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Artists
Keynote Speaker Ekua Holmes‘ work is collage based and her subjects, made from cut and torn papers, investigate family histories, relationship dynamics, childhood impressions, the power of hope, faith, and self-determination. Remembering a Roxbury childhood of wonder and delight she considers herself a part of a long line of Roxbury imagemakers. In her first public art initiative, she launched The Roxbury Sunflower Project, in which she facilitated the planting of 10,000 sunflower seeds. For her work in illustrating children’s literature, Holmes is the recipient of a Caldecott Honor and the Coretta Scott Award. Ms. Holmes currently serves as Commissioner and Vice-Chair of the Boston Art Commission and is currently Associate Director at the Center for Art and Community Partnerships at MassArt.
Curator: Jaypix Belmer
“Identifying as a non binary black, Indigenous person of color, I have a special way of using the lens as a tool for storytelling… My photography teaches you the importance of the soul. My professional style delves into the subtle intricacies of class, capturing the unconsidered people and places who inhabit the urban landscapes. My works dig deep with authentic engagement in communities of color, LGBTQ communities, and other historically or currently excluded communities in the Greater Boston area which is essential to my photographic journey…When not shooting I continue to call agency on important social & economic issues for the betterment of our world…”
“I am Amya Meshelle – a 24 year old LGBTQ Visual Artist and Creative born & raised in inner city Brockton MA. My work is inspired by emotional themes such as girlhood, coming of age, mental health, and the complexities of human experience.”
Cherelle F Bynoe is a full-time Massachusetts state licensed educator. “Dedicating my life to improving the overall happiness of others. While providing a safe space for children to learn and grow into productive members of society. With my art I want to challenge others to stop living in the subconscious start taking accountability for your actions and governing your habits.”
George Freeman is a Boston-born visual artist whose work powerfully documents and celebrates the Black experience in America through a distinctive fusion of street art aesthetics and fine art techniques. Emerging from the vibrant cultural landscape of Dorchester, Roxbury and Mattapan in the late 1980s, Freeman’s artistic voice was shaped by the raw energy of hip-hop culture and the social dynamics of Boston’s diverse neighborhoods.Freeman’s signature style—developed alongside a childhood friend whose untimely passing in high school deeply influenced his artistic journey—transforms urban art techniques into compelling contemporary narratives. His work explores themes of racial identity, historical preservation, and social justice, paying homage to trailblazers while confronting present-day challenges faced by communities of color.
Jasmine Monèt Griffin aka “SmoochieBadu”, is a Boston, MA native, humble and growing artist. With pyrography (or woodburning) serving as her primary medium, she strives to express celebration of black culture, community restoration, and encouragement of urban agriculture using flame/heat to wood. Pyrography also symbolizes important components of her identity. She once said she used to “write fire” in reference to her former Hip Hop lyrical skills, but now she “draws with fire”, as a metaphor to how she’s evolved as an artist. Upon her transition from acrylic painting to pyrography, she views pyrography as symbolically using fire as a “superpower” to create pieces of art that the audience can relate to, feel, and appreciate.
Maria McKnight grew up in Greater Boston. She attended Hampton, Bunker Hill and Quincy College. She has worked as an executive assistant for 21+ years while focusing on creative pursuits. She has a passion to share joyful experiences as healing. In 2018, she founded 2 Birds No Stones LLC, which is a sensory travel business that offers immersive and creative art services; including STEM and is the visionary of the Boston BlackstronautsTM. Maria helps others through the art and mindfulness modalities; to modalities to help quell feelings of anxiety. She strongly believes in commitment to community engagement and leaving a ‘legacy’. An entrepreneurial member of UJIMA Boston Project (both a Good Business Alliance & voting member), Women of Color Entrepreneurs (WOCE), EforAll Roxbury, Center for Women & Enterprise. Certified Playmaker – Life Is Good Foundation. Certified City of Boston artist: ‘Atoni the Artist’ offering Native American Sand Art practice. A resin artist and sensory design specialist.
Wilson Fortes is a Creative Director / Graphic Designer / Artist Co-Owner of Crazygoodz www.crazygoodz.com.
Merlo Philiossaint is a Boston-based artist with a Bachelor’s in Studio Art from the University of Massachusetts Boston and a 3D Animation Graduate Certificate from Northeastern University. Growing up in Mattapan and Dorchester, with frequent trips to Allston, Merlo’s youth was immersed in many different cultures that profoundly affected him and his art. His creativity is also inspired by his lifelong love of cartoons, comics, and fantasy stories that continue to inspire him as an adult. His works often represent the diversity of the world, reflecting his belief that art should be dynamic to capture the complexities of the universe. He primarily works with oils, acrylics, colored pencils, sumi inks, and watercolors, using these mediums to bring his visions to life.
Sherwin Long is an illustrator and freelance artist from Boston. He graduated with a BFA in Illustration from Massachusetts College of Art. His work is heavily influenced by the graffiti and murals in his community with a splash of fine art, making his work unique. He is a mainly inspired by music, poetry, spiritually, mythology, and architecture. Sherwin has displayed his work at the State House, City Hall, Museum of Fine arts, a plethora of Boston galleries, in local businesses and libraries. He has also participated in various community organizations and has hosted cultural events in collaboration with other artists in hopes to provide his community with access to view and purchase fine art but also to provide a platform for local artists to display their work.
Abby Neale is an artist and educator based in Boston Massachusetts. They teach in Boston Public Schools and the Eliot School of Fine and Applied Arts. They have a Masters’s in teaching and BA in art. Their artwork, under the moniker of Lavender Menace Press, uses zines, printmaking, and installation to intertwine personal, political history, nature, and activism. These works offer people a micro liberation that inspires resilience in folks committed to social justice.
Yotron The Don is a Miami born, Boston based visual artist whose work blends vibrant abstraction with storytelling, often featuring his signature character “Lilly,” a sentient flower that reflects the human experience. Beyond his studio practice, Yotron is committed to using art as a tool for growth and empowerment. He teaches youth across Boston, guiding them in creative expression and digital design, and teaches inside South Bay Correctional Facility, where he helps inmates use painting as a means of reflection and self-discovery. His mission is not only to create powerful artwork, but also to cultivate opportunities for others to find their own voices through art.
Jordana Soliel – At Who Loves You Photography, we pay homage to Jordana Soliel’s grandmother, who taught Jordana the importance of LOVE and showing that love. With her spiritual guidance in our hearts, we will use top-of-the-line equipment, products, and services to provide an exceptional immersive experience for our clients from start to finish.
Stefanie D. Belnavis, BC-DMT, LMHC (she/her) is a differently abled Jamaican-American visual storyteller, kinesthetic creative, photographer + therapist based in Boston, Massachusetts. She wears many hats as a Board-Certified Dance Movement Therapist, a Perinatal Mental Health Clinician, a Disability Advocate, a Professor + a multidisciplinary portrait, dance + perinatal Photographer. An immigrant herself, Stefanie’s work is charged by creating sustainable, inclusive + cross-cultural spaces that can propel intersectional + decolonizing dialogues around multicultural perinatal mental health experiences alongside creative forms of healing, namely dance movement therapy, visual storytelling, photography + journaling.
Zakiyah Huertas – I am of the graduate class of 2023 from Massachusetts college of MassArt, with a degree in fine arts painting, and two years experience in illustration. I love art and make it a part of my life everyday. I do have plans on putting in for a gallery and possibly throwing my own pop up shop.
