2025 Artist Showcase Contest [LOOKBOOK]

I took the three words and created an inspirational piece for all. It is created with original drawings that I have done throughout the years to teach people black history and to make sure it is never forgotten. The letters J and Y have families and friends that portray joy. The boxer silhouette has a man reading a book to his son. As he reads, his son imagines all the wonderful things that were done by the rest of the people in the artwork. Black lives do belong and we are winners.

This quilt explores the contrast between my professional identity—shaped by white cultural norms—and my authentic self as an African American woman. It represents the lifelong tension between external expectations and personal truth, illustrating the spaces I navigate and the self I reclaim outside of ‘work.’.

What inspired “Children Of Change” is seeing the impact that young individuals are making on the day to day and we are truly being the change that we wish to see in the world. Also the fact that we are the direct result of the change from the previous generations that came before us. We are the Children Of Change.

In Egyptian and African traditions, handheld fans represent royalty, privilege, and nobility.rnLike the crowns worn by Black women on any given Sunday, they have created an aura of prominence and elegance. Handheld fans with their woven and entwined embroideredrnfabrics have become trendy as they’re displayed and flaunted in line dance choreo-rngraphy…as they strut their stuff with self-inflicted joy and fan-tabulousness!!rnrnRead more about Joseph below.

Spirit of a Queen is a celebration of the divine essence and inner strength of womanhood. The elaborate crown of feathers evokes freedom, resilience, and spiritual ascension, while the gold detailing signifies wisdom, dignity, and sacred royalty. With her eyes gently closed, the figure reflects serenity and self-possession, reminding us that true majesty radiates from within.rnrnThis work honors the quiet power, grace, and unshakable spirit that define a queen — a spirit carried within every woman

My submission is inspired by the vibrant energy of community block parties, where music, movement, and connection converge in the city. I imagined silhouetted figures dancing in harmony against a colorful backdrop—each shape and color part of a collective rhythm. Through bold hues and dynamic composition, I celebrate shared joy, cultural unity, and the power of gathering to uplift the spirit.rnrnRead more about Cazoshay below.

u0022Sister Eve’s Heavy Church Hatu0022 is a watercolor and gouache painting that is 15u0022 x 22.5u0022, unframed. The painting represents my response to the emotional and mental weight carried by Black womenu002du002dthe burdens of racism, sexism, and their intersecting construct of misogynoir. The garden snake reflects the sins assigned to Eve in response to her curiosity and desire to center and prioritize Self. Yet, Eve persists, an example of a Black woman’s perseverance, resilience, and faith.

My Name Is Freedom imagines a moment in time when the noise of the world falls away. When the weight of history, survival, and expectation lifts and what remains is peace.rnThis painting explores the quiet joy of triumph. It is not loud or performative. It is soft, steady, and deeply rooted. The closed eyes and stillness speak to a hard earned freedom, to that liminal space between all that was carried and the triumphant peace that follows.rnrnRead more about Sharon below.

This year’s theme, Black Joy u0026amp; Triumph, first inspired me to paint two children at play, but my vision shifted. I created a piece that can be seen as both a flower and a cross; symbolizing growth, faith, and renewal. In the Black community, God is the root of our joy and the source of our triumphs. With everything going on this world I felt the need to be encouraging. This artwork reminds everyone that even in trying times, divine light will continue to shine, bringing us together in joy u0026amp; peace

When Sir Isaac Newton saw the apple falling from the tree, he was curious about what caused the apple to be pulled toward the earth, rather than to the east, west, or sky; and we’re taught that the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. But I’m not beholden to the forces that define me only by where I come from, or those that seek to silence my voice, or attempt to coerce me to be anything else but authentically myself. Sure, there are the laws of gravity, but gravity has to reckon with me.