Alexandra Antoine is an interdisciplinary visual artist and cultural apprentice based in Chicago, IL and Orlando, FL. Her work acknowledges the influences of her Haitian culture and interest in portraiture, food, traveling, farming and the deep wisdom involved in traditional artistic practices of the Afrikan diaspora. She honors her ancestors always and for the last three years has been growing food in several community gardens on the West side of Chicago!

She received an undergraduate degree from a fancy art school and exhibited her work in many places but collaborating with folks throughout the Afrikan diaspora is her life’s work.

Mason Archie, originally from Dayton, Ohio, now proudly calls Indianapolis, Indiana, his home. His artistic journey unfolded, serving over 15 years as the Art Director and pictorial artist for Lamar Outdoor Advertising where he cultivated his skills as a pictorial artist and later founded Vital Sign, a commercial sign company.

In 2005, Mason transitioned to full-time fine artist, quickly gaining recognition for his mastery of traditional realism. Using quality materials and drawing on techniques learned from studying the old masters, he became a luminary in the art world. Mason has exhibited at many esteemed venues in Indiana and around the world, including the Indianapolis Museum of Art, the Indiana State Museum, the Indianapolis Art Center, and more.

Among his numerous accolades, Mason was featured in The International Review of African American Art, American Art Collector, American Lifestyle Magazine, Black Art in America, and The American Art Review. Mason’s works are in corporate and institutional collections, and his artwork is also in a number of private collections across the country.

Lavett Ballard describes her work as a re-imagined visual narrative of people of African descent. Her use of imagery reflects social issues affecting primarily Black women’s stories within a historical context. Photos are deconstructed and layered on reclaimed wood fences; the use of fences is a symbolic reference to how fences keep people in and out physically, just as racial and gender identities do so socially.

Lyndy Bazile began her painting career in 2018 and is now a full-time artist at Studio Vwazen. Through her work, she aims to support historically marginalized communities by creating art that celebrates multiplicity and evokes pride in diverse identities. Lyndy also utilizes her studio time to connect with her Haitian ancestry and to strengthen her spiritual practice.

Brandon Barry Brown is a Buffalo, New York-born, Los Angeles-based classically trained oil painter. At the age of 26, after collecting fine art for many years, Brandon was trained under Master Fine Artist Guiti Zihagh, who helped to evolve his art to a new level. Noticing a lack of Black and Brown people represented or misrepresented in art, Brandon took it upon himself to break barriers and dedicate his work to highlighting these beautiful people that look like him.

Chace (Cimone) Bailey is an oil painter and student at Hampton University whose work seeks to expand upon the multifaceted beauty of the Black experience. Specializing in vibrant portraits and oil pastel studies, Chace captures intimate moments of Black subjects, highlighting the joy, depth, and resilience inherent in the community. This creative practice is deeply intertwined with social advocacy through her initiative, Chace the Color (@chacethecolor), which has successfully raised and distributed over 1,500 art supplies to children in marginalized communities.

These efforts serve as a vital catalyst for Chace’s future career in Art Therapy, reinforcing the belief that creative expression is a fundamental tool for collective healing. At BUTTER, she presents work that bridges the gap between fine art and community equity. Ultimately, Chace’s mission is to cultivate a legacy of care and visibility for the next generation of Black creators.

Rooted in the legacy of Compton’s cultural resilience and raised in the shadow of the Watts Towers, Ashley Cole’s practice weaves together abstraction, assemblage, and gesture into expansive, sculptural paintings. Her canvases— often draped, cut, and stitched— engage the improvisational language of jazz, echoing the sonic freedom of Miles Davis and John Coltrane. Influenced by Abstract Expressionism and the spatial poetics of artists like Sam Gilliam, Cole constructs visual compositions that unfold like psychological terrains and spiritual manuscripts.

Textural surfaces—burnt edges, raw canvas, automatist markings, and geometric linework in metallics and pastels—become repositories for song lyrics, numerologies, and graffiti-inspired ciphers. Twine and thread, recalling her training in fashion design at Brooks College, bind these works together in acts of both deconstruction and repair. 

Cole’s evolving canvases are at once deeply personal and socially resonant— meditations on memory, fragmentation, and transformation in an age of rupture and reconfiguration.

Michael Coppage is a conceptual artist using an interdisciplinary, dialectical approach to address social issues surrounding race and language. Originally from Chicago, he has lived and worked in Cincinnati since 2007. He completed a TEDx Talk titled “Everybody’s Racist….and it’s O.K” and he gained international attention with his project “BLACK BOX”: a community impact project aimed at demystifying blackness and creating authentic experiences that replaces bias and preconceived notions related to “Black”. 

This series has impacted over 2 million people in 43 countries and has been exhibited in Puerto Rico, American University in Paris, the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, 21c Museum, Medici Museum, Ohio Arts Council’s Riffe Gallery and at ArtCrawl Harlem on Governors Island in New York. Coppage has completed several public works in the United States and has works in both public and private collections in the United States and Asia.

Brandon Clarke is a Miami-based mixed-media artist whose compelling work explores the intersections of human identity, memory, and historical narrative. Inspired by his grandmother, an artist who documented the lives of their family through intimate, autobiographical paintings, Clarke developed a deep appreciation for storytelling through visual form.

Clarke translates his innermost reflections onto canvas through mixed-media compositions organized into thoughtful thematic series. Drawing on his background as a designer, he approaches each piece with a refined understanding of structure, form, and color. In a signature technique, Clarke often works on the reverse side of the canvas, challenging viewers to look beyond surface appearances and confront the unseen layers of history and identity.

Clarke’s work frequently incorporates traditional and non-traditional materials such as handwritten letters, maps, burlap, and roofing tar reimagined in unexpected ways to illuminate the nuanced experiences of Black Americans and reveal overlooked dimensions of American history. He also employs model making as a catalyst for capturing memory in space and time. Through his deliberate choices of media and method, Clarke asks a profound question: “Who are we, truly, within the framework of our lives?”

Deonna Craig is an Indianapolis-based visual artist, art instructor, and community leader whose work bridges creativity, culture, and advocacy. As the director of BUTTER Fine Art Fair, she serves as a visionary leader and curator, ensuring that BUTTER is more than just an art fair; it is a movement reshaping the art world. 

A graduate of Cathedral High School and DePauw University, where she studied Communication and Sociology, Deonna brings a dynamic perspective to her work, blending storytelling, history, and social awareness. Her distinctive style, often influenced by petroglyphs, ancient art, and the interconnectedness of past and future, reflects her deep curiosity about humanity and the mysteries of existence. 

Deonna’s adventurous spirit fuels her artistic and entrepreneurial journey. She has traveled the world to pursue her passions of community building, teaching, public speaking and visual art. She is a published artist with credits to dozens of outlets such as The New York Times, Forbes, and Sports Illustrated. Her artwork has been featured in various museums and galleries such as Newfields, Indiana State Museum, Indianapolis Art Center, Indianapolis Children’s Museum and the Indianapolis International Airport. 

Deonna is the 2021-2022 Visiting Artist at the Indianapolis Children’s Museum, the 2020-2021 Virtual Resident Artist at The Madam Walker Legacy Center and a 2022-2023 recipient of the Indy Arts Council’s Creative Renewal Fellowship.

Tashema Davis is an oil painter, educator, and visual storyteller whose work centers on the resilience, beauty, and lived experiences of African American women. Through expressive, layered paintings, she explores themes of healing, restoration, and joy, using paint as both a therapeutic process and a means of storytelling.

Rooted in personal narrative and collective memory, her work reflects moments of transformation and spiritual renewal. Davis maintains an active studio practice alongside her work as an educator, remaining committed to the belief that art is accessible, transformative, and for everyone.

Nyzere Dillon, born in 1999 in New Brunswick, NJ, is a Jamaican-American figurative sculptor based in Brooklyn, working primarily in clay. His art champions positive representations of the African diasporic experience, reflecting identity, history, and culture with emotional depth. Nyzere’s sculptures explore African imagery and cultural references, using detail and sensitivity to form and texture to tell diverse narratives. Each piece highlights the resilience, beauty, and complexity of African heritage, inviting reflection on identity and belonging.

Beyond creating art, he is committed to amplifying marginalized voices and fostering community empowerment through collaborations and historical research. He teaches sculpting courses focused on symbolism and familiarity within communities and has partnered with institutions like Nike NYC and Monad Agency to celebrate Black essence and resilience. Nyzere’s dedication to his craft and African culture aims to leave a lasting impact on future generations.

Kelani Fatai is an emerging contemporary artist from Lagos, Nigeria, whose practice is rooted in figurative painting and the visual celebration of Black identity. His work amplifies the voices, experiences, and resilience of the Black community, using bold colors, layered textures, and powerful compositions to challenge narratives of marginalization while affirming strength, dignity, and cultural pride.

Fatai studied Art and Design at the prestigious Yaba College of Technology, Lagos, where he earned a Higher National Diploma in Painting in 2019. His practice spans multiple mediums including oil, acrylic, pastel, watercolor, charcoal, and mixed media, reflecting his versatility as both an impressionist and realist.

Now working full-time as a studio artist, Fatai draws inspiration from nature and his environment, often using them as metaphors in his storytelling. Each piece acts as both archive and testimony, weaving together personal reflection and collective history to highlight the endurance and beauty of Black life.

His works have been featured in exhibitions across Nigeria and internationally. Through his work, Fatai continues to push the boundaries of figurative art as a vehicle for empowerment, storytelling, and cultural affirmation. His vision is to create art that bridges local narratives with global audiences, ensuring that the Black experience is not only seen but deeply felt across contexts.

FITZ is a self-taught artist, fueled by the desire to maintain a style that cannot be boxed in. He is a cartoonist, surrealist, and creates abstractions from pop culture to tell stories in the hopes that they can be relatable to a universal audience.

Heaven Frans is a visual storyteller whose work often blends digital design with traditional painting techniques. Her practice places the human form at its core, using it to explore themes of identity and emotion. Influenced by her Ghanaian heritage, her paintings celebrate people of color—particularly those navigating tribulations, medical conditions, or disabilities—inviting curiosity and deeper human connection.

Originally from Virginia, Heaven studied Industrial Design and Computing & Digital Technologies at the University of Notre Dame, where she honed her skills in composition, digital tools, and material experimentation. Her work has been exhibited in university showcases and local art events, with pieces that merge contemporary portraiture with narrative depth.

Through her practice, Heaven seeks to create art that both celebrates and dignifies her subjects, contributing to broader conversations about representation, vulnerability, and beauty in the human experience.

Gary Gee is a visual artist working in mixed media, ceramics, and murals. His work is inspired and influenced by his travels, music, and inner city countercultures. Gee is a Curator, and Teaching Artist, Arts 4 Learning (2020), and recipient of the 2019 Robert D. Beckmann, Jr. Emerging Artist Fellowship from the Arts Council of Indianapolis and the 2018 Ivy Tech Alum of the Year – Indianapolis Campus.

Gary’s work has been prominently featured in Art & Soul (2018), High Art Billboard (2017), and awarded recognition of distinction in Flava Fresh (2014). To further his artistic profession, Gee has participated in the On-Ramp Creative Entrepreneur Program (2019) and is a standing member of the We Are Indy Artist Collective, and the Eighteenth Artist Collective, Gee holds a BFA in Integrated Studio Practices from Indiana University’s Herron School of Art and Design (IUPUI) and an AFA in Fine Arts and AAS in Visual Communications from Ivy Tech Community College.

Dennis Green was born and raised in Indianapolis, Indiana. Green discovered his passion for art at an early age, and he utilized self-taught techniques in his paintings and drawings. After high school, he became a millwright, and it was that training that led him to the discovery of metal as a sculpting medium.

Philadelphia native Al-baseer Holly is a multidisciplinary visual artist whose bold, thought-provoking work commands attention and rewards careful study. Initially finding success as a recording artist collaborating with powerhouse artists including Pharrell Williams, Holly has evolved into a self-taught visual artist currently living on the West Coast.

Holly’s artistic practice centers on collage techniques, drawing inspiration from his Philadelphia upbringing, personal relationships, career, life, family and friends. His distinctive visual language invites viewers to pause and discover familiar faces and meanings embedded within layers of vibrant imagery, often pieced together, like pieces of a story unveiling itself. Each piece serves as a window into Holly’s unique worldview, blending cultural references with personal narrative.

His work has attracted an impressive roster of notable collectors including Damien Hirst, Tommy Hilfiger, Michael Jordan, Malcolm Jenkins, Jorge Perez, and Grant Cardone. Beyond creating art, Holly has established himself as a respected curator, serving as art director for the 2017 New York Fashion Week Tommy Hilfiger runway show on Venice Beach and curating the art exhibitions at Roots Picnic music festival from 2022-2025.

JaTaiRee Hudson Jr. is a narrative and figurative oil painter from Slidell, Louisiana, currently living and working in Austin, Texas. His practice explores the intersection of faith, personal accountability, and the human condition through carefully constructed figurative compositions. Rooted in Christian theology, his work examines what it means to pursue spiritual transformation in contemporary life.

Eric Louis January is a multidisciplinary artist from Chicago whose practice spans sculpture, painting, and found materials to explore memory, migration, and Black interiority. A Summa Cum Laude graduate of Howard University, his work is rooted in cultural storytelling and the transformation of everyday objects into charged vessels of meaning.

Drawing from personal lineage and ancestral histories, January engages material redemption and the sublime, reconfiguring familiar forms into conduits of embodied knowledge that move across time. He has received painting scholarships from Howard University and Black Hawk College and has collaborated with institutions including the NBA, Nike, and Microsoft, while living and working between Washington, D.C., and Chicago.

Julian Jamaal Jones is an Indianapolis-based multidisciplinary artist, who memorializes Black culture through fresh perspectives and a commitment to creative freedom within traditional frameworks. Jones earned his BFA in Photography from the Herron School of Art + Design and his MFA in Photography from the Cranbrook Academy of Art.

Drawing from the historical language of African American quilting, Jones employs abstraction and vibrant color to both honor tradition and reframe it, bypassing preconceptions and opening conversations around his lived Black experience. He has exhibited both nationally and internationally, with his works being featured in exhibits from Indiana, to California, to the UK. His artworks are held in the permanent textile collections of Cranbrook Art Museum in Bloomfield Hills, MI; the Richmond Art Museum in Richmond, IN; Wabash College in Crawfordsville, IN; and Purdue University in West Lafayette, IN.

Notable residencies include the Restoring Hope, Restoring Trust Artist-In-Residence at Wabash College in 2025, the Black Mountain College Museum + Arts Center Artist Residency, PATTERN’s S.P.A.C.E Residency in 2024, and the Dear Artists With Anxiety (DAWA) Residency in 2023. He is the recipient of the PLAYGROUND Detroit Gallery 21/22 Emerging Artist Fellowship.

Born in Washington, D.C., Michael Coleman, fondly known as JiggyKorean, discovered his love for art at the young age of nine. He later transitioned to music writing, stating: “Creativity is the most important thing to me! Creating, discovering, traveling, and brand marketing keep me engaged and inspired. The best part of being a successful creative is meeting unique individuals from diverse cultures and backgrounds.”

In 2017, the universe reintroduced art into JiggyKorean’s life, inspiring him to cultivate a unique style he calls “Dramatic Pop Art.” With hundreds of fine art pieces sold, JiggyKorean has gained recognition through various art exhibitions and publications, including the esteemed Forbes Magazine, God Is Dope Gallery, Sinclair Gallery, AJC, Atlanta Eater, Atlanta Fashion Week, BMW, and Architectural Digest.

His art shows often sell out, and he has successfully outfitted over 15 restaurants, captivating numerous art collectors with his artistic storytelling. Continuously expanding his brand, RVRE CREATOR, JiggyKorean connects art, technology, and hospitality. He currently resides in Atlanta, GA.

Blake D. Lenoir (B. LEN) is a multidisciplinary artist from Chicago whose work blends contemporary surrealism with socio-cultural inquiry. Shaped by a reclusive youth and a vivid inner world, he uses imagination as a tool to reinterpret people and environments—what he calls “re-situations.” His practice, marked by symbolism, distortion, and layered critique, explores the Black experience, generational cycles, and societal dissonance. Lenoir holds a BFA in Drawing and a minor in Sociology from Western Illinois University.

Shaunt’e Lewis is an award-winning multidisciplinary artist based in Indianapolis, known for her bold use of color, clean lines, and empowering themes. Through her studio, SLA (Shaunt’e Lewis Art), she blends illustration, fiber art, and design to create vibrant works that celebrate identity and inspire connection. Her art has been featured in the New York Times, Complex Magazine, and across national campaigns for brands like Lexus, DoorDash, CarMax, West Elm, Maker’s Mark, the Indiana Pacers and more. In 2024, she received the Breakthrough Women Award for her contributions to Arts and Culture, and in 2025, was honored with a SPJ Journalism Award for Illustration. Originally from Massachusetts, Shaunt’e is passionate about using her work to uplift and engage communities.

Faheem Majeed is a Chicago-based artist, educator, curator, and arts administrator whose practice transforms overlooked materials, spaces, and histories into powerful platforms for reflection and engagement. Working primarily in sculpture and installation, he draws on his deep connection to the South Side of Chicago and a long-standing interest in institutional critique and community building. His work often references the built environment, reclaims discarded materials like OSB board, and engages public sites to question how cultural value is assigned and who gets to shape history.

Majeed received his BFA from Howard University and MFA from the University of Illinois Chicago, where he currently serves as Assistant Professor of Art. He is co-founder and co-director of Floating Museum, an interdisciplinary collective that creates site-responsive works connecting art, architecture, history, and civic dialogue. He previously served as Executive Director of the South Side Community Art Center (2005–2011), a legacy that continues to inform his layered, community-responsive practice.

Cristina Martinez is an artist from Tacoma, Washington, based in Seattle, whose work emerges from the profound strength of the Mexican women who shaped her. Though her formal entry into the art world began with fashion illustration, Cristina was inevitably drawn to more expansive forms of self-expression through painting–from thought-provoking portraits, to boundless abstract pieces. Central to Cristina’s practice is her intentional focus on painting Black and Brown women, an acknowledgment of those who are too often invisible in spaces that matter.

Cristina’s body of work spans a sold out solo exhibition “To the Ones Who Remain Unbroken,” a 52-foot mural at 3 World Trade Center, album covers for some of today’s most influential musical artists, and multifaceted partnerships with Nordstrom, Disney, Spotify and many more. Her work has been shown in museums and galleries across the country and internationally, with several solo exhibitions bringing her vision to audiences around the world. Whether creating intimate pieces on handmade paper or monumental public works, her mission remains constant: to create art that encourages viewers to find beauty in unexpected places, honoring the legacy of the women who taught her that resilience blooms in the most challenging soil.

Kenny Mason is a 2D mixed media artist inspired by graffiti, portraiture, and bold use of color. He combines both dry and wet mediums to create expressive, dynamic portraits. His work reflects the raw energy of contemporary street-style art, while also showcasing refined skill in traditional portraiture. Kenny’s passion for experimenting with materials adds rich texture to his pieces. He often works on cardboard, furthering his commitment to sustainable and inventive art-making.

Marryam Moma is a multimedia artist based in Atlanta whose work combines analog collage, architectural principles, and mixed media. Her work explores themes of identity, femininity, spirituality, and the complexity of Black life. Drawing from her background in architecture, Moma creates richly layered compositions that reconstruct narratives through a lens of possibility, affirmation, and cultural memory. Her work has been featured in solo exhibitions, public commissions, and galleries throughout the United States.

SHENEQUA is an Afro-Caribbean multidisciplinary artist and teaching artist who received her Master of Design in Fashion, Body, & Garment at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago under the mentorship of Nick Cave. Founder of Weave Your Dreams Into Reality Studios LLC, she shares her stories with the world, one thread at a time, through the traditional craft of weaving, her familial background, conversations with others, and her Ghanaian experience.

She has collaborated on the Identity Column III with Germane Barnes: Columnar Disorder at The Art Institute of Chicago museum in Chicago, IL and exhibited her works Wove at 108 Contemporary in Tulsa, OK, in Continuum at Textile Center: Joan Mondale and Mary Giles Galleries in Minneapolis, MN, UNCONVENTIONAL: THE LEGACY OF JOSEPH BEUYS at Goethe Pop Up in Kansas City, MO,  Deep, Far, Home at Epiphany Center for the Arts in Chicago, IL, and Performing Labor at Patricia Sweetow Gallery in San Francisco, CA to name a few.

b. Robert Moore is a self-taught multidisciplinary artist from Des Moines, Iowa, who is heavily influenced by socio-political events, cultural criticism, and collective identity related to the African American experience. Though he began drawing as a child, Moore fully leaned into a dedicated studio practice as an adult to facilitate healing and rehabilitation. 

He is proud to be an independent artist who has cultivated a loyal following around the world. His first solo exhibition Out the Mud debuted at ThinkSpace in Los Angeles in 2023. Recent group exhibitions include Operation Varsity Blues at Allouche Gallery in New York and Masterpiece II at Band of Vices in Los Angeles. His work belongs in esteemed private collections such as Dr. Joy Simmons, CFP Ayesha Selden, Dr. Michael Glassner, Wright Collection, DJ D-Nice, musician Lil Yachty and the permanent collection of the Louisiana Museum of Art and History. He has been featured in press outlets including Ebony Magazine, Design Milk and Complex. 

Robert truly believes art should be felt and not just seen. The hope is that we are all felt and seen.

John Moore is a multifaceted artist based in Indianapolis whose work bridges the gap between traditional craftsmanship and modern innovation. His artistic journey is deeply rooted in exploring themes of cultural identity, social change, and community engagement. Notable for his ability to create thought-provoking public art.

Kevin Nance West is a professional fine artist, art entrepreneur (and art instructor) in the Indianapolis area, specializing in contemporary abstract paintings and portrait art. Kevin studied at the Herron School of Art and Design in Indianapolis, and later went on to teach art classes at the Boys and Girls Club of Indianapolis and host private portrait painting workshops, before exploring business ventures in art.

In his twenty years as a professional artist, Kevin has experimented with a variety of mediums and concepts including mixed media and oil painting. His abstract portrait art done with acrylics and oil pastels are figures of pop culture, Black cultural figures and children. 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. 

Ashley Nora is an American multidisciplinary visual artist whose paintings, murals, and sculptural works reimagine classical iconography through a contemporary Black lens. Known for her signature blue and white palette, Nora creates powerful portraits that explore divinity, identity, legacy, and belonging. She transitioned from a career in analytical chemistry to full-time art, boldly pursuing a vision centered on possibility and generational transformation. Her work has been exhibited in galleries and institutions nationwide and includes major public installations and institutional commissions.

Nora is the creator of the ongoing series Tell Me Heaven Ain’t Black, a body of work that challenges historical depictions of the sacred by centering Black figures within celestial, regal, and eternal narratives. Through intimate portraiture and monumental scale alike, her practice transforms ordinary presence into divine inheritance.

Paul started painting on canvas in 2023 as a way of keeping him mentally healthy as a form of therapy. Currently his favorite medium is oil paints. His greatest art inspiration comes from his uncle Vernard Rubens who is a Detroit artist of fine arts, sculpture, painting and jewelry making. His artistic vision is to make people appreciate and connect with art on a deeper level.

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Andre Parnell is a multifaceted muralist, designer, and community activist with nearly two decades of experience in environmental graphics and wayfinding. His professional practice is rooted in the belief that public spaces should serve as living archives, a philosophy he champions through the “We The Block” initiative to document neighborhood narratives. As a Choice-Based Art Educator, he utilizes the Teaching for Artistic Behavior (TAB) framework to empower the next generation of creatives through agency and material ownership.

His expertise in urban transformation and signage strategy allows him to navigate the intersection of physical infrastructure and community resilience. Recently, he has been exploring the integration of augmented reality with historical landmarks to create immersive storytelling experiences. Whether designing trail systems or mentoring youth, his work consistently focuses on building community pride and historical stewardship.

Wildstyle Paschall is a lifelong Indianapolis resident and multidisciplinary artist. His artistic practice includes writing, serving for years as a roller-skating instructor, performer and organizing choreographed performances, composing original music for Indianapolis hip hop artists and video projects he managed, as well as being a recording engineer. He’s been a graphic designer for 20 years designing art, promotional material, and apparel for several local organizations. For the past 10 years, he’s also been a photographer highlighting Black culture and community often missed by outside media.

Kyng Rhodes is called to painting by his observations of society, a long-held love of art, graphic expression, and his own spirituality. Formally trained as a graphic designer, Rhodes moved away from commercial work to illuminate topics he hopes to see more collective reflection and dialogue around. Vibrant color palettes, intricate botanical borders, stylized figures, and spiritual undercurrents hallmark his current work, encouraging joy and optimism alongside more complicated stories. His work invites viewers on a journey of introspection. Rhodes has been mentioned and his work has been featured in several publications including Ebony, Forbes, and New York Times.

Ash Robinson is an American multidisciplinary artist born and raised in Indianapolis, Indiana. Trained as a furniture designer and maker, she earned her BFA from Herron School of Art & Design in 2010. While attending San Diego State University for graduate school, Robinson realized that functional objects could no longer solely be a vehicle for her artistic expression and began experimenting with a wide range of mediums and concepts.

Known for her reflective portraits, her work mirrors the resilience, beauty, and complexity of the Black community. Self proclaimed Empowerment Engineer, Robinson purposefully places the viewers as participants within her pieces, emphasizing the importance of identity, visibility, and belonging. With bold vibrant textures, Robinson considers her multimedia approach as a representation of an eclectic Black society.   

Ash Robinson has been featured in numerous exhibitions including the BUTTER Fine Art Fair 3 & 4. In 2024, she was selected and exhibited her work at ArtPrize in Grand Rapids. Her most recent accomplishment is becoming a fellow of the nationally known Artist at Work program, supporting Robinson’s community engagement. Ash Robinson’s artistic career proves that she is capable of expertly working in any medium and that sets her apart from her peers.

Award-winning mixed-media artist Rebecca Robinson creates impactful artwork, specifically with concrete, tar, and her innovative new technique utilizing white gypsum cement and cyanotypes. Her strategic use of texture and contrast creates various subjects and themes that continue to evoke emotion and spark dialogue while enriching the community and contributing to the culture. 

Rebecca is an Indianapolis native who studied Art and Visual Communications at the Historically Black College of North Carolina Central University. Rebecca’s background includes art history, photography, film, fashion, and creative marketing/branding. She is also a self-published author of the inspirational book for creatives titled Arts Honor. 

Her influence is felt deeply within the Indianapolis arts community and beyond. Currently an artist-in-residence at The Harrison Center and the Community Impact Coordinator for the Eiteljorg Museum, Rebecca was recently honored as a 2024/2025 Creative Renewal Arts Fellow. Rebecca is a 2026 Visit Indy Rose Award Honoree, presented by Visit Indy, in recognition of her exceptional service and leadership.

Rebecca’s reach continues to expand internationally; in February 2026, Rebecca completed a prestigious one-month teaching residency at the Caribbean Museum Center for the Arts in St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands.

Marcus Robins is a Chicago born oil painter based in Indianapolis, Indiana. His work stands at the intersection of classical technique and contemporary Black identity, using the timeless Flemish method of painting to create thought-provoking imagery centered around African and African American subject matter.

Known for his meticulous attention to detail and masterful use of light, Robins brings depth, emotion, and cultural narrative to each canvas. His work reflects a dialogue between tradition and modernity, celebrating the richness of African heritage while inviting viewers to engage in meaningful visual storytelling. Marcus Robins shares his evolving portfolio and creative process on social media platforms including Instagram and TikTok under the handle @marcus_robins_art.

Robles-Gordon is an interdisciplinary visual artist, advocate, art educator, curator and lecturer with over fifteen years of experience. She received a Bachelor of Science, Business Administration in 2005 at Trinity University, and subsequently she completed her Masters of Fine Arts (Painting) in 2011 from Howard University. Her artwork has been reviewed/featured in national media and art publications.

Robles-Gordon has been awarded both artist and teaching residencies and exhibited extensively both nationally and internationally. Additionally, she has been commissioned by art museums, galleries, art centers, universities/colleges, radio and television stations to teach workshops, lecture, and create both temporary and permanent public art installations for art fairs, agencies, and institutions.

Kellie Romany is an abstract artist interested in bodies and systems. Using a color palette of skin tones, Romany creates objects that act as a catalyst for discussion about human connections, race, and the systems surrounding these themes. She received a Master of Fine Arts in Painting from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 2011 and a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the Maryland Institute College of Art in 2008. Romany has exhibited both nationally and internationally, including museum shows at the High Museum of Art, Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, and DePaul Art Museum.

Omar R. Jones, known professionally as Omar Rashan, is an African American multidisciplinary and neuro artist whose work explores the relationship among human cognition, emotional memory, and visual expression. Working across painting, mixed media, and augmented reality, he creates immersive compositions that translate internal experiences into tangible and interactive form. His practice draws from personal narrative, musical influence, and community engagement, using art as a means to deepen awareness and connection. Rashan’s work has been recognized through fellowships and public installations, reflecting a commitment to both cultural impact and evolving forms of visual storytelling.

A 90s baby, Mechi Shakur is an Indianapolis raised and based artist. He has had the opportunity to display in many key spaces in Indianapolis, such as the Indiana State Museum, Indiana Statehouse and more. His work has also reached beyond the canvas creating countless murals around the city of Indianapolis. Mechi Shakur is a self-taught artist, painting for several years now. He believes art is a reflection of you. He blurs the lines of reality and the imagination through an assortment of color all while diving into social issues touching many subjects all at once.

William Jihrel Smith is a painter from Champaign, Illinois, whose practice draws on lived experience, personal archives, and everyday environments. His work incorporates scanned images, body impressions, photographs, charts, and text built through layering, printing, pouring, and spraying paint. Combining traditional studio methods with processes drawn from construction and industrial labor, his paintings function as sites of accumulation and redaction where material and memory intersect.

Smith earned a BFA from Cornell University and has exhibited nationally and internationally, with solo exhibitions at 1000 Words Gallery and Bibliowicz Family Gallery. His awards include the Elsie Dinsmore Popkin ’58 Art Award and the Kip Brady Prize for excellence in printmaking. He lives and works in New York, NY.

Paul Bacardi Smith is a multidisciplinary artist originally from Detroit. Paul has a background in media arts, entertainment business, and marketing. He briefly studied Art History and Fine Arts at Wayne State University. After over two decades of inactivity, Paul found his way back to art as a form of therapy. In 2024 Paul began exploring oil painting and became deeply immersed in telling stories on canvas. Paul’s greatest artistic influence is his late uncle Vernard Rubens – a Detroit based artist whose career spanned over five decades. Through his own work, Paul seeks to inspire deeper appreciation and emotional connection to art, honoring the legacy of his mentor while forging a path forward.

Benoit Soulaan is an Indianapolis-based painter, and a full-time student at the Herron School of Art and Design. Though originally a self-taught artist, Benoit studied Art and Design with a minor in museum studies at Butler University before transferring to Herron to pursue his bachelor’s degree in painting. Although he initially had hopes of working specifically within the museum sphere, attending school at Herron has opened his eyes to a diverse range of creative professions he hopes to one day explore – and he plans to continue that journey by pursuing a master’s in Visual Art.

Sulyiman Stokes is a self-taught interdisciplinary artist from the South Side of Chicago whose sole focus is telling Black folks’ stories. Though music and photography are his primary areas of exploration, he regularly immerses himself in whatever medium is available to him to maximize expression. Capturing and keeping a record of the ways Black folk struggle toward liberation by way of his work is his contribution to the very same pursuit.

Norman Teague is a Chicago-based designer and educator, focused on projects and pedagogy that address the systematic complexity of urbanism and the culture of communities. Teague specializes in custom furniture that delivers a personal touch for each user while emphasizing unique aesthetic detail.

Teague designs in an approachable way, creating pieces with light forms, clean lines, beautiful materials, and functional considerations. Norman is the principal designer of Norman Teague Design Studios and is a co-founder of blkHaUS studios.

Teague works with common, locally sourced building materials and local fabricators to create objects and spaces that explore simplicity, honesty, and cleverness that relate to the culture of the client and/or community.

Theodore (ThanksTheodore) Ball is a multifaceted Black artist with influences from Chicago. He found inspiration in art during his youth, encouraged by influential teachers, and began exploring various mediums, including painting and airbrushing clothes in high school. Theo’s resourcefulness in repurposing discarded materials into art has become central to his creative identity. His college years working within the juvenile justice system deeply influenced his art, focusing on resilience and adversity.

Theo’s work has been featured in numerous events, including the Trill Grill Fest, Legend of July Art and Fashion Show, Santiago Summers listening party, and the BUTTER series, notably contributing to the NBA All-Star edition. Through his art, Theo challenges perceptions and sparks dialogue, remaining a vital voice within the Indianapolis arts community and beyond.

Dwight White II is a global artist working across painting and large-scale installation through a sculptural, cubist-influenced visual language. His work centers memory, sport, and identity, tracing how personal history and cultural narrative shape both lived experience and the spaces we imagine and build.

Shifting between intimate studies and monumental compositions, he develops a visual language rooted in discipline, structure, and self-definition.

Felicia Rachelle is a Memphis native and visual artist. Wheeler’s artistic background consists of a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Studio Arts with an emphasis in Ceramics from the University of Memphis, and a body of work that explores traditional Indigenous and African beadwork practices with elements of crocheted handiwork as a homage to her matriarchal upbringing. Felicia is passionate about art equity, especially when it comes to historically underrepresented individuals, magnifying the importance of the work that she engages in and represents.

Tanía Michelle Wineglass is a visionary artist, educator, and curator. Her work has been showcased in esteemed institutions such as the Indianapolis Museum of Art and the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry, as well as in numerous galleries across Indiana and New York. She has also shown, spoken, and led workshops at multiple universities such as Marian University, Vincennes University, Indiana University Fort Wayne, and Indiana University Indianapolis. Her murals enrich public spaces, including Garfield Park and Charles Tindley Accelerated School. 

Wineglass holds degrees from Herron School of Art, along with a master’s in ceramics and painting from the University of Indianapolis. She dedicated over 25 years to teaching in public schools and leading workshops for a multitude of organizations. Even in retirement, she continues to inspire as a teaching artist, leaving a lasting legacy of artistic excellence, education, and community impact.

She focuses on capturing people in everyday moments, exploring cultural heritage, and creating dreamscapes. Through these themes, Naala highlights the beauty in the mundane, encouraging viewers to find significance in moments of life that are often overlooked.

Naala Alexis’s work, “Where the Seams Don’t Show”, is an intimate scene of three generations sewing together. This painting reflects on family, memory, and how traditions woven into everyday life are passed down.

As a student at Herron School of Art + Design, he has gravitated toward welding processes, exploring simple yet engaging forms on a large scale. James plans to become a leader and artistic advocate for the sickle cell community. He plans to share ways to heal through art. 

James Beavers’ work, “Polygon Prisms,” is a study of flat Polygons and turning them into three-dimensional forms. When creating this piece, He fell in love with the various lengths of lines and the shadows they created. As you move around the piece, you will notice the colors change, showing different aspects from every view.

After undergraduate school, she plans to continue her education by pursuing a master’s degree in art therapy. Through her studies and future career, Bickham hopes to use art to help others navigate and cope with life’s challenges. She uses her own artwork to express herself and tells meaningful stories through her creations.

Her work, “Eyelashly”, is an entity carved from walnut. It serves as a vessel for Lael’s thoughts, beliefs, and desire for calmness. As one of her first wood sculptures, Eyelashly marks the transition from two-dimensional to three-dimensional work. It represents the journey of learning new skills and refining her craft through sculpture.

Working across mixed media in sculpture, they use industrial materials to show strength, resilience, and human transformation. Breezy challenges the view of materials as associated with construction and strength, showing how they can also communicate vulnerability and human experience.

Breezy’s work, “Concrete Throne,” is hand-built, with an uneven surface and bulbous legs. Layers of crimson, black, dark reds, and burgundy create a surface that references modern royalty. Made with concrete to show strength and reject the softness usually associated with chairs. Existing in the space between furniture and sculpture, the work questions utility and sculpture.

After a semester studying urban design in Copenhagen, Denmark, Kennedy aims to integrate philosophies of modularity, sustainability, and allocentric qualities. Collaging ideas of contemporary mid-century modernism in the home.

Kennedy Dowdell’s work features “Fragment Magazine Table”, an upgrade of a simple table with a particular function, with the use of ceramic tiling as an accent. Kennedy is also showing “Braided Footstool”, made from reclaimed wooden materials. This piece focuses on the intricacy of Japanese design and the intimacy of background furniture.

She shows the beauty of the culture cultivated around black bodies. Through Dariel’s work, she reminds people of the similarities between the past and the present. She questions society’s disregard for black bodies and how that connects to society’s disregard for itself. 

Her work is rooted in cultural honor and aims to deepen the dialogue between past and present. Dariel’s work features “Wooden Woman”, a commentary on the way we see black culture turned into costumes, and “Picnic”, a display of hate crimes. She crafts visual experiences that reconsider the relationship between humanity and culture.

His work explores materiality, space, and the ways bodies interact within those spaces. He centers his work in both deeply personal and universal experiences, particularly through the lens of his blackness and queerness. By re-contextualizing everyday objects and exploring the emotional and physical qualities of materials, he aims to spark conversations around complex social issues while making conceptual ideas feel tangible and accessible.

Luke creates conceptual works that comment on the Black experience in America, using many expressive facial features, cultural details, and bold designs. The use of recycled material and welding in his body of work highlights a connection between the trade skills and resourcefulness required of the Black community.

He strives to represent the diverse features, hairstyles, and skin tones found in Black spaces. His work features “At What Cost… steel sculpture, “Doughboy,” 12ft cardboard figure, “Coyote,” ceramic figure, and, “Corrugated Container,” ceramic stoneware. Luke hopes to contribute positively to the creative representation of African Americans in the art space by shining a light on them.

Their creations examine themes of black identity, resilience, and societal norms, pushing the boundaries between delicacy and strength. Kelley’s work invites viewers to question perceptions and engage in critical conversations about conformity and marginalization.

Nari Kelley’s work, “A Love Letter to My Grandma”, is a steel rocking chair made primarily from found metal. Draped over is a newsprint paper quilt constructed from over fifty unique impression prints made using flowers, netting, tires, and found materials gathered from around the house. The quilt is hand-sewn with red and white thread, stuffed with black hair that peeks out from its seams. Together, the rocking chair and quilt combine industrial and domestic materials, bringing together steel, printmaking, and sewing.

Influenced by Black cultural traditions, contemporary art, and personal experiences, she creates vibrant paintings filled with symbolism and small narrative details. Her practice centers on creating spaces where viewers can reflect on their own experiences while discovering the layered stories embedded within each piece.

Kheyarra’s work, “The Staten Island Fairy”, was inspired by a trip to New York City. The Statue of Liberty is reimagined as a Black woman with wicks in place of her crown, reflecting Kheyarra’s desire to see her culture represented within iconic American symbols. Inspired by the bold colors of the Harlem Renaissance, the work captures both the admiration for New York’s vibrancy and the sense of overstimulation Kheyarra experienced while navigating its constant movement and noise.

Lauryn graduated in spring 2026 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Furniture Design. Lauryn is eager to show her furniture, paintings, woodworks, tufting, and much more.

Her work  features “The Lauryn Lounger,” which was made in 2025 and is 24” x 24” x 46”. The lounger features a CNC-cut plywood frame and poplar seating planks. All wrapped with a satin black paint finish.

She finds inspiration in the world around her, discovering art in everyday objects and moments. This helps her capture realism and express unique perspectives, making her work more meaningful.

Her work combines realism with experimentation in color, composition, and storytelling. Working mainly in charcoal and oil pastel, she explores a range of subjects and techniques. Through creating portraits and fantasy-inspired scenes, Charlecia focuses on capturing moments that are engaging and encourage viewers to look closely and develop their own interpretations.

Her work, “Galactic Progress”, explores how every creation begins in space. Long before it reaches Earth, it exists as a possibility waiting to take form. Humans often wonder where our greatest ideas, innovations, and works of art come from. The answer is simple … It’s out of this world.

Chris Smith (Indianapolis, IN) is a photographer working in large-format prints, drawn to water, light, and the natural world. Born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio, and of Jamaican descent, Smith is a believer who approaches the landscape as God’s handiwork and photographs it with the reverence that implies. Since 2012 his practice has moved from documenting natural beauty toward Black in White Spaces, an ongoing series photographing his experience traveling internationally as a Black American man through places where Black travelers are marginalized. The series began with Dunn’s River, photographed in 2024 in Jamaica, his family’s country of origin. Smith is a 2024 Arti Award recipient and a 2022 Power Plant Grant recipient.

John Paul (Northwest Indiana) is an artist, painter, designer, and clothier whose contemporary abstract work explores the intersection of urbanism, wealth, religion, and life’s complex choices. After leaving college to pursue design and launch his clothing line, Izzy, he has produced work spanning clothing, furniture, textiles, and wall art. His use of bold color, abstract ideology, and deeply personal experience gave rise to his current visual project, The Real Always Prosper, or TRAP.

My art grows from close observation of Black life: its beauty, its rhythms, and its everyday acts of imagination. I create from memory and connection, drawing on the experiences of my wife, family, friends, and communities, both near and digital. Through figurative work, I explore how Black people move through the world, how bodies, color, and space together tell stories of care, resilience, and joy.

My influences flow from culture itself: the movement of sports, the language of literature, the grounding of nature, and the creativity that lives in ordinary moments. Each piece is an act of remembering and reimagining, using color and form to evoke emotion and invite reflection.

I want viewers to feel both seen and stirred. They should find themselves somewhere in the layers of joy, memory, and tenderness that shape my work.

My art is a reflection of my roots, my people, and the vibrant, complex spirit of Africa. I paint to preserve memory, to challenge perceptions, and to celebrate the everyday beauty of Black life. My work is deeply inspired by Kenyan culture, urban life, and the global Black experience—anchored in bold color, layered texture, and emotional truth.

Through figurative portraiture and mixed media, I explore identity, masculinity, resilience, and spirituality. Each canvas is a dialogue—between tradition and modernity, visibility and silence, power and vulnerability. I often use expressive brushwork and textured surfaces to symbolize the layers of our human stories. My subjects—whether imagined or real—carry presence, pride, and purpose.

I believe in art as a form of resistance, healing, and connection. As an African artist, my goal is to contribute to a global conversation about who we are, where we come from, and where we’re going. My work is not just what I see—it’s what I feel, remember, and hope for.

Kevin A. Williams, better known by the art moniker WAK (his initials spelled backward), is an American painter and businessman from Chicago’s South Side. He is one of the most celebrated figurative storytellers of his generation, with a collection of paintings that has become one of the most widely circulated urban fine art series in the world. At the age of 15, Williams began his artistic career on Chicago’s historic East 87th Street Black Business District, creating drawings and paintings for clothing boutiques and hair salons.

By age 19, he had become a cosmetology illustrator for Soft Sheen Products, a role that eventually led to a commission from Alberto-Culver USA to create Standing Appointment, a painting depicting four women seated beneath salon hair dryers for the Motions Hair Care line. The image is widely regarded as one of the most recognizable and successful artworks in the history of the hair care industry. While continuing to build his fine art career and serve a growing roster of clients, Williams became the exclusive artist of choice for the late actor and comedian Bernie Mac.

Over a relationship spanning more than fifteen years, Mac commissioned and collected over twenty original paintings by Williams. Among the most notable was Anointed Gift, commissioned as a gift for Oprah Winfrey on the occasion of her 50th birthday. The painting was unveiled during Winfrey’s televised birthday celebration and was described by her as “the most amazing gift.” Today, the work hangs at the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls in South Africa.

Jennia Fredrique Aponte, a visual artist based in Los Angeles, has been perfecting her paper mosaic skills since her childhood days. With a passion for paper and collage, Jennia’s mother gave her an exacto knife when she was just 10 years old, which further fueled her love for the art form.

With a strong foundation in the arts, Jennia began her journey as a dancer, actor, and filmmaker. Drawing on her background in movement and storytelling, she expertly infuses her love of paper to create collages that are a true reflection of her diverse passions. Jennia’s approach is distinct in that she incorporates dancers into her work, using their artistry to tell stories that transcend beyond the physical realm and challenge viewers to delve deeper into the meaning behind her art. Her passion for paper is evident through her use of unique materials, including Egyptian papyrus and pure gold leaf, that she collects from all over the world. Rather than creating new materials, Jennia takes existing pieces and skillfully transforms them into an innovative art form that speaks to her unique creative vision.

Nicole A. Humphrey, artistically known as NAH, is a Chicago-based multidisciplinary artist whose practice moves between creative writing, pattern-based illustration, and iPhone photography. Rooted in observation and lived experience, her work examines introspection, poverty, mental health, and the passage of time, often revealing the quiet tensions between vulnerability and survival. Through layered imagery, repetition, and personal narrative, NAH transforms intimate moments into visual studies of memory, resilience, and identity. Her practice considers not only what it means to endure, but how our experiences leave patterns behind, shaping the ways we see ourselves and the world around us.

Born and raised on Chicago’s Southside, Kayla Mahaffey (aka: Kayla May) grew up learning to appreciate the charm and soul of her city. The world around her showed how beauty still coexists between the grittiness of our society and how the line between whimsy and reality blurs from time to time. Occasionally, taking inspiration from media and adding two-dimensional or abstract elements, her colorful paintings contain hints of whimsy and realism that tell a story of identity, nostalgia, and social topics that sometimes go unheard.

Gavin Benjamin is a multifaceted artist who combines original analog photography and appropriated images with collage, paint, and varnish to create rich and luxurious works that call back to baroque traditions while incorporating elements of current culture to provoke, critique, and explore. Benjamin investigates the intersection of culture, media, politics, fashion, and design, addressing questions that (continue to) confront a man of color in America today. His pieces reflect a layered exploration of
identity: “My work includes everything I love and everything I’m challenged by. It’s honest, curious, bright, thoughtful—and sometimes dark. It embodies all the reasons I became an artist in the first place.”

Born in Guyana, South America and raised in Brooklyn, New York, Benjamin received his BFA from the School of Visual Arts in New York City. During this time, he worked as an intern for the legendary
portrait photographer, Arnold Newman. Benjamin also worked as black and white and color printer at LTI and Baboo color labs. From there, he went on to work at Edge Reps and Exposure NY, agencies
representing commercial and advertising photographers, prop stylists, and hair and makeup artists. After Exposure NY, he worked as a freelance production coordinator/photo editor with stints at Kenneth Cole productions, Esquire Magazine, Hachette Filipacchi Media, and Good Housekeeping magazine.

Benjamin’s work has appeared at the Slick Paris, Sotheby’s NY, Architectural Digest Home Design Show, Art Hampton, Scope Miami, Palm Beach Modern, Context Miami, Context NY, Art Silicon Valley, and the LA Art Fair. Benjamin has been the artist in residence at the Westmoreland Museum of American Art, where he also recently featured for a pop-up exhibition of his acclaimed series Heads of State, Night Fever, and Miss a Thing. His work has also been on display in the 15th edition of the 2024 Havana Biennial in Cuba.
A true innovator, Benjamin continues to captivate audiences with his ability to blend the opulence of art
history with the complexities of modern life, offering a body of work that is as visually compelling as it is
intellectually and emotionally resonant.

LaShae Boyd is a contemporary mixed media artist based in Columbus, Ohio. Working with acrylic, pastel, glitter, and other materials, her practice explores the spiritual and psychological dimensions of the Black experience. Through themes of personal and
generational trauma, black faith, and ancestral memory, Boyd examines resilience as both inheritance and power.

Born in Cleveland, Ohio Boyd earned her BFA at Columbus College of Art and Design in 2019. She has been greatly recognized in her community as an important artist, teacher, speaker and mentor. Boyd has received both national and international recognition, with
work featured in publications such as 614 Magazine, Shoutout LA, and New American Paintings (Issue #167, 2023). Boyd also exhibited in the 15th edition of the 2024 Havana Biennial in Cuba.
Boyd’s staged subjects explore the human psyche through a unique visual language inspired by Carl Jung’s concept of the “shadow self.” Her work examines the balance between the conscious and unconscious mind, questioning whether embracing repressed emotions can lead to spiritual transcendence. Drawing from
Expressionism, Surrealism, and Pop Art, Boyd uses vibrant complementary colors, magenta-toned figures, distorted photographic collage, and layered repetitive imagery to reveal each subject’s inner darkness and transformation. Through these works,
she creates space for conversations about self-discovery, healing, and metaphysical growth.

Akeylah Imani Wellington is a sculptor, tapestry maker, and Southern. Her work is concerned with the nature of humor—both as a noun connoting comedy and as a verb meaning to
endure. Working with found media from the 2000’s, her attention to era-specific technological and political development is an attempt to make sense of her personal experience of carceral displacement, loss, girlhood, generational inheritances, and time.

While developing her artistic style and exploring mediums in graduate school at The Ohio State University (OSU), she found herself drawn to pony beads. Wellington states, “These works are made of pony beads, an ornament typically used to adorn the end of Black braided styles.” Not only are these art materials for the artist, but also a cultural symbol and token of nostalgia from her childhood in Louisiana and Florida.

Based in Columbus, OH, Wellington received her MFA from The Ohio State University where she has also worked as a Lecturer. Her work has been shown at Blah Blah Gallery (Philadelphia, PA) The Anderson (Richmond, VA), The Hole (NYC, NY) and Pond Gallery
(Fayetteville, AR). She is a former artist-in-residence of Visible Records and Wassaic Project and a 2025 Ohio Arts Council Individual Excellence Award recipient.

Anthony Bartley is a visual artist with a focus on painting and space curation. Following a mental health crisis during his freshman year of college, Anthony began using art as a form of therapy and visual journaling. With a background in the biological sciences, Anthony’s practice is always evolving as he looks at each new piece as another experiment. This has led to a multidisciplinary approach in his visual arts practice which includes 3D modelling and animation, fashion design, and sculpture. It would take several years after this for him to realize that through sharing his art he could help others feel seen and help their mental well-being as well. Drawing on stylistic inspiration cartoons and anime from his childhood, Anthony uses illustrated characters and humor to create approachable images for the discussion of mental health issues and negative emotions.

Barrett Keithley is a multi-disciplinary artist, cultural strategist, and creative entrepreneur whose work lives at the intersection of community healing, innovation, and powerful storytelling. Born and raised on the South Side of Chicago, Barrett’s art is rooted in service- a value instilled early through daily volunteer work alongside his parents. That foundation became the heart of everything he creates: work that is deeply human, unapologetically Black, and fiercely transformational.

As the co-founder of Paint The City, Barrett helped turn city walls into monuments of hope, beauty, and resilience. His murals don’t just decorate-they activate. From partnerships with global brands like Broadway, Wilson, NASCAR, and McDonald’s, to cultural institutions like The Lyric Opera House, Chicago Children’s Museum, and Chicago History Museum, his work bridges
worlds and uplifts voices that are too often overlooked.
Barrett’s creative empire extends beyond the paintbrush. He’s the visionary behind immersive art experiences, live painting performances, augmented reality exhibitions, and exclusive
community-led events that blend art, tech, and economic opportunity. Through his organizing connecting community and economic resources to businesses. Barrett is building systems
where creativity isn’t just seen, it’s sustained.

With every stroke, show, and strategy, Barrett reminds us that art isn’t just a luxury; it’s a tool for justice, identity, and generational wealth. “When we show people their beauty, we awaken their brilliance.” -Barrett

For more than 25 years, Lance has worked as a professional photographer and visual storyteller. His career spans fine art photography, event photography, and portraiture, serving
hundreds of businesses, nonprofit organizations, and individuals.
In addition to his professional practice, Lance leads both domestic and international photography workshops for other professional photographers. These experiences have provided opportunities to document people, communities, and landscapes across a variety of
countries. His work is grounded in a balance of technical mastery and human connection, allowing him to create images that are both visually compelling and emotionally resonant.

Most recently, Lance’s work “Emmett Till’s Last Purchase” was acquired by the Contemporary Museum of Photographic Art – Chicago for their permanent collection and will be featured in
the museum’s upcoming book and exhibition “If Emmett Till Lived” by Sarah Lewis. Lance’s ability to build trust, observe thoughtfully, and capture authentic moments has been central to establishing a strong and enduring client base, producing consistently high-quality
work, and earning a reputation for effectively conveying visual narrative.

Emotions drive and smother us. It’s important to understand this and to channel them. I use acrylic, spray and house paint to smother the purity of blank canvas with abstract patterns, brilliant colors, and emotional characters. As an extroverted loner and lover of people. Living in both Detroit and Chicago, I have experienced tons of people. I keep their relatable stories, joys, and traumas with me. I somewhat represent these people in my work. My work hones in on the inner thoughts of us in our alone moments. The explosive manner that some paint is applied represents the inner vigor we all have. The simple, cleaner works represent our peaceful solemn moments where we realize and experience the famous quote “Life Is Bliss”. My work is a balance of the peace and war within us. It demands one’s spirit to interpret. The Cloud is a mental vacation from the immediate punch of reality.

Born Curtis Perry Jr., I am a Chicago based creative formally residing in the Hyde Park area. He began my artistic journey at a very young age illustrating cartoon characters and original
sketches! In 2020 during the pandemic is when he started to take my art seriously. Today I draw (no pun intended) inspiration from current and past events with an animated style of art that
speaks beyond the norm.

Alisha “Ciarra” Wallace is a photographer originally from Fairfax County, Virginia, now based in Baltimore, Maryland. She earned her degree in Fine Arts from Norfolk State University in 2009, with a background in graphic design that shaped her early eye for composition.

A member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated, Wallace uses her eye and chosen medium of photodocumentation to hold onto real moments exactly as they happen, without staging or reconstruction. Her work spans community events, portraiture, and documentary photography, including her Baltimore Riots Series, captured during the 2020 uprisings following the murder of George Floyd. Across all of her work, she approaches photography not as a director, but as a witness — present, attentive, and ready the moment something real unfolds in front of her.

Based in Columbia, Maryland, Mikhi Kelly works primarily in photography, capturing moments with an eye trained less on technical perfection and more on emotional truth. He believes the best gear and perfect conditions matter less than the intention and authenticity behind a photo — it’s the creative process itself, more than any single image, that continues to captivate him.
Kelly’s path began informally, shooting sunsets, nature, and portraits on his phone before a mentor at Oakland Mills High School noticed his eye for the craft and gifted him his first DSLR — the same camera he still shoots with today. He has been a freelance photographer for six years, having built his practice from the ground up since the pandemic.
Across all of his work, Kelly approaches photography as a pursuit of feeling over precision — chasing the moment that lingers, long after the photo is taken.

Camille “OakMille” Baldwin is an Oakland-raised, Columbus-based visual artist. Her upbringing in East Oakland, California sparked her relationship with art, which became a way to process what
she didn’t yet have words for. In college, Camille studied Human Development, a path that would go on to shape her creative voice. She rediscovered art through sessions with an art therapist
where she began using the page to process emotion again.
Each of her pieces act as steps toward reconciliation and self-acceptance. OakMille’s work folds in the insight she carries from studying the human experience across its many phases. Her work
moves through the transitional states of duality, clarity and occasional unrest, inviting viewers to look within OakMille has since shown her work across multiple exhibitions in Columbus. Most recently, her work has found its way into a wider conversation about perseverance and alignment through a painting titled “Hope”. This piece was acquired by recording artist D Smoke, which became the
cover art for his third studio album, Wake Up Supa.

My creative journey spans the realms of both traditional and digital mediums. My current artistic expressions are best described as a fusion of Afrofuturism, a genre that delves into the rich tapestry of African and African American cultures while infusing elements of science fiction, fantasy, and Afrocentrism.

In my body of work, I unite my deep admiration for the human form with bold colors and intricate patterns. Through this fusion, I aim to celebrate the exquisite beauty of Black men and women. My ultimate artistic objective is to illuminate and honor the profound beauty within the Black community, inviting viewers to appreciate and cherish the richness of this beauty through the unique lens of my art.

Dr. Imo Nse Imeh is a visual artist and scholar of African Diaspora art, whose work considers historical and philosophical issues around the Black body and cultural identity.

Dr. Imeh’s work has been exhibited in numerous public venues including the August Wilson African American Cultural Center (Pittsburgh, PA), the Fine Arts Center Galleries of Bowling Green State University (Bowling Green, Ohio), the Sigal Museum of the Northampton County Historical and Genealogical Society (Easton, Pennsylvania), the Mariposa Museum (Oak Bluffs, Massachusetts), University Museum of Contemporary Art (Amherst, Massachusetts), the Urban Institute for Contemporary Art (Grand Rapids, Michigan). His work is represented in the Petrucci Family Foundation Collection of African American Art; in the museum collection of the University of Massachusetts, Amherst; as well as in a number of private collections; and it has been featured by the PBS NewsHour, New England Public Media, Orion Magazine, and in the contemporary art and culture magazine Art New England. A series of Dr. Imeh’s works appear on the covers of six 2024 issues of the medical journal Biological Psychiatry, edited by Dr. John Krystal of Yale University. Dr. Imeh has been the recipient of the Mass Cultural Council Artist Fellowship for his studio project Benediction, a Project Evolution Grant from the ValleyCreates Program of Mass MoCA and The Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts, a Holyoke Cultural Council Grant, and the Springfield Cultural Council Grant.
Imeh earned a BA from Columbia University in 2002 and PhD in the History of African Art from Yale University in 2009. He is Professor of Art and Art History at Westfield State University in Massachusetts.

Jamaal Barber is a creative, imaginative soul born in Virginia and raised in North Carolina. In 2013, after seeing a screen printing demo at a local art store, Jamaal started experimenting with printmaking, making it his primary focus. His woodcuts and mixed-media prints illustrate the new Folio Society special edition of The Underground Railroad written by Colson Whitehead. Jamaal recently participated in the MTV/Smithsonian Channel art competition show The Exhibit. He has also worked for Twitter, the New York Times, Penguin Random House, Black Art in America, and Emory University.

Scott Terry is a Wisconsin-based visual artist whose work is a look into the power, presence and lives of the black diaspora. using oil pastels, watercolor and other mediums, terry weave his ideas and themes into beautiful portraits of life and history.

Huey Lightbody (b. 1998) is a multidisciplinary visual practitioner residing in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Born in Jamaica, Queens, and raised in Virginia Beach, Lightbody turned to creative investigation after stepping off a conventional life path, finding in his practice both refuge and revelation. His work merges street-inspired gestures, abstract portrait fragments, and modernist impulses. More than form or decoration, his surfaces serve as communicative fields for exploring the human complex, with a particular focus on the mechanisms and emotions of addiction. Through every layer and abrasion, Lightbody’s practice seeks not only to reflect personal narrative but to spark collective reckoning—and to transform vulnerability into a sharpened shared language of renewal.

Bradford Caudle (b. 1982), Coppere Ford, was born, raised and continues to rise in Richmond, VA. He functions as a multidisciplinary artist delving into channels ranging from collage to music production. As an autodidactic emerging artist, he has relied on his own research acumen, lived experience, cultural knowledge and passion for navigating the art of selection and curation of elements. His studio practice expands over 15 years and he continues to challenge himself and those around him through his creative functioning and process centering akashic memory recovery and cultural archiving within an Afrofuturistic and post-modern framework. Throughout his emerging career, he has exhibited at group exhibitions located at Southside Contemporary Art Gallery and Art Basel Miami. His debut solo exhibition is set for Fall 2025, which will weave together an envisioned thread between collaging and production balancing collage, installation and sound activations. Coppere is a dedicated and loving father and husband.