CURRENT EXHIBIT • COMMUNITY LIVING ROOM
Freedom of Expression
Art provided by artists from Onyx Fine Arts Collective.
These works challenge any misconceptions of what “Black” art is and is not.
In "Freedom of Expression”, the Northwest African American Museum features a variety of rotating talented artists. Black art is often pigeonholed as “ethnic”. This exhibit showcases the strength and range of visual artistic expression produced by artists of African descent residing in the Pacific Northwest.
About the Exhibit + Artist’s Statements
Aschenaki Lulu
I am a painter. I work with watercolors and ink on paper and acrylics and ink on canvas. I am self-taught and have been painting since 1994.
I am an African American originally from Ethiopia. I moved to the United States in
1981. 1 have lived in Seattle in the Central District or Capitol Hill since then. I came to the U.S. as a college student. I graduated with a degree in Botany at the University of Washington. I earned my Master's Degree and Teaching Certificate from Pacific Oaks College NW. I worked for 25 years at Bailey Gatzert Elementary as a teacher and Math Interventionist.
Now that I have retired from teaching, I wake up early in the morning and paint for several hours to start my day.
My paintings often tell stories of the people around me when I was growing up in Ethiopia. These can be depictions of actual events from vivid memories. When I paint, I go back in time to when the event occurred. I also use memories or images as a starting place to create my own stories in paint. My stories focus on place, emotion, community and people connecting. I also paint to honor the social and political contexts of oppression and justice.
Reinterpreting my memories and emotions into an art form is a very satisfying process. I can capture the feelings I remember with the help of colors and texture.
Currently I am playing a lot with color-mixing, landscapes and ideas about spiritual places. I am full of emotions during this painting time. This is a period of great learning for me as an artist.
Fin’es Scott
Fin'es Scott (b. 1983) is a Seattle-based textile artist who explores themes of Black joy, rest, Afrofuturism, and environmentalism. Her work is the antithesis of Black trauma, which is often exploited in art and media.
Her process involves creating artwork by combining traditional craft with modern digital tools. Her process is slow and crafted with care. It involves digital collage, custom textiles, sewing, quilting, hand beading, and metal leafing. She enjoys implementing techniques of Black quilting traditions while creating methods to modernize the craft.
Scott is committed to keeping her art accessible and approachable to her community.
She studied design in New York City and has been sewing and illustrating for over 20
years.
Earnest D. Thomas
I have had a strong interest in art and architecture since growing up in Hempstead, Texas. After receiving an Electrical Engineering degree from Prairie View A&M University, Prairie View, Texas I worked for the Boeing Company in engineering and management assignments. My interest in art has been satisfied by collecting ethnic art from across the world, with the vast majority of my collection being from the continent of Africa. A challenge from an artist friend provided enough encouragement for me to begin a more serious personal exploration into abstract fine art/mixed media painting and sculpture. The more I explore the more I find satisfaction in the creative process using paint and found objects. My 2D and 3D artworks are a reflection of a background in engineering and industrial design, coupled with experience gained from designing jewelry using old African trade beads and a desire to repurpose typically unused materials. My artworks are known to have both industrial and sculptural flair where the use of texture, color and shadow from metal rod, sheet and plate play together in the images. My works are known to show passion and range from organic to modern industrial in concept. In my view, artistic expression is infinite, with new approaches being defined daily. The creative envelope must continue to be refreshed.
Shayla Harris
I believe The Arts allow us to explore self, express what words can't, and embolden those who're voiceless. It often becomes a therapy of sorts... a home.
ChezLaHarris is the name I chose for my Fine Arts projects since it sounds like my full name when said aloud and translates to Harris' Home.
As a child, I was surrounded by art. I loved looking through my dad's sketchbook, learning to paint floral designs with my Nana, making paper mache with my mom, and gawking at my grandfather's ability to capture a likeness with paint. Needless to say, my family is the reason art is in my life.
I drifted far from art as time passed, but it never stopped calling to me. Fear of failure, self-judgement, popular opinion, cultural stigma, and shadows kept me from answering. Indeed, the heart beckons to a place beyond fear... reminding us to heal and remember higher versions of ourselves along the way.
So, I created ChezLaHarris as a tool to find my way home. And what a blessing if my work helps heal, re-mind, and inspire others along the way!
Pamelagrace Beatty
I paint what catches my attention. I love being able to express my creativity through something 1 can see and touch. I paint abstracts to relaxing jazz music for fun. My portraits have been commissioned and I enjoy the challenge of telling the story of the people in the photo. Behind each portrait there is a something they want to say. It may be about love, loss, family or even fun. Those who have asked me to paint them or their families have given me the honor of creative interpretation. I allow the winds of heaven to dance between me and my paint brush. What a painting looks like, at the end is always a welcome surprise (well almost always). Even when I am not happy with the outcome, I have always learned something from the process that makes me do better the next time.
I like experimenting with different approaches and love painting with acrylics on canvas Sometimes play around with different ideas on my ipad before committing the work to canvas. That way i take more chances. Still, the actual painting remains a surprise when it is done. Painting has taught me patience, faith in the process and the joy of experimentation. it is my passion.
Sanjida Sharmin Mity
Step into the world of Mity, an artist whose love for creativity has been a source of comfort and joy since childhood. Bor in Dhaka, Bangladesh, and now living in Washington, USA, she draws from her multicultural upbringing and diverse experiences.
Growing up in Dhaka shaped her imagination with its vibrant colors, bustling streets, and cultural richness. Her father's postings as a defense officer exposed her to varied landscapes and communities, broadening her worldview and deepening her appreciation for diversity.
Her journey later took her to Bangalore, India, where she lived for eight years. Immersed in India's cultural heritage, she explored the local art scene, experimenting with new mediums and techniques. This experience nurtured a fusion of styles that continues to inform her work today.
In Washington, her art reflects the landscapes of the Pacific Northwest-majestic mountains, forests, and coastlines. Seattle's dynamic art scene further inspires her, and she regularly showcases her creations at galleries, and juried shows.
Working with glass and ceramic tiles, Mity layers alcohol ink, acrylics, oils, fabrics, and natural elements to create textured, vibrant pieces. Beyond her art, she finds joy in motherhood, drawing inspiration from her heritage, surroundings, and the cultures that shape her story.