED ATTENTION FROM VARIOUS
PUBLICATIONS, INCLUDING THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH, COLUMBUS ALIVE, AND THIS
WEEK COMMUNITY NEWS BEXLEY. HER COLLECTIONS CAN BE FOUND IN ESTEEMED
ESTABLISHMENTS SUCH AS THE FRANKLIN COUNTY CONVENTION FACILITIES
AUTHORITY AND THE HILTON COLUMBUS DOWNTOWN ART COLLECTION IN COLUMBUS,
OH, AS WELL AS WARHOL & WALL STREET AND THE WILLIAM H. THOMAS GALLERY IN
THE SAME CITY. HER WORKS CAN BE ENJOYED AT THE GREATER COLUMBUS
CONVENTION CENTER AND HER PERSONAL STUDIO.
ANTOINETTE IS CURRENTLY PURSUING A B.A. IN BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION AT
CENTRAL STATE UNIVERSITY. ALONGSIDE HER STUDIES, SHE SERVES AS AN
INSTRUCTIONAL ASSISTANT AT COLUMBUS CITY SCHOOLS.
MY NAME IS NAREL ASHENE ALSO KNOWN BY NARELART.
I’M AN ARTIST & FILM MAKER IN COLUMBUS OHIO, & FOR THE PAST DECADE I’VE BEEN
THROWING SOLO SHOWS TO GET MY WORKS KNOWN TO PEOPLE WHO ADMIRE ART,
STATE TO STATE AND I’VE GAINED LOTS OF SUPPORT AND ACKNOWLEDGMENT SINCE.
BORN AND RAISED UNTIL MY TEEN YEARS IN ETHIOPIA, AFRICA, I’VE DEVELOPED A
UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE AND ARTISTIC INFLUENCES GROWING UP, BY ADMIRING
ETHIOPIAN ART WORKS CULTURAL/AND MODERN AND RENAISSANCE PAINTINGS FROM
EUROPEAN PAINTERS SUCH AS RAPHAEL SANTI & DAVINCI TO MENTION A FEW. AFTER
MOVING TO THE STATES I HONED MY ART CALLING IN MY TEEN YEARS BY INTENSE
LESSONS AND HARD WORK.
Narel
Ashene
I LOVE PAINTING OIL, BUT MY WORKS CONSIST OF MULTIPLE MEDIAS. MY WORKS ARE
REPRESENTATIONS OF MY THOUGHTS AND EXPERIENCES. AN AFRICAN BORN KID, & U.S.
RESIDENT WHO SEEN BEST OF BOTH WORLDS…I FULLY COMMIT TO EXPRESS MY UP
BRINGING AND CULTURE THAT PEOPLE HAVE NO SEEN OR HEARD OF YET. MY ABSTRACT
PAINTINGS EVEN PORTRAY PIECES OF AFRICAN HISTORY AND RICH CULTURE, IN A WAY
IT HASN’T BEEN PORTRAYED BEFORE. I DO SURREALISM, PORTRAIT, LANDSCAPE
PAINTINGS AND THEY ALL SHOW THE DEEP CULTURE AND TRADITIONS OF WHO I AM
AND WHAT I STAND FOR.

MEET THE ARTISTS
Buchi Upjohn
ARTIST AT HEART, HE BEGAN HIS NATURAL INTEREST IN DRAWING AND PAINTING AT A
VERY YOUNG AGE. A NATIVE OF WEST AFRICA, AT THE AGE OF FIFTEEN, UPJOHN
STARTED WORKING ON HIS DEGREE PROGRAM. HE RECEIVED A BA DEGREE IN FINE AND
APPLIED ARTS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NIGERIA IN 1986. HE THEN WORKED FOR A YEAR
IN AN ADVERTISING FIRM IN NIGERIA.
ALWAYS OPEN TO TRAVEL HE MOVED TO ENGLAND WHERE HE REALIZED HE COULD
PURSUE PAINTING FULL TIME. THE RESPONSE HE RECEIVED WAS SO ENCOURAGING THAT
HE AND AN ILLUSTRATOR FRIEND OPENED AN ART STUDIO IN LONDON. OPEN TO NEW
EXPERIENCES, UPJOHN MOVED TO THE UNITED STATES. HE SPENT A FEW YEARS IN NEW
YORK, NEW JERSEY, AND DELAWARE BEFORE HE MOVED TO GEORGIA WHERE HE NOW
RESIDES WITH HIS FAMILY. UPJOHN EXPRESSES HIS ART THROUGH A VARIETY OF MEDIA
INCLUDING OIL, WATERCOLOR, AND ACRYLIC ON CANVAS, BURLAP, PAPER, METAL, AND
WOOD. UPJOHN BELIEVES THAT ONE’S ARTISTIC CREATIONS CANNOT BE SEPARATED
FROM HIS EXPERIENCES, THEREFORE HE REACHES DEEP INTO HIS CULTURAL AND
SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCES TO COME UP WITH IMAGES THAT TRULY ENGAGE THE VIEWER.
THE FEELINGS EVOKED BY HIS WORK CAN ONLY BE DESCRIBED AS EXHILARATING. NO
ONE CAN UNLEASH SUCH TALENT AND USE OF COLOR WITHOUT BEING IN TOUCH WITH
HIS CREATOR. WHAT YOU FEEL ONLY SHOWS THE POWER OF HIS WORK AND THE TOUCH
HE RECEIVED. ONE OF THE MOST PROLIFIC PAINTERS ON THIS HEMISPHERE, UPJOHN
SPEAKS WARMLY OF HIS NUMEROUS COLLECTORS WHO HAVE SHOWN SUPPORT FOR HIS
WORK, FEELING HE OWES THEM MUCH GRATITUDE. UPJOHN BELIEVES THAT ONE’S
ARTISTIC CREATIONS CANNOT BE SEPARATED FROM HIS EXPERIENCES, THEREFORE HE
REACHES DEEP INTO HIS CULTURAL AND SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCES TO COME UP WITH
IMAGES THAT TRULY ENGAGE THE VIEWER. HE CURRENTLY EXHIBITS HIS ART THROUGH
VARIOUS JURIED FINE ART SHOWS, PRIVATE EXHIBITS, CULTURAL ART CENTERS,
MUSEUMS AND GALLERIES IN THE UNITED STATES AND ABROAD.
A NATIVE OF COLUMBUS, OH, NAT IS A SELF-TAUGHT ARTIST THAT FOCUSES ON THE
BEAUTY OF WOMEN THROUGH EXPLOSIONS OF COLOR. INFLUENCED BY NATURE,
ESPECIALLY SUNSETS, FLOWERS, LIGHT, AND THE OCEAN, NAT'S WORK COMBINES
OTHER-WORLDLY HUES AND STRIKING REALISM TO CREATE AN INTENSE AND
PLEASURABLE VIEWING EXPERIENCE.
WITH HER SIGNATURE "NAT" HIDDEN WITHIN EACH PAINTING, SHE ACTIVELY INVITES
THE VIEWERS TO EXAMINE HER PIECES CLOSELY AND INTIMATELY SO THE INTRICATE
DETAILS CANNOT BE OVERLOOKED. GOOD LUCK FINDING HER SIGNATURE!
Natalie Orr

MEET THE ARTISTS
AS A MOTIVATED HARD WORKER, I FEEL THAT MY PLEASANT DEMEANOR AND POSITIVE
ATTITUDE ALLOWS ME TO ADAPT QUICKLY TO VARIOUS ENVIRONMENTS. LOVE TO
CONSTRUCT STRIKING ART AS WELL AS ENTHUSE OTHERS. I COMPRISE OF AN
ADMIRABLE AESTHETIC JUDGMENT AND A SCRUPULOUS EYE FOR DETAIL. VARIOUS
OCCURRENCES HAVE TRAINED ME TO THINK IMAGINATIVELY, TO PUSH LIMITATIONS
AND PERFORM UNDER PRESSURE BY MEETING RIGID GOALS. ADDITIONALLY, MY WORK
DISPLAYS A WIDE ARRAY OF MEDIUMS PERMITTING ME TO ACCLIMATIZE TO VARIOUS
TECHNIQUES, WHILE INTEGRATING MY OWN INDIVIDUAL ARTISTIC TOUCH TO EACH
DEVELOPMENT. THROUGH VARIOUS MEDIUMS, MY INTENTION IS TO INSPIRE A MASS
AUDIENCE BY AWAKENING THEIR DIVINE CREATIVITY. MY PASSION FOR THE ARTS HAS
BEEN ENTRENCHED WITHIN ME, YEARNING TO DISTINGUISH THE ARTISTRY IN ALL
PHASES OF LIFE WHICH HAS FORCED ME TO CONTINUOUSLY STRIVE FOR BRILLIANCE. AS
A SPECTATOR, ANTICIPATE THAT YOU ARE CAPABLE OF EMBRACING AND VALUE THIS
COLLABORATION OF WORK.
James Brown
SHELBI "SHEL10" TOONE IS A SEASONED COLUMBUS PROFESSIONAL WITH MORE THAN A
DECADE OF EXPERIENCE AS AN EXHIBITING, MULTIDISCIPLINARY ARTIST, AND
CURATOR. WITH A BACHELOR OF FINE ARTS IN GRAPHIC DESIGN AND A MASTERS IN
PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION, SHELBI IS NOT ONLY A CREATOR BUT ALSO A CULTIVATOR
OF ART WITH A PASSION FOR HISTORY AND STORYTELLING. THROUGH HER ART, SHE
EXPLORES THEMES OF LOVE, IDENTITY, AND PEACE. HER ART, DISPLAYED PROMINENTLY
THROUGHOUT THE CITY, SERVES AS A TESTAMENT TO HER BOUNDLESS CREATIVITY AND
ABILITY TO PROVOKE THOUGHT AND CONNECTION THROUGH HER WORK. HER
COMMITMENT TO THE ARTS GOES BEYOND THE CANVAS, LEAVING AN INDELIBLE LEGACY
AS A TRANSFORMATIVE FORCE IN COMMUNITY ORGANIZING. FOUNDING DIRECTOR OF
COLUMBUS’S SOUTH SIDE ART GALLERY ALL PEOPLE ARTS, SHELBI CONTINUES TO USE
HER EXPERIENCES AS AN ARTIST TO SUPPORT AND CULTIVATE MORE SPACES FOR ART
AND CULTURE.
Shelbi Toone
LEARN MORE AT SHEL10.COM

MEET THE ARTISTS
OMAR SHAHEED HAS BEEN SCULPTING IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER FOR OVER 30 YEARS.
HE PRIMARILY SCULPTS IN LIMESTONE BUT HAS SCULPTED IN CLAY AS WELL. HE CASTS
MANY OF HIS PIECES IN BRONZE. HE'S ALSO DABBLED IN ILLUSTRATION INCLUDING
ILLUSTRATING HIS OWN CHILDREN'S BOOK TITLED, 'HIP HOP LAND'. HE HAS CREATED
SOME SCULPTURES AS SMALL AS ONE FOOT HIGH TO AS TALL AS 12 FEET. HIS WORKS
HAVE BEEN COLLECTED BY NUMEROUS ART LOVERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
Omar Shaheed
OMAR STUDIED AT THE SAN FRANCISCO ART INSTITUTE AND MEMPHIS COLLEGE OF ART.
HOWEVER, HIS TALENT FOR SCULPTING IN STONE IS SELF-TAUGHT USING HYDRAULIC
TOOLS AS WELL AS THE OLD-FASHIONED METHODS USING HAND TOOLS INCLUDING
CHISELS AND HAMMERS. OMAR HAS EXHIBITED ACROSS THE COUNTRY FROM BOSTON
TO CALIFORNIA, AS WELL AS INTERNATIONALLY. HE WAS INVITED TO OUAGADOUGOU,
BURKINA FASO BY THE MINISTER OF CULTURE IN THE EARLY 2000S. HIS STYLE IS
FREEFORM AND ABSTRACT WITH AN AFRICAN INFLUENCE.
SEVERAL OF OMAR'S PIECES ARE LOCATED AROUND COLUMBUS, OHIO INCLUDING
GRANT HOSPITAL, THE KING ARTS COMPLEX, ADELPHI BUILDING, LINDEN BRANCH OF
THE COLUMBUS LIBRARY, AND ACROSS FROM THE HISTORIC LINCOLN THEATRE.
MARCUS DIXON, A CENTRAL OHIO-BASED ARTIST, REDEFINES REALISM AND OFFERS A
DISTINCTIVE PERSPECTIVE THROUGH HIS ART. ENCOURAGED BY HIS FAMILY, HE
EXPLORED VARIOUS ARTISTIC MEDIUMS FROM A YOUNG AGE.
IN 2016, MARCUS'S LIFE SHIFTED DRAMATICALLY WHEN HIS MOTHER BATTLED BREAST
CANCER. HE PAUSED HIS ACADEMICS TO CARE FOR HER, INSPIRED BY HER STRENGTH.
IN HER HONOR, HE CHOSE TO PURSUE ART FULL-TIME.
WITH EVERY BRUSHSTROKE, MARCUS AIMS TO CAPTURE SUBJECTS' ESSENCE AND
EVOKE EMOTIONS. HIS ART DELVES INTO IDENTITY, HUMAN CONNECTION, AND
EVERYDAY BEAUTY, CHALLENGING VIEWERS' PERCEPTIONS.
Marcus Dixon
BEYOND ART, MARCUS CHAMPIONS CANCER RESEARCH AND AWARENESS, USING HIS
TALENT TO RAISE FUNDS. HE BELIEVES ART CAN DRIVE CHANGE AND STRIVES TO MAKE
A POSITIVE IMPACT.
MARCUS DIXON'S UNWAVERING DEDICATION, UNIQUE VISION, AND COMMITMENT TO
CHANGE SET HIM APART IN THE ART WORLD, PUSHING THE BOUNDARIES OF REALISM.

MEET THE ARTISTS
MARLON GIST IS AN AWARD-WINNING FINE ARTIST AND EDUCATOR BASED IN
ALIQUIPPA, PENNSYLVANIA1. HE IS KNOWN FOR HIS VIBRANT ARTWORK AND HAS
BEEN FEATURED IN VARIOUS EXHIBITIONS AND GALLERIES, INCLUDING THE MARLON
GIST ART STUDIO AND GALLERY23. MARLON GIST'S ARTISTIC JOURNEY BEGAN UNDER
THE GUIDANCE OF HIS LATE FATHER, DAVID GIST SR., WHO WAS AN EXCEPTIONAL AND
WELL-RESPECTED ARTIST IN THE PITTSBURGH REGION4. HIS WORK HAS ALSO BEEN
SHOWCASED AT THE PITTSBURGH INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT AS PART OF THE
ROTATING ART INSTALLATIONS.
Marlon Gist
Francesca Miller
FRANCESCA MILLER IS A VISUAL ARTIST FROM COLUMBUS, OH. SHE ATTENDED THE
OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY, OBTAINING HER BACHELOR’S OF ART EDUCATION IN
MAY OF 2019. SINCE GRADUATING, FRANCESCA IMMEDIATELY SOUGHT TO USE ART
AS A TOOL TO ENGAGE WITH AND EMPOWER HER COMMUNITY. SHE SPENT THE
NEXT 4 SUMMERS AS A VISUAL ARTS INSTRUCTOR FOR PATTERNZ SUMMER ARTS
CAMP, WORKING WITH YOUTH OF A VARIETY OF AGES AND BACKGROUNDS.
STARTING MAY OF 2020, FRANCESCA ALSO BEGAN TO NOTABLY CONTRIBUTE HER
ARTISTIC VOICE TO CONVERSATIONS ABOUT SOCIAL JUSTICE AND CELEBRATING
BLACK JOY. THIS INCLUDES SEVERAL MURALS AROUND THE CITY OF COLUMBUS
FOR PLACES SUCH AS THE OHIO THEATRE, THE LINCOLN THEATRE, HUNTINGTON
AND FIFTH THIRD BANK, OTHERWORLD, EASTON AND SEVERAL OTHER
ORGANIZATIONS AROUND THE CITY. IN 2021, MILLER WAS INVITED TO
COLLABORATE WITH ABERCROMBIE & FITCH TO LAUNCH FOR JUSTICE FOR JOY, A
3-DESIGN SERIES JUSTICE & EQUITY T-SHIRT CAPSULE. WHILE IT IS THE WORKS
CREATED AROUND SOCIAL JUSTICE THAT HAVE GAINED MOST ATTENTION,
FRANCESCA LOVES TO CREATE WORK THAT CAPTURES MANY OTHER ASPECTS OF
THE HUMAN EXPERIENCE. THROUGH HER EXPRESSIVE USE OF COLOR AND
MOVEMENT IN HER DRAWINGS AND PAINTINGS, IT IS ALWAYS THE AIM TO EVOKE
FEELINGS OF JOY, HOPE OR COMFORT IN THE VIEWER. NOW LIVING IN FORT
WORTH, TEXAS, FRANCESCA IS CONTINUING ON HER CREATIVE JOURNEY, USING
ART TO SERVE THE LOCAL COMMUNITY, AS WELL AS DEVELOPING BODIES OF
WORK THAT SHE IS EXCITED TO SHARE WITH THE WORLD IN DUE TIME.

GALLERIES
WATERKOLOURSGALLERY.COM
6412 SUMMER GALE DRIVE
MEMPHIS, TN 38134
OFFICE:(901) 748.5900
EMAIL: WATERKOLOURS@ME.COM
MAHOGANYGALLERY.COM
MAHOGANY BLACK ARTS & CULTURAL CENTER
1424 WASHINGTON AVENUE,
RACINE, WI. 53403
OFFICE:(262) 676.2722
MAHOGANYGALLERYINFO@GMAIL.COM

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