2026 Diversity Gallery Artists

We extend our sincere gratitude to all the artists selected for the 2025 Diversity Gallery, which is now concluded. Your exceptional talents have enriched the Norfolk Botanical Garden, allowing us to highlight the diverse artistic expressions found within the Hampton Roads community.

Andre Jacobs is a Virginia-based visual artist and educator whose figurative paintings explore memory, time, and lived experience. Drawing from historical imagery and archival sources, Jacobs uses dramatic light, restrained color, and careful surface to create works that feel suspended between past and present. The human figure becomes a space for reflection, carrying personal and collective histories. Informed by his roles as both an MFA candidate and art educator, Jacobs’ work invites sustained looking and quiet contemplation.

Adell (Adell Haynes) is a Black illustrator and concept artist from Suffolk Virginia who has been creating art online since 2009. His work often explores identity, emotion, and belonging through expressive portraiture and imaginative worlds. He tries every day to make artwork that helps you feel something.

Aeysa Nixon-Bright is a multidisciplinary artist born and raised in Hampton Roads, Virginia, with deep family roots in the historic Berkley district of Norfolk. Her work explores themes of identity, personal experience, memory, and cultural heritage. Drawing from the complexities of womanhood, motherhood, and love, her practice is a reflection of intimate moments that shape the human experience while honoring legacy and resilience. Spanning from photography to writing, she is driven by a deep commitment to storytelling, social reflection, and reimagining collective histories.

Alexsandra Rose is a Teacher Assistant at Windsor Woods Elementary School in the SECEP program. She also teaches art at Leafspring School in Virginia Beach. She is a mother of four and have 6 grandchildren.

My creative practice is rooted in art as a space for belonging, healing, and transformation. I center dialogue, reflection, and marginalized voices, drawing from ancestral knowledge, ecological systems, and collective care to craft visual and participatory experiences that foster connection.

Alora Bess, a Virginia based multidisciplinary artist who’s capturing the world through her lens. Telling the story of the black experience and all it’s nuances. Allowing those who view her work to step into the world she not only creates but lives daily. Stripping down the barriers of thought while challenging the norms of societal expectations

I’m Alysia “Lysa” Pope. I am a 51-year-old Norfolk native. I was born and raised in Norfolk Virginia. Born at DePaul hospital to a single mother of three. I have two younger sisters and close family throughout Hampton roads. I have been painting and drawing since I was a teenager off and on. I have never shown or displayed my artwork to the public, only to close friends and family. I have dreamed over time about my artwork being displayed in a gallery or somewhere to the public but over time experiencing mental issues and some traumatic situations I lost interest in that dream. But since getting help for myself and my issues I have become interested in painting again and for the first time I would like to try and have it displayed publicly for others to see that it is never too late to start or try again. Someone I know told me about this Diversity Gallery Botanical Gardens was having and I jumped on the opportunity with no hesitation and no fear. I am a proud Norfolk native part of a diverse community that I love and want to show that how taking one step can lead to another and faith can lead you to beautiful opportunities.

Anthony E. Boone, a retired freight conductor of 28 years, began his journey into visual arts in 2005. His artistic roots can be traced to his early experiences painting houses for his father’s contracting business, and being exposed to his mother’s work as a seamstress. These influences shaped his creative instincts and made painting a natural extension of his talents.

Since then, Boone’s works have gained significant recognition, being acquired by notable entities such as Novartis Pharmaceutical, La Roche Pharmaceutical, and Richard S. Lefrak to name a few. His journey as an artist has evolved from these foundational experiences, his journey as an artist has evolved from these foundational experiences, cementing his place in the world.

I’m a Miami native now rooted in Virginia Beach, working across photography, graphic design, painting, and large-scale murals. My practice is grounded in storytelling and community; whether I’m behind a camera, designing, or transforming public spaces with color and using art as a tool for connection and expression. I’ve always believed creativity lives in the spaces between things. The pause before an idea comes to fruition, the quiet that lets observation turn into expression.

Asiko-Oluwa Aderin is a Nigerian-American printmaker from Chesapeake, Virginia, whose work investigates the relationship between music, cultural memory, and identity within the African Diaspora. Currently pursuing her Master of Fine Arts at Norfolk State University, Aderin‚ practice centers on relief printmaking as a means of visualizing the rhythm, cadence, and collective spirit embedded in musical traditions. Her work has been exhibited in Where We Meet at the Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art and Infinite Editions: Printmaking for Connection and Exchange at the Chrysler Museum of Art. Currently, her research explores the translation of rhythm and repetition into visual form, positioning printmaking as a site of both personal reflection and collective remembrance.

Bobby Baker is a local multimedia artist that studies the world, diverse cultures, and personal heritage through a surrealist lens. His collage art mixes drawings, cut images and texture to express inner thought, identity and personal influences.

Briana Ariel is a contemporary multidisciplinary artist and poet based in Virginia. Briana Ariel’s art is poetry in visual form. Her textile work transforms each careful stitch into a poetic expression, while her photography frames the world through a lyrical lens, finding poetry in the interplay of light, texture, and moment. Just like her written poetry, all pieces are open to interpretation. Each piece becomes a conversation between artist and observer, where the language of thread, fabric, and captured light speaks as rhythmically as any written word, offering multiple layers of understanding that shift and deepen with each encounter.”

Brigette Banks-Lee is an oil painter based in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Born in Alexandria with roots in St. Thomas, she brings a rich blend of cultural and personal influences to her work. Her artistic journey includes studies at Virginia State University, the Instituto Allende in San Miguel, Mexico, self-directed study in Paris, and immersive training through the Milan Art Institute.

Brigette creates oil paintings that center Black figures surrounded by flowers, birds, and symbolic animals. With touches of surrealism and gentle storytelling, her work celebrates beauty, hope, and the innocence of life. Each piece is crafted to uplift, empower, and reveal the soulful magic within everyday moments.

Alongside her studio practice, Brigette teaches art in the Chesapeake Public School District, a role she considers one of her greatest privileges. Teaching allows her to inspire and nurture young artists while continuing to evolve creatively. She is currently developing a more narrative series of paintings and looks forward to traveling and expanding her artistic horizons in the years ahead.

Chris Green creates art to inspire healing and restore your connection to nature, love and family. Each piece tells a story of renewal, peace, and self-belief. Your work reminds people that they are loved, capable, and deeply connected to the natural world.

Title of my new series is: Healing in the Water’s Embrace

Step into a world where water and nature become a source of quiet healing.
Each piece invites you into deep blues that steady the spirit and calm the mind.
Through gentle, organic strokes, these works reflect your own light, encouraging moments of harmony, transformation, and peace of mind.

Hi, I go by the name of Crespo and I’m a painter. I have always been creative from a young age but I am a self-taught artist. I live in Virginia Beach and I have been painting for a little over 15 years.

I began to explore the creation and reinterpretation of a new mythos surrounding issues of womanhood, motherhood, feminism, power, patriarchy, and socialization around 2012. It was then that I began a series of works that were mixed media in nature and influenced by the art of the Byzantine era, Abstraction, and ancient cave paintings.

I feel that we as a society can begin new myths and also true power stories that can impact future generations, drawing from the past but also incorporating the awareness into current works in hopes to address what are some of the imbalances and antiquated hierarchies that still exist to this day.

Criss Renay resides in Newport News, VA, originally from the small town of Freeman in Brunswick County, Virginia. Always interested in drawing as a child, she studied Fine Arts as her high school program completer. While attending Norfolk State University for Fine Arts and Graphic Design, Criss was introduced to photography. Although she entered the Army as a Logistics Officer, Crystal still photographed her military experience as much as she was able.  After leaving the active-duty Army and joining the Army Reserve, she became a Public Affairs Officer. This allowed her to learn more about print and photojournalism. While in the Army Reserve, she has worked as a preschool photographer and events and marketing photographer at The Mariners Museum and Park in her civilian career. While working full-time, she received her second B.A. in Digital Photography at Southern New Hampshire University. Now retired from the military, Criss is an Imaging Specialist for NASA (Contractor) at NASA Langley Research Center, and a passionate portrait and product photographer outside of her regular work.

Her works have been showcased in the Virginia Artists Juried Exhibition 2021 and 2026, Valentine International Smart Online Group Exhibition 2022, TEXOMA Community Center Mental Health Awareness Month Art Contest 2022, as an Honorable mention, and Aware 25 Creativity A Healing Power Exhibition.

My name is David Freeman I’m an artist who resides in Norfolk VA I began my artistic journey as a child by drawing comic book characters and sketching outdoor scenes with colored pencils, I made the transition from comics to charcoal drawings and suddenly started completing oil painting on canvas. At this time, I became interested in cubism, Expressionist and abstract painting, so I soon embarked on travelling and decided to enroll in The Art Institute of Dallas in 1996 but did complete my studies due to financial reasons, so I began displaying my work in various venues, such as jazz clubs, art galleries, outdoor festivals, storefronts and the Internet and started to accept small mural contracts, for colleges, elementary schools and continue to my work when I’m given the opportunity.

B.A. Fine Arts Norfolk State University. Studies included painting, drawing, sculpture, ceramics, photography, and art history.

My current focus is on creating abstract artworks (paintings on canvas), digital photography, wire sculptures,

and last but not least custom drawings and paintings from patrons’ photos.

I have exhibited in both indoor and outdoor shows. Most recent exhibits include Black Voices at the Attucks Theatre, Aspire Art Gallery, Ukwensi Art Gallery, and last year’s Diversity Gallery at Norfolk Botanical Gardens.

Diana Chappell is a visual arts photographer based in Norfolk, VA. As an Alumnus of
Norfolk State University School of Journalism and a social justice activist, Diana brings
a unique blend of journalistic integrity, creative artistry and passion to her work.
She particularly enjoys documenting the authentic cultures of Black and Indigenous people.
Her work has been recognized for its compelling narratives imagery.

Trick Responsibly is a multidisciplinary artist and fashion designer from the 757, known for merging street energy with fine art expression. A Fine Arts major with a concentration in Graphic Design at Norfolk State University also minor in Mass Communication, Tricks work explores the tension between struggle and success finding beauty in what’s overlooked and transforming pain into purpose.

Raised in a community where creativity was survival, Trick learned to turn limitations into style, from reworking torn clothes into statement pieces to transforming raw experiences into bold visual stories. His art lives at the intersection of culture, commentary, and consciousness, often blending painting, photography, graphic design, and fashion into one visual language.

Through his lifestyle brand Trick Responsibly he bridges the streets with self-awareness and pushing messages as symbols of hustle, discipline, and identity. His pieces, whether on canvas or sculptures, challenge viewers to see beyond material success and recognize the price of victory.

Influenced by legends like Jean-Michel Basquiat, Andy Warhol, and Kehinde Wiley, Trick brings a new generation lens to social commentary mixing pop culture with raw emotion, spiritual undertones, and street realism. His goal: to inspire others who come from the same background to see that art isn’t just expression it’s evolution.

‘Helen Lolita’ Hampton Hunter is an African American contemporary artist whose creative voice spans jewelry making, painting, sewing, and mixed media design. A self-taught creative, her journey began in kindergarten and has continued to evolve through an enduring passion for crafting and artistic exploration.

Throughout her life, Helen has experimented with a wide range of mediums, including jewelry design, nail art, textile work, and upcycling. Deeply influenced by the women in her maternal lineage her grandmother, godmother, and mother she draws inspiration from their traditions in quilting, sewing, hat making, and beading. Her work has been showcased in local boutiques, including That Art Store in Portsmouth, VA, where her community has long celebrated and supported her artistic voice.

Helen’s creative aesthetic is a vibrant blend of Native American and Zulu seed-beading traditions, African textiles, bright colors, graffiti, hip-hop culture, and contemporary home decor influences. Her art invites confidence, boldness, and self-expression, values she intentionally infuses into every piece she creates.

Beyond the studio, Helen is also a poet, former podcaster, avid DIYer, and sage seeker of wisdom.
Across her social media platforms and online spaces, she offers an intimate window into her creative world and the evolution of her artistic practice.

I make things, or I make them better.

Iyana Graham is a 24-year-old artist and educator whose creative practice explores the depth and beauty of Black womanhood. Rooted in womanism, a social and cultural framework that centers the experiences, resilience, and empowerment of Black women, Iyana’s work celebrates identity, healing, and community. Through her art, she examines the intersections of history, spirituality, and self-definition, using visual storytelling as a means to honor both personal and collective narratives. Passionate about education and creative expression, Iyana continues to create spaces where art becomes a tool for dialogue, reflection, and transformation.

Ja’Niya is an artist from Norfolk, Virginia who specializes in creating vibrant and colorful abstract paintings. Her work often reflects themes of everyday life and personal experiences, showcasing a unique perspective on the world around her. Ja’Niya’s use of bold colors and dynamic compositions captivates viewers, drawing them into a world of emotion and imagination.

Jaida Garrison is a Virginia-based artist focusing on portraiture with an enigmatic twist. Working across media, she weaves storytelling into her art to explore self-discovery and transformation, highlighting people from all backgrounds. Her work challenges perceptions and invites reflection on the interplay between beauty, change, and the mysterious.

Jazmine is an artist, designer, and educator based in Virginia Beach. She sees artistic expression as a way to conceptualize injustice and communicate it to others. Holding a Master’s in Art Education from Virginia Commonwealth University and a BFA in Communication Design from Texas State University, Jazmine’s creative and teaching practices are rooted in social justice, cultural identity, and youth empowerment. Her work explores how art can address inequity, foster community healing, and amplify underrepresented voices. Through her business, Jazzy B. Designs, she has held artmaking workshops, and participated in collaborative art projects across Hampton Roads and beyond, including events like the Norfolk Zine Festival and public art initiatives in the ViBe Creative District. Her creative research, featured in An Anthology of Blackness: The State of Black Design, examines the power of collaborative art-making and Black cultural expression and continues to influence her exploration of art as a bridge for connection and understanding.

My name is Jazzy I am a creator, I am a poet I am a designer of diverse artist expression of style. I am a creator of artist jewelry using authentic elements from earth expressing diverse cultures and backgrounds. I plan to enter my full jhazani Jewelz gemstone artistic creations, I plan to design a new authentic NBG hat showing artist expression with classic brooches paying homage of garden heritage and I will enter a poem emphasizing art through words

Jazzmyn Ellis, a Virginia based artist known for her vivid and surreal portraits of different people and moments in time.
She highlights people of color for their contributions in popular culture while also emphasizing societal and political contradictions.
Topics range from gender roles, spiritual warfare, racial conversions all with a layer of comedic awareness. She mostly uses acrylic paint and spray paint when bringing portraits to life.
Specializing in mostly portraits as a self-taught artist she aspires to erase the separation and marginalization of art and what is socially available for purchase in homes and commercial spaces. Using bright neon colors to create pieces of work that make you think laugh and buy. Dark Subjects Bright Hues

My name is Jordan Stevens. My work delves into the intricate interplay between identity, memory, and transformation, employing a multidisciplinary approach that seamlessly integrates traditional techniques with contemporary media. Through deliberate manipulation of form and material, I craft immersive experiences that invite viewers to reevaluate their relationship with history and self-perception. The profound impact of my art lies in its ability to challenge prevailing narratives and catalyze critical introspection. By exploring themes of cultural hybridity and displacement, my practice serves as a platform for marginalized voices, fostering empathy among diverse audiences. This dialogue between personal experiences and collective memory situates my work within ongoing conversations about social justice and human connection. Technically, my innovative use of layered textures and interactive elements transcends conventional art forms, encouraging active participation rather than passive observation. This dynamic engagement enhances the emotional resonance of my pieces and expands the possibilities of contemporary artistic expression. Ultimately, my art aspires to inspire transformation both in the viewer and in the cultural landscape by unveiling hidden stories and encouraging novel perspectives. Its significance lies in its potential to catalyze meaningful change through the power of visual language.

I am a portrait artist from Chesapeake, Virginia, working primarily with acrylic paint to explore the depth, diversity, and beauty of Black expression. Through my work, I seek to capture more than just likeness, I aim to reflect identity, emotion, and the lived experiences of Black people in all their nuance.

My art celebrates Blackness in its many forms: the quiet strength in a gaze, the rhythm in a posture, the pride in natural hair, the stories etched into skin. Each portrait is a dialogue between color, texture, and spirit, rooted in tradition but pushing toward new possibilities of representation. I am deeply inspired by the richness of my community and the resilience of our narratives.

By focusing on expression‚ whether bold or tender‚ I hope my work offers both recognition and reflection. I paint to affirm, to honor, and to remind viewers that Black life is vast, vibrant, and worthy of being seen in full.

Born and raised in Brooklyn, NY, I grew up cultivating my natural artistic ability by watching the creative processes of my father (a portrait artist) and eldest brother (a pioneering Graffiti artist). Having received no formal art training, they instead were my artistic teachers and technical advisors.

Over the years, I’ve participated in many groups and solo exhibitions, winning numerous awards including, most recently, 1st place winner of the 2025 Diversity Gallery juried show, presented by Norfolk Botanical Gardens, and second place winner of the Capturing Music exhibition at Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts. My work has recently been included as part of Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art, “Where We Meet” exhibition. Previously I’ve served as co-curator of 1199SEIU Gallery in NYC, have appeared as a guest on the television program “SteelStacks Live!”, was hired as a courtroom sketch artist for the Pocono Record Newspaper, and served as director of ARTSPACE Gallery in Stroudsburg, PA. I’ve also published a volume of poetic verse.

My work has been featured in numerous galleries and museums, print and online publications, and has been featured as cover art for a magazine, music CD, and even a book. I’m currently working on a series of paintings exploring my passion for fatherhood‚ what I consider a love letter to my children.

Suffolk native, Rashad Reid formally known as Xpressart is a Fine Arts Major student at the illustrious Norfolk State University. Showing raw artistic talents from a young age, he found himself captivated by teachings centered in African indigenous peoples. His art implies African ancestral DNA as well as delivers messages that engage and educate on forms for the black history diaspora along with modern cultural influences. His dedication to his craft and his commitment to exploring the depths of human expression make him a true visionary in the world of art. His visually stunning paintings have graced the walls of galleries and exhibitions across Hampton Roads, captivating viewers with their bold colors and intricate details. Xpressart is an artist whose work leaves an indelible mark on the soul.

Since 2012, Kanisha Haskins-Combs has been the hands and creative vision behind Earthy Child, a Hampton, VA based micro business where unwanted yarn, fabric scraps, and plastic grocery store bags find a new life by being crocheted (and sometimes sewn) into practical, fun, and functional items. I find joy in the process of creating. I am grateful to be able to spend my time giving unwanted materials a better life. To know I am making a difference, even if it’s a small one, is a powerful thing.

Kayla Barnes is an African American illustrator and printmaker based in Norfolk, Virginia, currently pursuing an MFA in Visual Studies at Norfolk State University. Their work investigates death and funerary rituals, these practices shape our understanding of mortality.

“Messenger of the Word” portrays the pastor as the Sage, a Jungian archetype representing wisdom and spiritual guidance. Through prayer, sermons, and scripture, the pastor anchors the community, framing death within a sacred context that offers comfort and reinforces faith. Like the Sage, the pastor seeks understanding and insight, helping the grieving find meaning and solace in the face of loss.

Kersey, “KD” Caldwell is a 757, Hampton Roads based photographer and creative director whose work captures the raw essence of people through authenticity, emotion, and intentional storytelling. What began as a personal mission to preserve family memories evolved into a deep dedication to documenting humanity in its most honest form. KD’s photography explores individuality and presence, revealing layers of identity, confidence, and spirit that often go unnoticed.

Over the years, KD has developed a distinct visual style grounded in realism, emphasizing natural emotion over digital perfection. Each image KD creates invites viewers to see beyond the surface and connect with the story within.

KD’s work has been showcased across community art spaces and creative collaborations that merge culture, fashion, and storytelling. Through their lens, they continue to challenge perception, celebrate Black identity, and remind the world that authenticity never goes out of style.

Lee E Bond Jr. is photographer, graphic designer, and videographer. He has been a professional artist and photographer for the better part of 40 plus years, in Norfolk, Virginia. His main creative output is photography in which he uses digital tools to produce an enhanced graphic outcome. He is known as OG (original Graphicteer) to younger graphic designers. Lee taught photography at Norfolk State during the film era when the medium was most black and white and slide film. He has shown in numerous exhibits, which included the Suffolk Art Gallery, Chrysler Museum, Virginia Beach Art Gallery, and the Da Art Center. His work experiences include photographer for the Norfolk Redevelopment and Housing Authority, Lab Tech for Studio III and Tamte Wilson Photography. He considers himself a visual griot and poet transmitting cultural experiences through the medium of photography.

M. F. Coelho is a self-taught and published artist from Belo Horizonte, Brazil. Born in 1989, Coelho taught himself how to draw at the age of eight from watching The Simpsons. As a teenager he moved to Northeast Tennessee and discovered the Sin City graphic novels, written and illustrated by Frank Miller, where he discovered the medium for his pen & ink artistic sensibilities. Other major influences on this artistry span from the Southern California Chicano Lowrider culture, the 90s East Coast Hip Hop scene, and the Swedish-Based Millennium novels by Stieg Larsson. If it’s one thing Coelho wants to make clear in his art it is that it is 100% to think outside the box and go beyond the cultural expectations of your community and environment.
Coelho is also an established photographer and videographer having shot and edited many Quinceaneras, music videos, and fashion shoots not only for the Latino community but the American urban and international communities based in the southeastern states, New York City, and the Bay Area, CA. He is a graduate of East Tennessee State University with a Bachelor’s of Science in Digital Media and is currently has been serving in the United States Navy for eight years.

Martha Williams grew up on a family farm where she learned to love the land and its artistic beauty. She worked as an educator for 37 years. After retirement she enrolled in art classes at Tidewater Community College. Since that first class, she has attended many classes and workshops. Oil painting is her preferred medium. During her career in education, Martha taught at the university in Botswana. This experience afforded an excellent opportunity to travel throughout the continent. There she developed a love for painting cultural representations of sights observed. She has volunteered with the Norfolk Botanical Garden since 2003. Dr. Williams is the author of two historical books after researching the Garden’s history. They are WPA Original Gardeners and First Gardeners

Mary grew up in China and came to the United States as a young adult. Mary has been living in Chesapeake, Virginia the last 20 years. As an artist, Mary has been trained and studied traditional brush stroke painting, as seen in ancient Asian cultures, yet she combines element of Western art as well. She also believes that her art is more than just technique, but an expression of one’s own inner reflection of life, to show the beauty of nature to create a sense of peace and joy in those who see her work.

If you are interested in purchasing one or more of her paintings, you can contact Mary by text 757-957-2934 or click on her Instagram Page.

Maurice Ivory Wilson is a photographer and artist based in Richmond, VA with family ties to Portsmouth. Working primarily with film, he curiously observes and documents the people he esteems, loved ones and communities he is fortunate to engage with in pursuit of deeper understanding and to offer perspective on their lived experiences. His work is galvanized by the eras of street photography that use the lens to examine and challenge societal constructs, while honoring the depth found in all walks of life. He continues to explore these themes while remaining connected to traditional photographic practices, including black-and-white film development and darkroom printing.

Maurice works with several local organizations, including serving as a volunteer photographer for Art 180, a darkroom studio monitor at the Visual Arts Center, and a member of the media team at The Mount Carmel Baptist Church. His work has been featured in numerous group exhibitions in Richmond, and three of his photographs were recently on view in the Black History Museum and Cultural Center of Virginia’s Bodies of Labor exhibit.

I am an artist that is a ODU student for fine arts. Art has always been hardwired into my genetics. My mother is an artist as a hobby but took the career path of social work and my father did a lot of graphic art, but took the route of the military. They both are artist in their own right just like how I am. Because of their efforts, art is truly what created me. I would rather draw than eat, I would rather paint than breathe, and I will try to put art in every single facet of my life. I hope to get my art out there and see the fruits of my labor. I do botanical drawings and drawings of portraits and horses.

Michael Logan is an artist, educator, and entrepreneur from Norfolk, Virginia. A graduate of The Governor’s School for the Arts and The Cooper Union in New York City, he has exhibited work in multiple shows, studied under renowned contemporary artists, and gained curatorial experience through the Merton D. Simpson Gallery. After returning to Norfolk in 2015, he began teaching with Norfolk Public Schools and later served as a Visual Arts Teacher and Interim Associate Chair at The Governor’s School for the Arts, as well as a juror for several student exhibitions.

Logan currently teaches at the Children’s Hospital of The King’s Daughters Hospital School Program, where he integrates art with therapeutic practices for young patients. He also serves as Director of Education at Aspire Art Gallery, leading community programs such as the After-School Art Enrichment Program, Summer Art Camp, private lessons, and public art initiatives. In 2023, he launched an online store featuring merchandise inspired by his artwork. Logan continues to create and exhibit his work locally and internationally, with murals, public installations, and exhibitions across Virginia, Raleigh, Washington D.C., New York City, London, and the Hampton Roads area.

Michaela’s works have often been heavily inspired by her interest in cross-cultural studies. In recent years, her most consistent pieces have featured women with head coverings (as an underrepresented and often vilified minority group with an aim to give perspective/show beauty in diversity); however more recently, has become more experimental in exploring the many realms of mixed media through old works and inspirational images alike

While I am currently focused on acrylic, my work remains multifaceted both in style and medium. I work with graphite, watercolor, ink, pastels, paper, fiber, clay, wood and found objects, exploring a wide range of subject matter. I have exhibited and sold my work in galleries, through commissions and art festivals, receiving recognition and a number of awards for my paintings.

My practice is rooted in a quiet rebellion against injustice and despair, against complacency and everything that serves as a catalyst for them. My goal is not to mirror darkness, but to make every attempt to transform it. I choose to create from a place of clarity, compassion, and conscious resistance. I choose not to use my creative abilities to mirror the noise of the world. I aspire to offer something deeper, intentional art of substance with relevant messages that causes people to think, rethink, act and react.

As a visual story teller, I take what is familiar and shift it, revealing untold and unaddressed stories. In appreciation of the foundational work of those who labored before me, I often pay homage to them in my work. This often adds another layer to the message of the paintings.

My name, pronounced “Na-moo-lee”, means “Grandmother” in Indigenous American tongue and my creative practice is an extension of my work as a Black, queer, autistic, and Indigenous traditional spiritual healer over the last 7 years.

My body of work is born from ceremony. Each piece a bridge between the seen and unseen, the remembered and the forgotten.

I am a lifelong artist and graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University’s School of the Arts (2010). After many years immersed in creative exploration, I took a sabbatical from my artistic pursuits to follow my soul’s purpose as a healer. This journey has transformed how I see and experience creation itself. Now, I am marrying my art and my healing practice, allowing them to inform and feed one another. Translating the journeys, shamanic visions, and wisdom I’ve walked through with myself and others as a healer into my creative expression and first love, art.

My work represents a lifelong devotion to ancestral remembrance, energetic healing, and the creative act as prayer. Every object I craft, whether a hand-thrown ceremonial vessel, felted altar cloth, sacred wall hanging, piece of adornment, or painted shamanic vision portrait – carries intention, spirit, and lineage.

My ceramics are shaped as ritual companions – bowls and vessels meant to hold offerings, medicine, elements, and the quiet of prayer at the altar.

My needle-felted altar cloths and wall hangings will serve as tactile portal opening invocations, each thread infused with color, memory, and intentional energy to transport and connect.

My felt needle jewelry will function as wearable energetic talismans – adornments of protection, remembrance, and beauty.

And my shamanic vision portraits, painted in gouache on handmade archival paper with hand felted accents, channel the soul’s essence and the spirit animals that walk beside it. The energetic records of transformation and truth.

I create to help others remember who they are, to reconnect with their sacred roots that live within the body, the land, and the spirit. My art is healing, ancestral, and deeply alive.

With Great Love and Spirit,
Namuli

Nyeira Shari is an afro-indigenous artist, creator of The.HoneyHamsa, a community and self-taught herbalist and forager who alchemizes her pain into something light.

Phalecia (Pho) is a line and abstract artist whose black and white work transforms simple strokes into powerful visual experiences. Her pieces explore movement, tension, and emotion. Using fluid, deliberate lines to create forms that feel alive and unpredictable. Each composition is a space for discovery, inviting viewers to find their own meaning within the patterns and shapes.

Rhashida Bess is an artist specializing in cold-formed metalsmithing, a sustainable practice focused on copper and brass that preserves African-influenced jewelry techniques. This methodology honors ancestral processes by minimizing waste and energy consumption, paying tribute to the resourcefulness of African artisans and traditional techniques.

Rhashida’s jewelry incorporates culturally significant materials like cowrie shells, crystal beads, and stones. The accompanying digital collages, created from her original photography, beautifully lay out the initial inspiration and narrative framework for how her final jewelry pieces ultimately come together.

This exhibition submission showcases the full cycle of Rhashida’s work: from the conceptualization and material legacy explored in the collages to the final sculptural form achieved through cold-formed metalsmithing and African-diaspora aesthetics.

This collection of three artworks explores the enduring concept of ancestral legacy and modern identity through African-influenced adornment and sustainable craft.

The digital collages‚ “Dawn of Our Cowrie” and “Ancestor’s Call, Guiding Light” serve as the conceptual blueprint and narrative, translating cultural motifs and historical calling into visual storytelling. The narrative focuses on the spiritual imperative to return to roots, light, and the power of the cowrie.

The accompanying piece, the “Adeola Cowrie Adornment”, completes the dialogue, manifesting the spiritual call into a wearable, tangible work of art. Adeola (Yoruba: “Crown of wealth/honor”) affirms the piece as a significant, handcrafted embodiment of the sovereign power and wealth of the ancestral legacy inherited by black peoples descended from Africa.

Hampton Roads Virginia, artist, Richard C. Press, Sr. began his pursuit of art while attending Northampton County High School in Machipongo, VA. Press received his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Education from Norfolk State University. After retirement from retail management, Press continued to produce masterpieces, as well as teach art at Booker T. Washington High School in Norfolk, VA. His community volunteer paths are too numerous to site.

Press works mostly in acrylics and oils, which includes abstracts, impressionism, realism, and portraits. His works include commissions for murals and private pieces that spans far beyond the Hampton roads area. His most notable murals grace the walls of the First Baptist Church of Hampton, VA and the sanctuaries of the Whiting Funeral Home of Williamsburg, Virginia. Press was the featured artist for the Black Diamond Weekend held in Newport News, VA, where he displayed his art accompanied by live models that portrayed his works.

Richard Press, Living Art exhibits have gained notoriety, as he has become a sought- after artist, presenting shows that go beyond the norms. The City of Newport News, VA featured Press‚ exhibit in their recognition of the 1619 landing of the first Africans in America. The Art Institute of VA Beach honored Press with a solo exhibit which featured the living models and was the first time a solo exhibit was granted to any artist for this location.

Press‚ recent solo exhibits include The Lemon Tree Gallery, Black Diamond Weekend, The Art Institute of VA Beach, Downing Gross Cultural Arts Center, Black Eyed Peas grand opening, Black Brand Norfolk Gala, Delta Sigma Theta Winter Ball, and a private showing at the Oyster Farm in Cape Charles, VA.

Richard’s renown painting titled, “Here Today, Gone Tomorrow” is featured in USA Today’s documentary‚ ”1619: Searching for Answers” an in-depth research of the arrival of the first enslaved Africans in America in 1619.

Riel Gustave / pikozumo (b.1995; Hollywood, FL) is an illustrator and pop-artist raised in and residing in Virginia. Their work synthesizes the Artist’s memories of childhood pop-culture media with a modern, super saturated approach and design, which establishes work that invokes a feeling of false-nostalgia.

Rowen Eris is a self-taught watercolor and textile artist who has recently relocated to Portsmouth, VA. Inspired by a love of place and connection, their practice pulls from the natural world, community, and memory.

Shonn, a native of Newport News, Virginia, has been drawing before he could even write. Diagnosed with Autism at the age of three, he often found it difficult to express himself through words like other children his age. Art became his voice‚ a way to share his feelings, tell his story, and connect with the world. Through it, he has not only opened himself up but has also become an advocate within the Autism community.
Beyond art, Shonn leads a vibrant and active life. He participates in Karate, Special Olympics gymnastics, basketball, and track, and has even taken on modeling. He also enjoys creating short films, with a love for both classical and 80’s music. Shonn believes in inspiring others to embrace who they are and to be great at being themselves.
Still, his greatest passion is drawing. Shonn uses his art as a tool for promoting inclusion and spreading positivity. His accomplishments include honorable mentions at art shows, multiple solo exhibitions, large-scale murals, children’s book illustrations, and even co-authoring a book. He has also launched a shirt line, designed logos for businesses, opened an art gallery, and teaches art classes. For Shonn, art is not just something he does, it is who he is. Art is his life.

Instagram: throughhiseyes01
Facebook: Through His Eyes LLC

Sonya Z. Phillips is a native of Virginia Beach, VA., and is also a US Army Veteran. She graduated from Old Dominion University with a BS in Biology and International Business. She then completed the Digital Marketing Specialist at Duke University. Sonya has been a cut & sew Fashion Designer for over 30 years. She teaches Sewing Classes in person and remotely. She started her first business in 2001 using the basics of sewing that she learned in her 7th grade home economics class and has since studied Couture Fashion Design under Marc Jacobs. In 2022 she founded Sustainabili-T, a lifestyle brand focused on sustainable fashion and self-love. Sonya encourages upcycling and reuse. She teaches people how to mend clothing to extend the life of their garments.
You can connect with Sonya Z. Phillips on her website www.sonyazphillips.com

I’m an artist raised in Newport News, Virginia. My work includes themes of identity and duality through lettering, character design and storytelling. I aim to create work that embodies a calm energy through a rigid, restricted color pallet and simplified shape language. This is done in an effort to cut through the fog and focus my emphasis on the essence of my message/theme. I’m most inspired by cartoons, video games, graffiti, and minimalism. My hope is that others will feel a sense of calm when viewing my work that will allow them to engage with the art in a way that commands focus.

More of my work can be found here:
https://www.instagram.com/soclosetosola/
https://tdacostadesign.myportfolio.com/

Tracy Pouncie was born and raised in New York City and has been a self-taught artist since childhood. Art has been a constant friend to her all her life. She moved to Suffolk, VA about 17 years with family working in education and healthcare. Tracy has now made the choice to going back to school to pursue a BFA at Old Dominion University. She is currently a Senior and is passionate about learning all things art and creating 2 and 3D images. She does not limit herself to one medium. She uses oil, acrylic, clay, ink, and glass to create thought provoking and functional art. She wants to capture everyday experiences and emotions: the good, the bad, and the ugly. She has received awards for her works of art from local galleries, schools, and community events.

Tyra Billey is a visual artist and MFA student at Norfolk State University whose practice explores Black women’s spirituality, recovery, and personal transformation. Drawing from her African American and Guyanese heritage, she uses printmaking and drawing to create intimate, research-driven narratives. Her current body of work centers the Twelve Steps of sobriety. Repentance in the Prayer Closet, her Step Eight piece, reflects her ongoing investigation into accountability, healing, and the interior spaces where Black women confront, carry, and release what recovery asks of them.

Vanessa McKinnon is an African American contemporary artist from Woodbridge, Virginia, pursuing her Fine Arts and Graphic Design degree with a minor in Business at Norfolk State University. Known for its vibrant colors, light texture, and symbolic meaning, her artistic span consists of painting, mixed media drawing, graphic design, and illustration. Her goal is to engage viewers with art that is both new and thought-provoking from her perspective.

My website is www.ellensinclair.com

Ellen Sinclair received her BA from Hollins College. After a 35-year career in interior design she now commits her days to her art. You can find her painting in plein air as well as in her studio in Virginia Beach. Ellen is an Episcopalian. She brings her faith and love of All God’s children together here.  She celebrates the unique bond and power the VA Beach Sisters of St Stephen’s Church of God in Christ (COGIC) show in her painting “Sisterhood of Grace and Praise”. We all know, behind anything good that happens, there are women at work. I wanted to praise them for all that they do.

“Her Spirit Speaks” is a study I did for the “Sisterhood of Grace and Power”.  As you can see, she holds court in the painting …her spirit is speaking and others are listening.

Ellen remains hopeful that there is room in this land for the Hispanics who migrate here.

” Hopeful Journey Takes Flight” shows a young Hispanic boy waving his American flag, carrying a toy from home with dreams of being as free as the Monarch butterflies who make the same journey every year.

Ellen celebrates diversity, equity, and inclusion of All in our area from the African American women who hold their community and families together and raise them up; to the immigrate Hispanics who help and do so much to enrich our lives in Tidewater.

I have been an artist for most of my life, I started doing designs and drawings at the age of 10, I started out studying fashion design at the Traphagen school of fashion in New York City, then studied in England at the American College in London, England. I found that my true passion was in drawing and illustration, when I came back to New York and studied at Pratt Institute in New York City. I am now working primarily doing mixed media which includes acrylic, pencil, and watercolor paintings on wood.