Spartanburg, S.C. – Three Spartanburg Methodist College students will be featured at the opening of a new exhibit honoring Black female artists in the South. The Southern Black Women’s Influence Workshop student showcase opens on February 20 in the college’s Ellis Hall Gallery.
“We’re very excited for our young artists to share their work honoring three Southern Black female artists during Black History Month,” said Josh Holt, director of arts enrichment at SMC. “Our students spent hours studying and learning the techniques of their chosen artist to create a trilogy piece in their honor.”
Students chose an artist to honor and were asked to learn their artwork and their style to create a piece that would tell a story about the artist and their work.
The SMC students, who coordinated with Chapman Cultural Center Southern Studies Fellows Desiree Evans and Sarah Nixon, presenting projects are:
- Jada Howze honoring Endia Beal with a photography display.
- Taylor Wade honoring Ya La’Ford with an acrylic paint, wood, and soil display.
- Demajae Smith honoring Shay Black with a canvas, acrylic, and paint display.
The artworks will be introduced at an opening reception for the exhibit at 3:30 p.m. on Monday, February 20, in the Ellis Hall Gallery at SMC. Chapman Fellows Evans and Nixon will open the exhibit, followed by a brief narration by each student of their inspiration and their project. Artist Shay Black is also expected to attend to see the project honoring her.
The public is welcome to attend the opening reception and can visit the exhibit any time during regular business hours (8 a.m. – 5 p.m.) through February 28.
