Demonstrating Downtown, mixed media collage.

I’ve been creating collages for most of my life starting when I covered the walls of my dorm rooms with photographs, magazine clippings, art cards and more. The majority of the collages I now create are abstract figurative images usually developing as a “series” that addresses a specific personal or global issue or current event. With each series, my compositions have evolved from torsos to full bodies, from beautifully unclothed “goddess” forms to “paper dolls” with clothes, from beings set on white backgrounds to figures dressed and going places set against a scene. Using primarily hand cut pieced papers, these images tell a story and though not always immediately obvious to the viewer, what they have to share is impactful, serves as a catalyst for meaningful conversation.

This series, entitled corona visions…glamour has no restrictions, are dressed to be out somewhere while we stay at home during the virus. Each makes her statement in a distinct, sometimes unique, location. A skirt, dress or pants assembled by piecing together a variety of cut papers with different patterns that, once completed mimics movement, is the signature must, as there’s always a connecting link when I create a series of collages. Each one is stepping out as a reminder that no matter what restrictions are placed on us, as artists we have control over how we respond to current events, as individuals we always have control over certain aspects of our lives.

Chillin’ in the Islands, mixed media collage.

Waltzin’ in the (Secret) Garden, mixed media collage.

Give Me the Night, mixed media collage.

My Son is Black, acrylic on canvas. NFS.

Another Damn Mask, mixed media on gallery wrapped canvas, $1,200.00.

Sandra D. Davis likes to experiment with materials and mediums, with a focus on mixed media, utilizing components like acrylics, found paper, newspaper and magazines keeping a “recycled” theme. Her current work is a direct response to issues happening in our country, including present grievances, in- equality and identity of others is a common topic. The impacted parties are not only the same groups of people, but the fight has been recycled and re-emerged and refocused. This has created new fraternities and sororities that has a broader reach and now includes a new generation of how society and people in power want to identify. Issues such as Equal Pay, Health disparity, housing and education and the continued assault on men and women of color are all still topics that remain a real concern. In this era of social media, we are bombarded by tweets, instant messaging, Instagram pics, they are subject matter on their own.

What’s on My Mind, mixed media on gallery wrapped canvas, $2,400.00.

Daughters of the Dust, acrylic and collage paper on canvas, $1,800.00.

TRONJA'S style is influenced by her years of work in the garment industry, as she utilizes bold, vibrant colors, experimental textures and dramatic brush strokes within various mediums to depict figurative art forms. Her art focuses on subjects of women, stories and celebrations.

TRONJA attended Moore College of Art and completed her BFA at Pratt Institute Brooklyn, NY. Her work has been exhibited in Dallas Texas, Seattle Washington and the Washington DC area.

La Contrias, acrylic and collage paper on canvas, $550.00.

Barren One, acrylic and collage paper on canvas, $1,400.00.

Our Lady of Perpetual Servitude, mixed media sculpture, $7500.00.

Terence Nicholson is a visual, performing, and martial artist who integrates these disciplines throughout his work. Unbound from any one medium in his art making, he is particularly sensitive to the quality of rawness in his materials. He is a follower of Taoist thought, which values a state of “emptiness” as key in a true creative process. Listening, being the primary tool developed from this state, he is able to use it as he explores his materials along with conceptual themes of social justice, especially as they relate to gentrification, class, trauma, and spirituality.

Safety Jacket: A Mourning in Chinatown, mixed media sculpture, NFS.

Ten, mixed media sculpture, $3500.00.

A Man Was Lynched Yesterday

A Man Was Lynched Yesterday is an old civil rights saying that was used to express the gravity of the issue of lynching in America. Back when it was popular this saying was true every single day, a man was lynched yesterday. Today it's still true far too often.

When these things happen it's hard to know what to do with yourself. We're so used to the senseless murder of black bodies and still we are powerless. This time the pain my family and I felt was deep. I had to express it in some way so I wrote something that was true, a man was lynched yesterday. We can't count all the times itis happened, we can't number the amount of tears that have fallen, but we can try to make a change.

I've always been full of conviction but practical application is hard for me. I wasn't sure what to do with my prints until my Aunt suggested that I use them as postcards to call for change, so really this was all her doing. She suggested it Wednesday afternoon, May 27th and by Wednesday evening I had set up phone meetings with the movers in my community to plan and strategize. And here we are. Two days in. 50 orders later and doing my best to print cards and keep up with life. No more quarantine boredom for me, because my Aunt gave me an idea that became my platform. A man was lynched yesterday.

Humble -- The Women is Humble and at Peace, Acrylic on wooden board, $650.00 for print.

Wounded (Occupational Hazards Series), 2019, Mixed media, $850.00.

“Occupational Hazards”, created in 2014-2015, was born from the indignity of living in a city in the process of being “gentrified”. In these works, construction materials were interlaced with layered patterns and text. Images of segmented cranes with repetitive triangles interrupt the patterned rhythms of city life. TYVECK, roofing material, drywall mesh, reflector tape, and temporary fencing are both media and message.

Targets shaped like black birds are a metaphor for a people that continue regardless of the manipulation of drugs, guns and poverty to dislodge them. The compositions of these works are without a square or rectangular perimeter, a reference to the tenacious boundlessness of a community, though under siege. Collage is used to express both the shearing and erection of structures and community. This process also encompasses tearing, fitting together gluing, shifting, tacking; all of what can be experienced on a grand scale in a gentrifying environment. Assemblage gave me the opportunity to include found objects that bear witness.

Neighbors are rendered both wide eyed, and betrayed by buildings that have seemingly sprung up overnight, testing their memory of erased structures. Still other buildings have been remodeled, stripped to exposed brick walls, accented by recessed lighting, and retrofitted with magnificent kitchens set in airy floor plans. There is something beautiful in the “new”, and the renovated that can seduce. The seduction inhibits both the powerful and vulnerable, from recognizing gentrification as an exceptionally brutal form of economic violence which also undermines a sense of culture and place for generations to come.

Urban Removal (Occupational Hazards Series), Mixed media, $2,800.00.

When Cranes Roost (Occupational Hazards Series), Mixed media, $4,000.00.

Ghetto Revised (Occupational Hazards Series), Mixed media, $4,000.00.

Be a Hand to Hold, Acrylic on printed plastic, $500.00.

I am a true believer in the healing power of art. It has the ability to transform us, whether we are creating it or appreciating it, and I strive to create imagery that is cathartic or evokes a sense of peace and serenity within the viewer. Art is a therapeutic and integral part of my life. My desire is share my art with others, thereby conveying some human connection between the two.

Sometimes We Feel Discouraged, acrylic on canvas, $450.00.

For me the beauty of creating whether it’s in painting or sculpture lies in it’s simplicity no matter what. I try to create drama with color, texture, and form. Behind my work is the challenge that allows simplicity to be the function of my creations. I want to create the perfect balance between shape, color, surface, texture and composition which is always a challenge and an emotional struggle.

It’s Not What You Call Me, acrylic, $2,500.00.

In My Lifetime, digital photo collage print, $1,000.00.

The artwork assembled is influenced, through personal experiences while attending three historic events in my lifetime. By incorporating images from the 1995 Million Man March, the 2009 & 2011 Presidential Inauguration and the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Statue, I’ve applied photographic journalism techniques and digital experimentation to create these digital photo collage prints.

This series reflects my interpretation of time by using elements and images associated with the conceptual theme, “In My Lifetime.” The artwork identifies my interest in recognizing the importance of time as an event itself, what part it plays in one’s life or how one uses it. The viewer will be introduced to the evolution involving a composition that attempts to provoke and promote self awareness, social consciousness and spiritual enlightenment. These elements are projected by great pioneer for Civil Rights during their Quest for Peace and Justice.

These pieces celebrate three commemorative events in American history, especially significant to African American history and culture. To present images highlighting the milestones that occurred and changed our perceptions forever. Imbedded in the composition are recognizable personalities, from network broadcasters and news anchors to political activists and unveiled campaign symbols to identify the events of the day that made a monumental impact.

March on Washington 2013, digital photo collage print $500.00.

Public Enemy Live, digital photo collage print, $500.00.

No Regrets, ink on paper, $500.00.

Ifeanyi Onyejekwe started intricate line drawings at an early age. As a teenager, she decided to put her ink drawings on large pieces of paper. Each detail on the paper sprouted new ideas and she found pleasure in watching her work grow. Each drawing shows how her subconscious imagination intertwines with structured fine lines and patterns to form a beautiful co-existence of fantasy and reality.

Ifeanyi is not a trained artist and as a biomedical engineer by profession, she struggled to embrace the title of “artist” until adulthood. After a visit to the American Visionary Art Museum in Baltimore, she embraced the title of “visionary artist”. Although she is not one to be boxed in, there was comfort in knowing that there is a niche for untrained artists.

Born in California and raised in the United States, Nigeria, Zimbabwe and South Africa, Ifeanyi has carried this self-taught skill with her. Over the years her art work has become a form of personal expression. Although her style has remained consistent, her drawings have evolved over the years. Each piece is unique, open to interpretation and cannot intentionally be recreated.

Tongue Tied, ink on paper, $1,200.00.

Lullabies, ink on paper, $1,200.00.

C.O.V.I.D.19. - Christ Over Viruses & Infectious Diseases (Joshua 1:9), acrylic, glitter, black & white prints, clear resin and broken glass on canvas, $1,425.00.

The entire WORLD is on PAUSE. The COVID-19 pandemic has caused global social and economic disruption, including a worldwide recession, postponement and cancellation of events, school closures, widespread supply shortages, and more. In addition, recent events surrounding police brutality and injustice have sparked mass protests, marches and mayhem, which could lead to a second wave of COVID-19 infections. Enough is ENOUGH!

Plagued by the uncertainties of the return to normalcy, a highly distraught and energetic Sethemba feels compelled to focus his energy into transforming himself into an all-powerful, omniscient being. In mid-transformation, he forms a robustly stimulating Rasengan (spiraling sphere, reminiscent of the planet Earth) that is capable of evoking internal and external healing, restoring faith and unity, and completely obliterating all diseases and destruction. Without hesitation, he unleashes this spinning ball into the universe, so that anyone in its trajectory will be fully and completed cured upon impact by its powerful healing force.