Category Archive: ART

Ming Smith: Been Here for Years

Ming Smith prefers to keep things organic, natural, candid. Her decades-long photography career includes scores of street photos, not many studios or models or lighting rigs. She photographs people living their lives, and, as a black photographer who got her start in the 70s, she focuses on the community around her. 

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Thomas Romain: The First Family of Anime

What passions do you share with your parents? Have those passions been passed down to your children? For me, my love of museums and African American history comes from my parents. It’s something that my oldest daughter hasn’t gotten too cool for yet, and my youngest daughter is growing to love as well. For me, it’s important not only to continue passing this love of history down to future generations but also to build a bond outside of the parental bond. Thomas Romain’s love for animation has been passed down to his sons, and as a result, they’ve drawn lots of attention to their Patreon page, and their dad’s YouTube channel. 

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Titus Kaphar: Articulating a Void

Following the murder of George Floyd, another unarmed black man who was brutally killed by police on May 25 in Minneapolis, the #BlackLivesMatter movement once again put their boots to the ground igniting protests worldwide garnering international attention. This movement contributed to amplifying and supporting the voices and work of black entrepreneurs, leaders, and artists. One of the notable artists whose work was highlighted is Titus Kaphar, a 44-year-old painter born in Kalamazoo, Michigan.

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Maya Hayuk: Play to Work

Vibrant colors and geometric shapes are splashed onto a wall. Some pieces are pleasingly symmetrical while others are optical illusions. Precisely placed lines and colors combine to make an image pop. To Maya Hayuk, art means that it's time to play. It's a chance for her to play with colors and shapes that an audience will interact with at a later time.

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Alfred Conteh: Deeply Rooted

Last month I was scheduled to attend an Art Show and hopefully get an interview or just a few moments to chop it up with artist and sculptor Alfred Conteh here in Chicago. I’m sure by now you’ve seen that our mayor is not having any of it, and unfortunately the show was canceled. So although I was unable to attend, and Conteh was unable to give us a show in person, he did give the public a view of his workspace. On May 7th, Conteh was live on Instagram for Virtual Visits with Art Noir. There he showcased some of his paintings while fielding questions as the viewers posted them. 

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ComfiArt: Sit Comfy, Talk Straight

When Dionna Collins founded her business ComfiArt in 2016, it was a departure for her. After realizing she was burnt out from freelance digital design work and her fulltime job, Collins wanted a new artistic platform of her own. In an interview with VA Mag, Collins spoke on the beginnings of her business. “ComfiArt started as a pillow company. I created pillows and blankets, a lot of stuff that’s comfy.”

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