Aaron S. Coleman (Indianapolis, IN) is a multi-disciplinary artist, Associate Professor, and Kenneth E. Tyler Endowed Chair at the Herron School of Art and Design in Indianapolis. He received his MFA from Northern Illinois University in 2013. Aaron has participated in international residencies and exhibitions and has received numerous awards for his work in printmaking, sculpture and installation including the 2021 Black Box Press Foundation’s Art as Activism Grant. He is a 2022 Joan Mitchell Foundation Fellowship semi-finalist and the recipient of the 2023 New Voices Fellowship from the International Print Center New York. His work can be found in the collections of The Janet Turner Print Museum, the Ino- cho Paper Museum in Kochi, Japan, The National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts, The Yekaterinburg Museum of Art in Yekaterinburg, Russia, the National Library of France, and the Artist Printmaker and Photographer Research Archive in the Museum of Texas Tech University among many other public and private collections. Aaron’s hobbies change from year to year but currently include the cultivation of rare, terrestrial, African orchids. He is a husband, dog lover, and workaholic.
A career artist, Amani Tre Niner (Indianapolis, IN) began being an artist for a living September 24, 2009. He is the founder of “Animation Art Studio”, a home to and the beginning of dozens of artists’ careers. “The goal is teach artists how to be an artist for a living”.
Amiah Mims (Indianapolis, IN) is an ever-growing designer, painter and muralist. She is a 2015 graduate of Kent State University where she majored in Visual Communication Design and minored in Photo Illustration. She is also a retired KSU collegiate level gymnast and MAC Champion. Previously, Mims was a full-time Graphic Designer for the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. However, her need to invest more in her fundamental artistic talents motivated her leap out on faith and branch out on her own. Now, she offers a wider range of her creative services under her newly-founded company, Works By Mimsy LLC. Mims’ style is flexible, depending on the content and/or the context of the piece. She tends to focus on the human form, exploring how it expresses emotions through its movements and mannerisms. Learning to utilize her abilities to a fuller capacity has been an empowering journey so far and she looks forward to continuing her creative exploration. To date, a few of her art career highlights include the Indy BLM Street Mural (2020), Sleek: The Art of the Helmet Exhibition at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum (2022), We.The Culture exhibition at the Indianapolis Museum of Art at Newfields (2022-23), The Minutiae: A Solo Show at the Harrison Center (2023), BUTTER 1, 2 & Home Court Edition (2021-24), All Star Weekend: Jack Daniel’s Whiskey Barrels (2024) and the U.S. Olympic Swim Trials Helmet Souvenirs (2024).
April Bey (Los Angeles, CA) grew up in the Bahamas (New Providence) and now resides and works in Los Angeles as a visual artist and art educator. She is currently a tenured professor at Glendale College. Bey’s interdisciplinary artwork is an introspective and social critique of American and Bahamian culture, feminism, generational theory, social media, post-colonialism Speculative futurism/surrealism and Blerd culture. Bey’s two-dimensional mixed media works and installations are from her ongoing Atlantica series. Bey incorporates fur, glitter, vinyl and woven textiles—materials rich in queerness—to craft icons around the images of real-life figures from her community. Her work has been the subject of solo exhibitions at The Nevada Museum of Art, Reno NV; The Museum of Art and History, Lancaster, CA; The California African American Museum, Los Angeles, CA, among others. It has been included in group exhibitions at The Modern Fort Worth, Fort Worth, TX; The Southwestern Center for Contemporary Art, NC; Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art, Portland State University, Portland, OR; The Getty Museum, Los Angeles, CA; Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art, Scottsdale, AZ; Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art, Virginia Beach, VA; The National Art Gallery of The Bahamas, Nassau, Bahamas; New Orleans African American Museum, New Orleans, LA, among others. Her work is in the public collections of California African American Museum, Los Angeles, CA; Center for Contemporary Printmaking, Norwalk, CT; Escalette Collection, Chapman University, Orange, CA; Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Los Angeles, CA; National Art Gallery of the Bahamas, Nassau, The Bahamas; Museum of Art and History, Lancaster, CA; Fullerton College Art Gallery, Fullerton, CA, among others. She is represented by Tern Gallery in Nassau, Bahamas and Vielmetter Los Angeles.
Asari Aibangbee (Los Angeles, CA) is an interdisciplinary artist with a focus on filmmaking and art curation from Los Angeles, California. Asari also identifies as a queer Nigerian femme. They direct, produce, and manage projects that reflect the life of Black Queer folks all over the African diaspora. Those are the realities and narratives that they are interested in sharing with the world. Asari is also an A24 x Made in Her Image Beyond the Screen Fellow, a space where they learned the ins and outs of creating a film from pre production to distribution via a major studio company in the entertainment industry. Asari has also directed and produced a couple of her own personal projects, mostly experimental shorts about the lives of Black Queer Folks! They have been a part of a few film programs. Specifically the Promise Workshops at the Academy Museum, She Made Workshops curated by Everyday Dreamer, Critical Juncture through the Queer Women of Color Film Festival in San Francisco, and DUB Platforms at Sci-Arc and KAOS Leimert Park. These fellowships focus on world building outside of traditional film school and larger institutions. In regards to their textile/ fiber work it holds truth to their nature as an experimental artist. They started tufting and working with cyanotypes a couple years ago and their work has really evolved. They know no bounds when it comes to weaving various textures and colors together. They have an Aries Moon so that has shaped their personal style and love for different forms of expression! They are currently a Craft the Future Resident, where they will be expanding their talents as a multifaceted artist.
In 2019, Ashley Nora (Indianapolis, IN) made the bold decision to leave her career in science to pursue art full-time. Ashley captivates audiences with her unique blend of realistic oil painting portraits and evocative sculptures capturing real moments of human interaction. With no formal training it was her personal exploration of color theory and emotional resonance that truly defined her signature style. Ashley travels the world and creates public art for people in every economic and social background to experience. Ashley believes that impact is more important than income, and her desire is to impact communities through her gift and inspire others to follow their dreams and do the same.
Ash Robinson is an African American artist based in Indianapolis, Indiana where she received her BFA. While attending San Diego State University for graduate school she began experimenting with a wide range of mediums and concepts. Inspired by black portraits, Robinson’s work reflects the pride and resilience of the Black Community. She considers her multi-media approach as a representation of an eclectic black society. Robinson has been featured in numerous exhibitions including Cause & Æffect: Art that Speaks Out, Indiana State Museum, The Simplicity of Being: Identity & Personhood in a Complex World, New Delhi, India, as well as the Butter 3 Fine Art Fair held in Indianapolis, IN. The Beckmann Emerging Artist Fellowship and the Creative Renewal Fellowship from the Arts Council of Indianapolis are among her top accomplishments. Ash Robinson’s artistic career proves she is capable of expertly working in any medium and that sets her apart from her peers.
Autumn Breon (Los Angeles, CA) is a multidisciplinary artist who investigates the visual vocabulary of liberation through a queer Black feminist lens. Using performance, sculpture, and public installation, Breon invites audiences to examine intersectional identities and Diasporic memory. Breon imagines her work as immersive invitations for the public to join in the reimagining and creation of systems that make current oppressive systems obsolete. Breon has created commissions for Target, Art Production Fund, Frieze Art Fair, and the ACLU of Southern California. Breon’s performance history includes Hauser & Wirth, the Walt Disney Concert Hall, and the Water Mill Center. She is an alumna of Stanford University where she studied Aeronautics & Astronautics and researched aeronautical astrobiology applications. Breon is a recipient of the Crenshaw Dairy Mart Fellowship for Abolition & the Advancement of the Creative Economy and the Race Forward Fellowship for Housing, Land, and Justice.
Barry Yusufu (Abuja, Nigeria) is a Nigerian artist, specialising in figurative portraiture. Stemming from a deep sense of purpose and a keen observation, Barry explores the deeper set ideals that connect us all as humans- love, hope, brotherhood, melancholy, culture, while honouring the identity and innate beauty of his subjects. A self taught painter, Barry began his professional career in 2017; working through a variety of media from acrylics and oils to papier maché and coffee. This resulting in the birth of many distinct styles, most notably his widely loved “Bronze skin” technique. In Barry’s career as an artist, he has gone from wondering why people like him aren’t often represented in art, to presenting their stories with the candor and self dignity he often embodies. Barry has exhibited in numerous group shows, including Zut! Paris, Bode Berlin, Eduardo Secci Gallery and Breeder Gallery; and has held solo exhibitions in Luce Gallery, Italy and Gordon Gallery, Isreal.
Born in Koforidua, Ghana, the fiber, sculpture, installation artist and educator lives and work in Bloomington, Indiana. She earned her BA from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) and specialized in Textiles & Fashion. Her influential research led her to explore fiber in sculptural dimensions by combining materials foreign to the fiber society at Indiana University, Bloomington. Her artistic sensitivities and interrogations are profoundly informed by transformation, change and adaptation of patinated copper married with woven Kente strips made in Bonwire, Kumasi- Ghana. She recently completed a 60ft commissioned installation for Eskenazi Health E 38th Thomas & Arlene Campus in Indianapolis and has since been the recipient of numerous awards and grants including Emerging Artist Grant -Bloomington (2024), Dendel Scholarship (Handweavers Guild of America, 2023), Horn Scholarship (Penland School of Craft, 2023) and Wingate Fellowship (Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts, Gatlinburg – TN, 2022). Her exhibitions have spanned national and international galleries with institutions such as Atlantic Gallery (USA), Artist Talk magazine (UK), International Design and Art Journal (Turkey), FAR Center for Contemporary, NSAL (USA) with 3 peer review journals in Art, Fashion and Education.
Christopher “Rocket” Descartes (Los Angeles, CA) is a Caribbean American Artist. Brooklyn born, currently residing in Los Angeles where he has been producing a wide array of works focused more on the materials and created textures of the physical works as well as dialogue that come along with it to illuminate his subject. Chris shares his abstract perspective of American culture through sculpture, painting, and story.
Christopher Newell (Portland, OR) is a photographer and artist born and raised in the Chicago-land area. He received his Bachelor’s degree in Photography in 2020 from the Herron School of Art + Design (Indianapolis, IN). His work delves into themes of meditation, identity, self-love, self-expression, pro-blackness, and mental health, creating narratives that touch the essence of human experience. Newell’s artistic journey is enriched by his diverse background in various forms of art, including playing instruments, drawing, and acting. These experiences fostered a deep appreciation for storytelling and self-expression, leading him to explore the world of photography during his college years. In addition to his creative practice, Newell has served as a panelist for the “On-Ramp Creative Entrepreneur Accelerator Program” for the Indiana Arts Commission, contributing his insights to support and mentor emerging artists. Through his photography, Newell aims to inspire other image-makers to explore and embrace their own identities and narratives. His work acts as a beacon, encouraging photographers to use their craft for personal exploration and societal commentary, ultimately fostering a more inclusive and empathetic photographic community that values diversity and the mental well-being of its subjects and practitioners alike.
Cornelius Tulloch (Miami, FL) is a Miami-based interdisciplinary artist and architect. His work transcends the boundaries of photography, fine art, and architecture. Tulloch focuses on how creative mediums can be combined and subverted to tell powerful stories. Cinematic moments, spatial complexity, light, and color are important characters in his practice. His work explores the importance of cultural identity within built environments and how space shapes culture, which in turn cultivates landscapes. Tulloch’s work has been shown in institutions such as the Kennedy Center, Washington D.C.; NYU Center for Black Visual Culture, New York; CUE Art Foundation, New York; Locust Projects, Miami; Faena Art Project Room, Miami; and the MAXXI, Rome. He was a 2016 Presidential Scholar in the Arts, and his work is presented as part of the permanent collection of the Studio Museum in Harlem. Tulloch has won numerous prizes; he was named an Emerging Visionary Grantee by Instagram and the Brooklyn Museum’s Black Visionaries Program in 2022, is a two-time Oolite Ellies Award recipient, and received the 2023 YoungArts Jorge M. Perez Award. He has completed residencies at Cite Internationale des Arts Paris; DVCAI, Suriname; Anderson Ranch, Aspen, CO; Artist in Residence in the Everglades; and more. Many of Tulloch’s projects have been grounded in his upbringing and communities in Miami, as well as inspired by his Jamaican and African- American heritage. His work expresses the ways in which bodies exist between cultures and borders. Tulloch’s multidisciplinary practice seeks to redefine and reshape the boundaries of art and space. (shortened) Cornelius Tulloch is a Miami-based interdisciplinary artist and architect. His work transcends the boundaries of photography, fine art, and architecture to tell powerful stories. His work explores the importance of cultural identity within built environments and how space shapes culture, which in turn cultivates landscapes. Tulloch’s work has been shown in institutions such as the NYU Center for Black Visual Culture; CUE Art Foundation, New York; Locust Projects; Faena Art Project Room; and the MAXXI, Rome. He was a 2016 Presidential Scholar in the Arts, and his work is presented as part of the permanent collection of the Studio Museum in Harlem. Tulloch has won numerous prizes and residencies; including the Emerging Visionary Grant by Instagram and the Brooklyn Museum, two Oolite Ellies Awards, 2023 YoungArts Jorge M. Perez Award, and Artist Laureate for the Bakehouse x Cité internationale des arts residency in Paris, France. As Artistic director of AIRIE (Artist in Residence in the Everglades) he has led projects for “Personal Structures” in Venice Italy, April 2024; and the 2024 Cooper Hewitt Design Triennial. Many of Tulloch’s projects have been grounded in his upbringing and communities in Miami, as well as inspired by his Jamaican and African- American heritage. His work expresses the ways in which bodies exist between cultures and borders. Tulloch’s multidisciplinary practice seeks to redefine and reshape the boundaries of art and space.
Cortney Herron (Los Angeles, CA) is a distinguished contemporary figurative painter renowned for her captivating works that effortlessly blend bold color palettes with serene compositions, inviting viewers into a realm of tranquility and introspection. Based in and native to the sun-drenched landscapes of Los Angeles, California, Cortney’s artistic journey was profoundly influenced by her upbringing, where she cultivated a profound reverence for the natural world. Drawing inspiration from the subtle intricacies of nature, her paintings serve as a conduit for exploring the interconnectedness between humanity and our surroundings. Adept at capturing the human form in its most intimate moments, Cortney’s work transcends mere representation, delving into the depths of human consciousness. Through her honest and evocative portrayals, she invites viewers to explore the nuances of introspection, where perspective and proportion yield to the raw authenticity of lived experience.
D. Del Reverda Jennings (Indianapolis, IN) is an Alaskan Native, Indianapolis-based, self-taught artist whose interdisciplinary practice draws from a kaleidoscope of cultural nuance, insight and connection with extensive experience in the Fine Arts. She is a prolific visual creator who fabricates outputs that push the boundaries of creativity in award-winning 2, and 3 -dimensional work which feature personal symbolism and reflective imagery pervasive of African, Caribbean/Afro Latine/a/o Diasporic culture relative to contemporary women of color and the Divine Feminine in what she defines and renders as being “Goddess Persona”. She explores subjects through organic, ethereal forms manifested tangibly in mixed media, traditional mediums and unconventional materials; ‘steel-to-stone, paint-to-paper.” Each of these works are highly influenced by identity, women’s issues, colorism, social commentary, stereotypical assumptions, Négritude, indigenous wisdom’s folklore, ritual, myth, magic, ancestral memory to afro-futuristic realities.
Deonna Craig (Indianapolis, IN) is an Indianapolis based visual artist and the first Director of BUTTER Fine Art Fair. She graduated from Cathedral High School and DePauw University with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication and Sociology. As an entrepreneur, Deonna pursues her passions of community building, teaching, public speaking and visual art. 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. She is also a published artist with credits to dozens of outlets such as The New York Times, Forbes, and Sports Illustrated. Deonna is the 2021-2022 Visiting Artist at the Indianapolis Children’s Museum and the 2020-2021 Virtual Resident Artist at The Madam Walker Legacy Center. She is also the President of the Eighteen Art Collective comprised of the 18 artists that actualized the Black Lives Matter mural on Indiana Avenue in 2020.
Desi (Lafayette, IN) is a Black biracial woman who is a mother and a head of her household. She is a father and a mother. Born in Cheyenne, Wyoming to a single white mother, she sees herself as part of a long history of women struggling to navigate these conflicting and intersecting identities. Using found materials, her sculptural work explores the interior lives, bodies, and struggles of Black women who, like her, are navigating single parenthood. Her goal is to create a space in which women feel recognized and celebrated for their brilliance, beauty, and power regardless of their financial situation, marital or parental status.
Eddie Santana White (Chicago, IL), also known as ‘Edo,’ is a self-taught multidisciplinary artist and entrepreneur from Chicago’s South Side. With a diverse creative skill set spanning art, fashion, graphic design, and industrial design, Edo is infinite! Under his brand ‘Infinite Inception,’ Edo delves into the concept of boundless and timeless creativity, drawing inspiration from his favorite film, ‘Inception.’ His art offers viewers an immersive experience, with each viewing revealing something new, distinct, and infinite. Edo began as a graphic designer for prominent Chicago brands such as Leaders 1354, Fat Tiger Works, Treated Crew, and Joe Freshgoods. In 2017, he ventured into painting, and his artwork has evolved into a mesmerizing narrative brimming with a diverse range of elements and a vibrant palette of colors. Drawing inspiration from artistic luminaries like Hebru Brantley, Kaws, Salvador Dali, and Peter Saul, Edo is known for creating art that evokes unique stories from his life experiences, ensuring that each viewing becomes an enlightening journey of discovery. Beyond his creative pursuits, Edo’s commitment extends to mentorship and advocacy. Edo’s ultimate vision is establishing a technologically advanced art school, empowering inner-city youth to reach their full potential. His artistic endeavors and vision have not gone unnoticed, as collaborations with entities like the Chicago White Sox and the Chicago Art Expo, After School Matters, Bank of America Chicago Half Marathon and appearances on various shows and networks have showcased his unique creative voice.
Faith Blackwell (Indianapolis, IN) has been a full-time photographer since 2011. While working in marketing for the International Masonry Institute, she picked up a camera and discovered her passion for photography. Photography chose her. Faith is a published photographer and mixed-media artist specializing in business headshots, commercial, event and fashion photography. Faith is the 2023 featured artist for Dress for Success Indianapolis Stepping Out In Style, the premier fundraiser for the organization and have been part of art exhibits at Saks 5th Avenue for 2 years. She has a studio at the historic Stutz Building and shares an art space/gallery in Broad Ripple, Studio C Arts. Faith is on the board for Indy Maven, a digital connector for women in central Indiana through captivating and rich storytelling, crazy fun events and an audience of highly engaged badass women. Faith also sits on the boards for Dress for Success Indianapolis and Indianapolis Zoo. Recently, Faith has become a featured photographer at the multi-million dollar Bottleworks Hotel and The Garage projects. She was asked to capture portraits of the people who worked on the facility. Her mixed media artistry is in the pop art style. Her works are known to put smiles on faces and take people back to lighter times. Inspiration comes in all shapes and forms. Faith is a child of the 80s and uses this in her work and thrives when she is able to be creative. People tend to think of her work as whimsical and smile whenever they view it. Much of her passion projects show this. Faith loves to create works of art that promote female empowerment.
FITZ (Indianapolis, IN) is a self-taught artist born and raised in Indianapolis, IN. He is fueled by the desire to maintain a style that cannot be boxed in. He is a cartoonist, surrealist, and and creates abstractions from pop culture to tell stories in the hopes that they can be relatable to a universal audience.
Gary Gee (Indianapolis, IN) 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.
Greg Rose (Indianapolis, IN) is an Indianapolis-based conceptual artist and curator whose practice centers on the narratives and lived experiences of marginalized folks in a way that honors the past, present, and future. Their independent work lives by the moniker “haykidd” and has been featured in the “love is” campaign by Uninterrupted and at BUTTER Fine Art Fair 2021-22. They were the BUTTER curatorial fellow for 2023. Most recently, Greg was awarded with the creative risk grant provided by the Simone Foundation. Greg is currently the program coordinator for 10 East Arts, Creative Renewal Fellow, an artist, and Public Life Resident at Big Car. Throughout Greg’s curatorial career, partnerships with galleries and nonprofit agencies have allowed them to create more accessible pathways to sustainability and equity for emerging visual artists in Indianapolis.
Harriet Watson’s (Indianapolis, IN) artistic journey unfolds as a testament to evolution and exploration. Initially rooted in self-portraiture and the exploration of her identity as a black woman, Watson’s practice has now shifted towards abstraction and drawing inspiration from external sources. This shift reflects a broader creative direction where personal expression takes a backseat to the exploration of broader themes and inspirations. Watson’s creative process is characterized by a meticulous approach to documenting brushstrokes and experimenting with various materials. A pivotal moment came when she improvised with a Vogue magazine as a palette, discovering unexpected beauty in its accidental marks and dried paint. This serendipitous discovery sparked a fascination with sustainability in art, leading her to explore the reuse of materials and finding meaning in what others may discard. Embracing intuition and spontaneity, Watson navigates the balance between control and letting go in her work. Her art invites viewers to contemplate themes of creativity, sustainability, and the transformative power of unconventional materials. Through her ongoing exploration, Harriet Watson continues to push boundaries and redefine her artistic expression, inviting audiences to engage with the complexities of identity, inspiration, and the evolving role of art in contemporary society.
India Cruse-Griffin (Richmond, IN) is an accomplished Mid-Western artist/ educator, who earned her Bachelor of Science in Art Education from Ball State University Muncie, Indiana. Her love of Art, family, and community came to India at an early age when her Mother concentrated on the family being close, having exposure to the arts, and strong family beliefs. At the very early age of three, India created art far above her years, as her mother encouraged her to experiment with art; working with various materials. Although in her early adult years, she was far more of a perfectionist. The imperfect edges of the tapestry of torn papers were not yet a part of her works, but a smooth and more sophisticated style dominated her work till her early twenties. Marriage and starting a family, India still possessed the need for Art, and her unique style started to emerge with limited time to paint. Continuing to Teach in Public School, In 1993 she decided to exhibit her art publicly again and pursue a career as a professional artist. Since returning to art professionally, India has created Art for Gainbridge Fieldhouse and has continued to exhibit with Gainbridge artists around the city. She has recently shown solo exhibitions at the Harrison Center for the Arts and is currently working on several large projects, one being a mural size piece for Indiana University school of Law. India’s work has been recently shown on HGTV series “Good Bones” and she has just completed work for another upcoming HGTV show. India’s art is exhibited throughout the Midwest, including several Indiana and Illinois venues, museums, hospitals, art galleries, and universities across the country. India has served as an Indiana Arts Commissioner, Legislative Arts Advocacy Council, Humanities and Racial Equality member, Art Museum Board, Art Teacher, and has served on several state and local committees for many years. Her works are brilliant with color, and it is from her childhood memories growing up in Indiana, she began to paint and create multi-layered, multi-textured representations of the people in her life.
Isis Dua (Los Angeles, CA) is a contemporary painter, muralist and performing artist from Maryland based in Los Angeles, CA. Her work focuses on African spirituality and culture to inspire and empower the viewer to embrace and explore distant parts of self to create a brighter future. Her pieces include African and Indigenous masks, portrait, and abstract landscapes with acrylic on canvas and mixed media collage. Isis has murals on Melrose Ave and Historical Leimert Park. She has been exhibited with Valence Projects, Aziz Gallerie, 90220 Gallery, and featured in Burning Man 2023 installation “Farmer the Rigger”. Her work is inspired by artists such as Lois Mailou Jones, Elizabeth Catlett, and Lonnie Holley.
Israel Solomon (Indianapolis, IN) is an acrylic painter, muralist, graphic designer, and educator. His artwork showcases his continuous development and understanding of color, form and shape. Using geometric shapes and vibrant hues, Israel creates narratives that reflect his life experiences. Many of his works focus on narrative and tell stories based that are reflective of his past, present, and the future that he visualizes within. Israel has worked with groups such as The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis, Eli Lilly, Indy Parks, Starbucks, Ocean Prime, Major League Soccer, Marian University, Jack Daniels Honey, and Lids. He has also received a variety of awards and grants through organizations such as St. Paul’s Indy, The Indianapolis Arts Council, and the Efroymson Family Fund. Israel has also displayed his work in OshKosh, Wisconsin, Chicago, Illinois, Columbus, Ohio, and Cincinnati, Oh. His plan is to continue to grow and develop as an artist, and have his work displayed at galleries, fairs, expos and museums across the country.
Jess Owens-Young (Catonsville, MD) is a multidisciplinary self-taught artist whose work focuses on living joyfully while Black in the United States. Her work seeks to highlight Black people’s joy in the US, especially during childhood. Her work incorporates nature, such as the outdoors, flowers, and houseplants, to share the connections Black people have with the natural world. She uses her art to explore the lives of Black people, including interior lives, both physically and emotionally. Jess works primarily with acrylics, oil pastels, oil pigment sticks, and acrylic inks on paper. Her works include figurative mixed media painting and collage. Her inspirations include artists such as William H. Johnson, Elizabeth Catlett, Emory Douglas, Delita Martin, Henry Taylor, Deborah Roberts, and Alice Neel, and authors such as Octavia Butler and Toni Morrison.
The overwhelming statement that Johnson Simon’s (Indianapolis, IN) artistic work should suggest to a viewer is movement. He desires to express himself through dancing, but his disability limits him from moving about the way that he would like. Instead, he uses his God-given gift of painting to demonstrate his desire to live life with no physical restrictions. He has always been interested in body movement, but it was a dance recital at Western Michigan University that inspired him to create his first dance-focused expressionistic painting. From then on, he became a student of how the body moves and emotes. He used all types of movement in my research including walking, running, swimming, and skydiving. He even recorded his own movements and discovered his own rhythms. Now when he paints, he chooses bright colors and broad and sweeping motions with his paint brush to transfer that feeling of movement onto the canvas. In his artistic work, he can move freely about without limitations. As someone with a disability, movement impacts me on a daily basis. His artwork is a way for him to express how he would move if he could do so freely and uninterrupted. On canvas, he can run, walk, jump, and he can dance without being bound by physical limitations. In that way, the paint brush is an extension of himself. Johnson’s style of work is expressionistic. He uses heavy dark lines along with vibrant colors to display a sense of motion and flare. He especially enjoys watching dancers and athletes, and make a conscious effort to transfer the graceful display of dance and athleticism into his art. The human body is both complicated and elegant, and with the extra component of motion added, it is a vessel unlike any other in this world. To display this complex yet delicate device in motion, he makes use of vivid colors with heavy black strokes to show the sense movement. His style of work is expressionistic.
Justin A. Carney (Fort Collins, CO) is an artist and educator that uses autobiographical photography to question how death and grief affect familial connections—the bonds that keep a family together and cause them to separate, and how grief shapes an individual. Much of Carney’s artistic practice deals with confronting and exposing grief surrounding death to create an avenue for not only himself but also for others to find healing and cope with the deaths in their lives. Carney is originally from Baltimore, Maryland, and currently teaches at Colorado State University. He received an MFA in Studio Art with a concentration in Photography from Indiana University Bloomington, and a BFA in Photography from Pennsylvania College of Art & Design. He is the recipient of the Beckmann Emerging Artist Fellowship (2024) from the Indy Arts Council, Indianapolis, IN; First Place Single Image Award from LensCulture Art Photography Awards 2023; and the 2022 Emerging Artist Grant from the Bloomington Arts Commission, Bloomington, IN. His work has been exhibited in venues both nationally and internationally.
Kenneth Hordge, FINGERCREATIONS (Indianapolis, IN), creates artwork that captures the essence of his subjects and their intense emotions while embodying his unique artistic expression. Mostly known for his celebrity portraits, Kenneth credits God for his talents, and uses his spirituality as an inspiration. Kenneth is a self-taught visual artist and continues to use his unique medium of oil pastels, drywall, and broken glass while creating with just his “fingers”. He has been featured at Saks Fifth Avenue, BrunchNGrooves, Belles N Blow Ties, CCIC First Fridays, The Indianapolis Children’s Museum, Indianapolis Arts Center, The Indianapolis Public Library, Meet The Artists & Hip Hop Anthology, Fox 59, and the Indianapolis Star. He is also a member of the Indianapolis-based art collective The Eighteen Art Collective which grew in popularity after the creation of a Black Lives Matter mural on the historic Indiana Avenue in 2020. The collective was later featured in the Indianapolis Museum of Art with an exhibition titled: WE. THE CULTURE: WORKS BY THE EIGHTEEN ART COLLECTIVE.
Kevin James Wilson is an Artist from Indianapolis. God has instilled a passion within him that he has used every day of his life and that is to create art. His favorite medium is drawing with Prismacolor Pencils. Kevin attended the prestigious Rhode Island School of Design on a full scholarship. While there, he drew and presented a portrait to Muhammad Ali for the New Future Foundation and the International Year of the Child. He was the youngest artist at age 19 ever admitted to the Washington Square Outdoor Art Exhibit in New York City and the exhibition was in its 97th year. During Kevin’s time at Rhode Island School of Design he served on the Admissions Committee as a student representative for 2 years, Graduation Honors Committee, Chairman of Entertainment on the Student Board and was the President of the Third World Coalition of Artists during his Junior year. Kevin is eternally grateful for those experiences that he was awarded because this helped to shape and mold him into the artist that he is today. Kevin’s work has been shown in his hometown of Indianapolis to Las Vegas including the murals he created in the world’s largest children’s museum in Indianapolis. In Las Vegas, from 1999 until 2001 his work was mainly shown in Caesars Palace. Upon returning to Indy, his focus turned to fine arts. Shows such as the prestigious Hoosier Salon , Black Creativity at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago, Indiana Artist Club exhibitions and The Indianapolis Museum of Art at Newfields are among some of the juried shows where his artwork has been accepted. Kevin’s work was recently exhibited in Saks Fifth Avenue Gallery for the months February, March and July in 2021. As a college professor of graphic design, Kevin taught at International Business College in Indianapolis. This is a position he held for 25 years. He also taught drawing and airbrush at The Indianapolis Art Center for 12 years. Artists that inspired his style are Leonardo Da Vinci, Rembrandt, Michael Angelo, Norman Rockwell and Joseph Holiday. Airbrush, acrylics, oils, pastels and electronic graphics have all been mediums where he’s worked. The return to his real passion, which is drawing, took place in 2016. Kevin’s Prismacolor pencil drawings have been shown in the Hoosier Salon, The Indianapolis Museum of Art at Newfields, The Indiana State Fair, The Indiana Artist Club and The Richmond Museum of Fine Art. In 2016 a painting in the Gallery Forty Two exhibition “A Century of Speed.” earned him the title “World Class.” The Indy 500 presented an exciting opportunity for Kevin as he is a racing fan to the core. His piece entitled “Pit Stop” was on display at the Speedway for the 100th running of the Indianapolis 500, amongst 32 other artists work. Kevin’s drawing entitled “Jessica” was also selected by the Indianapolis Arts Council to be displayed around the city as a High Art Billboard. His piece entitled “Kings of the Castle” was currently displayed in a larger than life mural at Indianapolis International Airport on Concourse A, from 2021 until 2022. One of Kevin’s most recent accomplishments was the induction into the Indiana Artist Club in 2019. The Indiana Artist Club was established in 1917 by such notables as T.C Steele and Otto Stark. He was elected President in 2022 of this elite 126 member organization, and is currently serving his second term as President. Kevin is the very first artist of color to hold this position. One of his goals is to sell his art not just locally but globally. “Art is not a way of living for me, but a way of life”. This is God’s talent. I’m just using it as I pass through this world”.
Kevin Nance West (Indianapolis, IN) is a professional fine artist, art entrepreneur in the Indianapolis area, specializing in contemporary abstract paintings and representational portrait art of young African American children. 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, Founder of Gifted Custom Art (Art Technology Company). (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 Oil Painting. His abstract portrait art done with acrylics and oil pastels are figures of pop culture, Black influencers and children. 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. Additional recognitions include: 500 Art Festival ‘Young Artist of the Year’ Meet the Artist: Top 50 Artists of the Decade Work featured at Nationally recognized Cincinnati Art Museum, Cincinnati,Ohio. Work featured at Nationally recognized Newfields Art Museum, Indianapolis, In. Works Acquired by NAACP Works Acquired by Indianapolis Children’s Museum Works Acquired by IUPUI University Commissioned by Wiley Publishing to paint the cover of Robert G. Hagstrom autobiography of Warren Buffett, Titled: Warren Buffett, Inside the ultimate money mind. Solo exhibition at Madame CJ Walker Mural installation piece on Indiana Avenue Work featured Art Museum of Greater Lafayette Solo exhibition: Gallery Forty-Two; “Heart of the city” Influential Collectors: Ed Gordon, Journalist George Hill, Pro athlete Mike Epps, comedian Warren Buffett, Investor Jill Scott, singer and actress Dwight Howard, Pro athlete Jrue and Lauren Holiday, Pro athletes Anthony and Marlin Davis, Pro athlete Reggie Wayne, Pro athlete Gary Brackett, Pro athlete And more.
Kim Dacres (New York, NY) lives and works between Harlem and the Bronx, New York. She earned her MA in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages from CUNY Lehman College and BA in Political Science, Art Studio, and Africana Studies from Williams College. Dacres’s work has been exhibited around the world, including recent solo exhibitions at Charles Moffett Gallery in New York, NY (2023), Gavlak Gallery in Los Angeles, CA (2020) and Palm Beach, FL (2021), as well as group exhibitions internationally and within the U.S., including Black American Portraits at Spelman College Museum of Fine Art, Atlanta, GA (2023) and Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Los Angeles, CA (2021), Sounds of Blackness at The Metropolitan Museum of Manila, Philippines (2023), Godhead – Idols in Times of Crisis at Lustwarande 12th Edition, Tilburg, Netherlands (2022), Arrangements in Black at Phillips, New York, NY (2022), From a Place, Of a Place, presented by ArtNoir X regularnormal X Meatpacking District, New York, NY (2021), Through the Looking Glass, presented by UTA Artist Space, Beverly Hills, CA (2021), Dueling Consciousness, presented by Zidoun-Bossuyt, Luxembourg (2023), and Surrealism and Us: African and Caribbean Diasporic Artists since 1940 at the The Modern, Fort Worth, TX. Dacres is the recipient of the Artadia New York Award Grant (2022) and the Bronx Recognizes Its Own (BRIO) Grant in 2023. Her work is included in the public collections at Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Los Angeles, CA; The Institute of Contemporary Art , Miami, FL; The Nasher Museum at Duke University, Durham, NC; and The International African American Museum, Charleston, SC. Dacres is currently collaborating with Charles Moffett and Zidoun-Bossuyt.
Kyng Rhodes (Indianapolis, IN) stands as a contemporary artist whose work transcends the canvas, radiating with vibrancy, color, and profound expressiveness. Born with a natural inclination towards the arts, Kyng has evolved into a creator whose distinctive style captivates audiences and invites them into a world where every stroke of the brush “spotlights” the rich tapestry of life. His work, characterized by its vivid hues, organic motifs, and spiritual undercurrents, invites viewers on a journey of self-discovery and introspection. Rhodes’and his work, have been mentioned and featured in several publications including Ebony, Forbes , and New York Times. Kyng’s art is not merely a visual spectacle; it is a call to attention, a beckoning to recognize the beauty in the ordinary and the extraordinary alike
Langston Allston (New Orleans, LA) is an artist and muralist living and working in New Orleans. His work has appeared in shows around the country, including a two-person show with artist and cultural historian Big Chief Demond Melancon at the Museum of Contemporary African Diaspora Art in Brooklyn (2018) and a solo show with the National Public Housing Museum in Chicago (2018). Langston’s work has also been included in the 2020 exhibition of southern artists, Make America What America Must Become, at the Contemporary Arts Center in New Orleans. Beyond his studio practice, Langston has also created murals and installations for a wide range of clients from corner stores and nail salons to Alembic Community Development and the Chicago Bulls. The consistent thread through his work has been a genuine curiosity about the world around him, and a commitment to making honest and legible work that speaks to his community.
LaShawnda Crowe Storm (Indianapolis, IN) is a mixed media and community-based artist, activist, community builder and occasionally an urban farmer. Whether making artwork or sowing seeds, she uses her creative power as a vehicle for dialogue around topics such as racial and gender violence, social change and justice. At the core of her practice is a desire to create community; any community in which the process of making art creates a space for difficult discussions with an eye towards community healing. Crowe Storm has received numerous awards for art and community activism including but not limited to: ArtPlace America National Creative Placemaking Award ($200K), DeHaan Artists of Distinction Award, Creative Renewal Award (2011 and 2022) and a three time winner of the Puffin Foundation Award. She received an M.F.A. from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago and has received training and certification in a variety of community-based dialogue methodologies, racial justice and community development processes.
Lyndy Bazile (Fort Wayne, IN) began her painting career in 2018 and is now a full-time artist at Studio Vwazen. Through her work, she aims to center 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.
Machaila Gray (Indianapolis, IN) is a multidisciplinary artist born and based in Indianapolis. Gray specializes in vibrant illustrations that combine elements of nature and human expression with a touch of the weird and unconventional. Her style is bold and eclectic, drawing inspiration from various forms of media such as comics, anime, and contemporary Black artists. Machaila studied illustration and sculpture at Herron School of Art+Design in 2021, where she received her Bachelor of Fine Arts.
Mary Harris (Los Angeles, CA), raised in Gloucester County, New Jersey in the early 90’s then later moving to Los Angeles . She is a creative entrepreneur known for her passion for art and community. Mary, a third-generation painter, is a multimedia artist who values positive collaboration and support for talent. She captures those “who deserve recognition… those who inspire me and whose stories beg to be told.” Whether she’s creating a quick sketch or a more intensive piece, Mary appreciates the intimacy and catharsis that unfolds between artist and subject. “I feel a spiritual connection to what I paint,” she explains. “I become a conduit for sharing, authenticity, and vulnerability through creative expression. Together, we experience the purity of simply being present.”
Max Sansing (Chicago, IL) is a Chicago-based fine artist and one of the city’s most prolific and talented muralists. His distinct aesthetic fuses the color-drenched dynamism of street art with the technical elegance of photorealism. Born and raised on the South Side by two artistic parents, Sansing discovered his passion and creative gift at an early age. During his youth he was involved with several graffiti crews and taught himself oil painting before completing formal training at the American Academy of Art. In addition to his studio practice, Sansing is frequently commissioned to create large-scale murals and experiential installations across the country. He is deeply committed to supporting his Chicago community and is involved with numerous youth programs that expand arts opportunities in underserved areas. His work has been featured in gallery shows and special events in Chicago, New York, and around the world.
A 90s baby, Mechi Shakur (Indianapolis, IN) is an Indianapolis raised and based artist. He has displayed art at the Indiana State Museum and made countless murals around the city of Indiana. Painting for seven years now and self-taught, Mechi Shakur believes your art is a reflection of you and loves to blur the lines of reality and the imagination through an assortment of color, all while diving into social issues touching many subjects.
Micah Johnson (Indianapolis, IN), a former MLB player, has transformed into a renowned artist and creative visionary, captivating audiences with his expressive charcoal portraits and colorful work featuring his beloved character, Aku. Inspired by a young boy’s question about whether astronauts could be Black, Johnson created artworks showcasing African American children in space helmets, symbolizing limitless potential. His poignant portraits eventually led to the creation of Aku, which has been featured on the cover of TIME Magazine. In 2020, Johnson’s digital art piece sä-v(ə-)rən-tē sold for $120,000, marking a milestone and earning him the title of “2020 NFT of the Year.” He brought Aku to life in 2021 during Miami Art Week with Aku World, a 30,000-square-foot immersive exhibit. Johnson now uses Aku to empower people to dream without limits, collaborating with partners like Starbucks, VISA, and Beats by Dre, and inspiring a new generation through art.
Natou Fall (Los Angeles, CA) is a Senegalese-American multidisciplinary visual artist working across sculpture, film, and make-up artistry. Fall’s storytelling explores themes of nostalgia, trans-nationalism, the black femme experience, sensuality, spirituality, and the supernatural. Their practice embraces notions of multiplicity, glamour, and the self, to embolden radical self acceptance, and challenge contemporary and classical notions of beauty.
Rebekah Gaillard (Los Angeles, CA), an artist and creative director, utilizes photography to create emotionally expressive images inspired by her personal experiences and cultural identity as a Black immigrant woman. Seeking to redefine photography’s role in fine arts, she showcases its sophistication through mastery of light, form, and color, generating painting-like images. Rebekah’s work has been exhibited in group shows in Indianapolis, Los Angeles, and Atlanta, and she opened her first solo exhibition of photography at The Michael O’Brien Gallery Phoenix in 2023. In 2019, she co-curated an all-women art show in Los Angeles, aiming to highlight women’s contributions to the visual arts and to the culture. Renowned for her creativity, Rebekah has worked with various clients, from emerging brands to corporate giants, earned recognition from The Artist Gallery Awards, and has been featured in digital publications such as CanvasRebel Magazine.
Samuel Levi Jones (Indianapolis, IN) was born and raised in Marion, Indiana. Trained as a photographer and multidisciplinary artist, he earned a B.A. in Communication Studies from Taylor University and a B.F.A from Herron School of Art and Design in 2009. He received his MFA in Studio Art from Mills College in 2012. His work is informed by historical source material and early modes of representation in documentary practice. He explores the framing of power structures and struggles between exclusion and equality by desecrating historical material, then re-imagining new works. Jones investigates issues of manipulation and the rejection of control in a broad sense. He is the recipient of the 2014 Joyce Alexander Wein artist prize awarded to him by the Studio Museum in Harlem. His work is in prominent private and public collections including SF MoMA, The Whitney, The Rubell Family Collection, LACMA, the Studio Museum in Harlem, the Art Institute of Chicago, and the Indianapolis Museum of Art at Newfields to name a few.
Tasha Beckwith (Indianapolis, IN) hails from the city of Indianapolis, IN, where her artistic journey began to unfold. During her formative years, Tasha immersed herself in the realm of artistic expression, leading her to the distinguished halls of Herron School of Art and Design, from which she proudly graduated in 2006. You can see her work around town including her mural at Peace Park of the legendary Madame CJ Walker, find her works at Indianapolis International Airport, Hilton Hotels, Indiana University and a host of other places. Tasha is also an illustrator at the Indiana Repertory Theater, as well as a coin designer at the United States Mint.
Tashema Davis is a full time artist and middle school art teacher. She is primarily an oil painter who enjoys painting African American portraits. Her work is expressive and full of color. Davis desires to highlight everyday people and circ*mstances through painting. She continues to master her painting techniques by experimenting with different subject matters like animals, balloons and abstract objects.
Terrible Tony (South Bend, IN) is inspired by iconic people and moments in society’s pop culture. Through a painting style influenced by pop art, he creates compositions with a multitude of iconic pop cultural references from the past, present and future. He draws heavily from internet culture, film and music adding a twist of nostalgia.
Tumi Adeleye (Los Angeles, CA) is a first gen Nigerian-American. She was born and raised in an African household in the heart of New York, Brooklyn before moving to the heart of Nigeria, Lagos. The drastic changes in her surroundings triggered a passion for sharing her photography with the world in hopes of connecting and reconnecting with people. Overtime Tumi’s passion for photography developed into visual storytelling, with a desire to share emotions unique to her experience within a world where words may not do her expression justice. Through photography, Tumi explores the complexities of the cultures she grew up in from the perspective of a black woman living in America and Lagos, Nigeria. Her work highlights the nostalgia of growing up in Brooklyn in the late 1990s and early 2000s and is equally inspired by her transition to Lagos at a young age. Piecing together the puzzle of life, she sheds light on topics such as black beauty, mental health, love, emotions and more. Her goal is to connect people to stories and imagery that are often under-appreciated, unrecognized, and forgotten. Tumi’s style of photography is versatile but will always display themes of softness and love which we’re all deserving of.
Yeabsera Tabb (New York, NY) is an interdisciplinary artist who works with printmaking, sculpture, textiles, mixed media, sound, and video installations. She explores themes of place, identity, freedom, and immigration. She draws inspiration from patterns seen in her African heritage, lived experiences, history, individual and collective memory, and nature. She’s worked with wood, fibers, found objects, clay, various natural dyes, and embroidery to illustrate the tension of time and collective memory tied to objects and physical places.
