Nico Visbal

Katherine Fraser: Conduit of Creativity

Which comes first when telling a story: the character or the narrative? For the artist and painter Katherine Fraser, it all starts with a facial expression–a visage from which worlds bloom from the viewers’ imagination. Her vast collection of oil paintings pushes viewers to reflect and wonder. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the artist used her abilities to give people a sense of community during isolation with her collection and virtual show, "Alone Together.” 

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Ali Sidiiq: Bigger Than These Bars

“This is what happens when you take a nineteen-year-old boy and put him in prison,” is how the Comedian Ali Sidiiq introduces his story on an episode of the Comedy Central show titled “This Is Not Happening.” In a series of tragic and life-changing events, the Houston, Texas native went from reenacting episodes of the popular sitcom Martin for his cellmates to performing on stage in front of audiences worldwide.

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Nick Davis (ndartlife): Black is Beautiful

St. Petersburg Digital Artist Nick Davis shows a “new level of love” with his 2019 “Black is Beautiful” art series. Analyzing the digital artist’s body of work felt like perusing through memories. If you had the pleasure to look through his Instagram, you would find countless portraits displaying various characters and watchful eyes placed in quaint and colorful settings. Profound quotes from historical figures, movies, and songs inhabit the descriptions of each post. In an article for the local Florida newspaper, The Gabber, the artist states: “I believe people can see themselves in the quotes… and the eyes.”

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Merck Mercuriadis: The Music Industry’s Big Spender

Lately, there’s been a lot of coverage about the intellectual property of music artists. Artists such as singer/songwriter Taylor Swift are finding themselves head-to-head with music publishers and record labels in an attempt to gain ownership of their masters, and the added attention on the industry has people questioning the status quo: How does the relationship between publishing companies and artists function? From ticket sales for tours and shows to merchandising and (re)plays on streaming platforms, where does the consumer’s money go? Meet Merck Mercuriadis–not only is he asking the same questions, but he’s offering solutions.

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