In a special celebration of Black History Month, “The Black Arts Lounge” promises to be an evening of soulful music, powerful spoken word poetry, and a communal celebration of African American artistic contributions. It serves as a central part of the ongoing art exhibition, “The 559 Edition – African Americans and the Arts,” dedicated to showcasing the brilliance and creativity of local Black artists.
This vibrant gathering will take place from 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 22, at the Leon S. Peters Ellipse Gallery, located on the second floor of the Fresno State Library.
The 2024 national theme for Black History Month, “African Americans and the Arts,” recognizes the expansive creativity of Black artists who draw from both unique and shared experiences within the United States and the global African diaspora. These artists play a crucial role in retaining and preserving African culture and heritage while also constructing new, resilient forms of Black culture that contribute to the rich, diverse tapestry of African American history. The event and the exhibition alike celebrate this creative spirit, echoing the sentiment, Ashé, in honor of the artists’ brilliance, generosity, and transformative impact.
Featured Artists at The Black Arts Lounge
Faylita Hicks (she/they) is not only a dynamic storyteller known for exploring themes such as identity, grief, and liberation through various mediums but also an advocate for marginalized communities. Hicks, based in Chicago, IL, has received critical acclaim for their debut poetry collection, HoodWitch, and is currently working on future publications that promise to delve even deeper into their experiences and observations.
Benjamin Boone has made significant contributions to both the music and academic worlds, with a focus on interdisciplinary projects that address culturally relevant topics. A Professor of Music at California State University Fresno, Boone’s work, including the acclaimed “The Poetry of Jazz” and his recent endeavors, reflects his commitment to creating music that resonates on a deeply personal and communal level.
These two talents previously combined on four powerful tracks of Benjamin Boone’s latest album, “Caught in the Rhythm” (Origin Records, 2023). This rare live joint appearance promises to be an intense blending of spoken word poetry and jazz.
A Celebration of Artistic Fusion
In addition to live performances, the event, part of “the 559 Edition – African Americans and the Arts” exhibition, will feature local artists along with a commissioned painting by 2022 Graduate President’s Medalist Audia Dixon, specially created for Fresno State. The walls of the Ellipse Gallery in the Fresno State Library are adorned with the following art during Black History Month.
Vanessa Addison Williams – “Amanda Gorman – Unbound,” “Bearden – Maestro of Collage” “Bearing Her Crown.” I use creative techniques in collage and acrylic painting to explore the complexity of African American identity through history, and as it continues to evolve. My work draws inspiration from my own life experiences as well as a long tradition of African American artists such as Romare Bearden, Faith Ringgold, and David Driskell who continue to inspire the art forms of collage and mixed media works with reimagined representations of Black peoples’ experiences in America.
Tyler Alcé – “Freedom” 2023 (Ceramic). Fresno State senior studying ceramics, artistry explores the beautiful and complex facets of black culture, revealing aspects of history that have shaped the past, that are shaping the present, and that will shape the future. She weaves together form and function in her conceptual designs that challenge viewers to engage with and reflect on narratives present in today’s society.
Kambrya Bailey – “Living in Tension,” “Re-Birth of a Nation,” “Pink and Red.” 01/04/24 – I paint because it quiets my mind and allows my spirit to speak. I paint because I feel most like myself when I’m creating something. My self that is honest, creative, bold, and surrendered to the fact that eternity is set in my heart. My paintings are murals, portals and poetry; points of contact for a longing for home for which there are no words. I try to parcel ideas together about that home, about what it means to be alive and known by our creator, to love, be fully loved, seen and held in this brutal and beautiful interdependent dance called life.
Bobby Brown – ”Crowned Wheel,” “Apocryphal,” “White Noise.” My relief prints incorporate heavy elements from my life, including my battles with depression and anxiety, personal relationships, but also from fairytales I am fond of, and religion. My art practice brings all these elements together with the intention to spark a dialogue. …I often give roles from fairytales to these depictions of my friends based on their personalities. In my art practice, conversation and relationships have played a significant role in my conceptual development, to where I have begun to show what is in my heart in plain sight while keeping how I feel a secret.
Audia Dixon – “Into Eden,” “2022,” “Daybreak with Minty.” My compilation of oil paintings and linocut prints dive into the phases of Black girlhood into Black womanhood, and their relationship to the natural world. My deep interest in visually interpreting Black childhood nostalgia is channeled through personal memories, experiences and feelings toward racial awareness. I love to create Black figures depicting their individuality and childlike behaviors in environments of beauty and chaos; which I find is an imperfect Edenic playground – a place where the present and past dwell all in one space. Inspired by the style of Dutch Renaissance art and Black American/African history, I create atmospheric landscapes that symbolize a gateway to an ideal and dream-like world, tied where Black innocence and nostalgia can coexist.” IG : audi_audassity
James Gearlds – “Ebony Queen Mononoke,” “Portrait of Virgil Abloh,” “Auntie’s Rice Cooker,” “Portrait of Malcolm X.” James currently lives and works out of Fresno, CA. A resident artist at Broadway Studios in downtown Fresno, with 20 years of art experience, he is the host of “The Art and BS Podcast” by artists, for artists, and art lovers. He talks to artists in a manner only fellow artists can. The goal of his podcast is to provide insight into established, as well as up and coming artists. Unedited, raw and uncut, his goal can be summed up in one word “Authenticity.”
Britney Holman – “Dimensions,” “Direction,” “Pretty Destruction.” Britney’s Bold Rhythm of Art spills its own story of fearless expression, capturing the raw feel of emotions on the canvas. “Painting is my sanctuary—a place where I find solace, purpose, and boundless inspiration. It’s not just about creating aesthetically pleasing visuals; it’s about connecting with others on a soulful level. When someone looks at my work and resonates with the emotions I’ve expressed on the canvas, it’s a shared moment of understanding and connection.”
Nick Potter – “Diane, Somewhere, Somewhere, mid-1980’s.” The three 1950s childhood memories with this painting were written by my mother, Diane, sometime in the 1990s.
William Raines – “Jumping Ship.” William Raines has been an art instructor at both Fresno State and Fresno City College, where he taught a range of classes from Drawing to Content and Form. He is also actively engaged in the global art community, which includes the Smithsonian Folklife Festival, presenter for the Arts & Education Summit Region 7: Create the State, presenter for the Arts Education Summit for California County Superintendents Arts Initiative “Arts in School”, Visiting Artist for the “Walking of Art” at East Carolina University North Carolina, and Visiting Art Educator/Guest Artist for the Second International Symposium on Creativity and Child Development at Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China. He seeks to bring art and education to the wider student population of the San Joaquin Valley at all levels. William is a founding member of Corridor 2122 in downtown Fresno.
Shaq Michelle Robinson – “Shaqtopia,” “Blk Joy of Sunshine,” “When the Sun Smiles,” “Double Moon Sunburst.” From North Carolina to Fresno, CA! It took me becoming a U.S. Navy veteran to guide me back to something I never should have walked away from. My Artwork heals the child in me with each vision that grows into a vibrant painting from my imagination. I’ve been spiritually guided out of the matrix to become who I was meant to be, unapologetically Shaq Michelle, the Artist showcasing the SHAQADELIC WAY! Hello, I am Shaq Michelle.
Martin Townsend – “I’m Going,” “If I Go,” “Pathways.” Born in Memphis, TN 1992, Martin Townsend explores observations on the human condition primarily through the use of paint. With a background in drafting and design, Townsend received his Associate’s Degree in Art from Fresno City College as well as a Bachelor’s of Fine Art and a Bachelor’s of Art in Art Education from California State University Chico. Townsend is currently based out of Fresno, working with the local community to create more engaging public art as a part of the Paper Crane Arts Center.
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The College of Arts and Humanities at Fresno State 