2024 Celebrating The Black Experience

THE KENTUCKY CENTER FOR AFRICAN AMERICAN HERITAGE PRESENTS

CELEBRATING THE BLACK EXPERIENCE

April 12 - June 21, 2024

Welcome to the 3rd annual Celebrating the Black Experience exhibition, an extraordinary journey honoring the rich tapestry of Black heritage, culture, and resilience. This exhibition is a testament to the depth and breadth of Black creativity and innovation. This captivating exhibition invites you to explore the diverse narratives, achievements, and contributions that offer a vibrant celebration of Black identity and empowerment. Imagery expressing rejoicing, sorrow, love, creativity, and truth-telling are all represented within the Black aesthetic, contributing to a counter-narrative that provides alternate perspectives that are missing or underrepresented.

From the struggles against oppression to the triumphs of resilience and creativity, this exhibition serves as a beacon of understanding and appreciation for the diverse narratives within the African diaspora. We invite you to immerse yourself in the richness of Black heritage and the indomitable spirit of creativity that continues to inspire generations to honor the past, embrace the present, and envision a future.

Join us to celebrate the legacy of black artists’ rich contributions and achievements and the impact Black art has made in transforming our struggle against oppression and racism.

Aukram Burton

Executive Director & Co-Curator

The Kentucky Center for African American Heritage

Support for this program provided in part by:

Brown-Forman

Kentucky Arts Council

Kentucky Tourism, Arts and Heritage Cabinet

Fund for the Arts HeArts Program

Metro Louisville

Artwork on Cover: Divinely Guided, Laurissa Kabithe onWisdom, Desmone Stepp

ABOUT THE HERITAGE CENTER

The Kentucky Center for African American Heritage is on Muhammad Ali Boulevard (formerly Walnut Street). From the 1920s to the 1950s, ‘Old Walnut Street’ was known as the “Harlem of the South,” a center for African American art, culture, and business during the Jim Crow period in United States history. Black-owned businesses thrived, and the music venues and theatres brought people of all cultures to the area. Urban renewal in the ‘50s ended much of this, but we still remember our past.

In 1994, the Jefferson County African American Heritage Committee began with the initial goal of preserving African American sites, communities, and culture. The committee started by preserving historic structures in Louisville’s African-American community and using historical markers to recognize important people and places. Eventually, the committee became the African American Heritage Foundation. The foundation secured funding to renovate the landmark Louisville Street Railway Complex at 18th and Walnut Street (now Muhammad Ali Boulevard). It was an ideal location because of its special significance for the African American community, once the epicenter of the fight for transportation equality. The groundbreaking to build the Kentucky Center for African American Heritage took place in February 2003.

Since renovating the 68,000 sq. foot campus, the Heritage Center has worked to raise public awareness about the history, heritage, and cultural contributions of African Americans in Kentucky and in the African Diaspora. Since 2011, the Heritage Center has been a Kentucky Tourism, Arts, and Heritage Cabinet member. As a quasi-state agency, the Heritage Center is dedicated to a statewide mission to preserve, promote, and advance the culture and heritage of African Americans in Kentucky and the legacy shared throughout the African Diaspora. As a result, the Heritage Center has evolved to be a vital, contemporary institution, providing space for exhibitions and performances of all types, including preservation trades, oral history, genealogy, spoken word, story-telling, artists-in-residence studios, and visual and performing arts. The Samuel Plato Industrial and Creative Arts Institute at the Heritage Center is an advancement of this mission.

The Samuel Plato Industrial and Creative Arts Institute has artists-in-residence Julia Youngblood and Gwendolyn Kelly supported by the Fund for the Arts HeArts Program. Youngblood and Kelly facilitate weekly Open Studio that explores numerous visual art techniques, creative expressions, and open-to-the-community Jewelry Making Studio. In addition to these two weekly programs for creatives, the Institute offers workshops and individual tutorials designed to grow skills related to how artists speak about, market, exhibit, and promote their work to create income in their field as working artists. These workshops focus on photographing artworks, appropriate pricing, and writing artist statements and bios. In addition, artists learn techniques on how to photograph their work using camera phones, as well as how to use a more professional setup provided by the Institute. These skills are immediately put to use as we invite community artists to submit their work for the Celebrating the Black Experience Exhibition

ALEX EDISON

Alexandria (Alex) Leona Edison is a Black queer artist from Louisville, Kentucky. Currently, Alex is exploring a desired career path in community building as a recreational attendant at The Cabbage Patch Settlement House. In addition to creating art, they are passionate about understanding how social structures come into play in each of our lives. While the arts have been a lifelong venture, Alex has been a self-taught mixed-media artist for five years. In 2023, their interest in the sculptural elements within mixed media emerged. Their most recent exhibition was a group show of artists at the 1512 Portal Gallery in Portland titled Interpreting the Stars, curated by Rebecca Norton, featuring Alex Edison, Olivia Reyes and Peter Price.

A MASTERCLASS WITH AUNTIE ENOKI Mixed Media Sculpture 14” x13”

$3,500.00

“

Too often, the messiest times are left and forgotten in the name of growth, but I believe all things deserve reflection. This series has been made with the intent to reflect on what the 18-25 age range has been like from the perspective of a Black Queer spazz. My favorite thing about these works is the use of color and the loud stylistic choices I’ve made. These choices bring together how much of a turbulent frame of life this is for a person.

Alex Edison

DESMONE STEPP

Desmone Stepp, a 24-year-old representational artist, was born and raised in Louisville, Kentucky. Since her earliest memories, a pencil and sketchbook have been companions, offering solace from the pain she saw within the world. These formative years of feeling the healing magic of art instilled a heart full of longing to evoke love and tranquility in all life through her art. In 2021, Desmone earned her Bachelor’s degree from the University of Louisville, majoring in Art with a minor in Psychology. In addition to her degree, she also worked as a Health Advocate Leader at the university’s Health Promotion Department. Here, Desmone delved into the art of mindfulness, meditation, and the resiliency held within mind, body, and soul. Guiding others through meditative practices and workshops to nurture mindful living within the campus community, Desmone found an alignment between her artistic passion and her yearning to cultivate safe spaces for all beings. Post-graduation, Desmone immersed herself in Louisville’s art non-profit sector, assuming the Outreach Director/Coordinator role at Louisville Visual Art (LVA). After dedicating 2 ½ years to making a meaningful impact in the art ecosystem of Louisville, Desmone decided to redirect her focus toward her art career and being with family. Despite this change, Desmone’s dedication to using her artistic skills for the betterment of humanity and fostering a kinder world remains unwavering. Whether through her creations or by imparting her knowledge to others, Desmone uses her creativity to cultivate inviting spaces for all.

“ I have always been fascinated with our human experience and loving relationship with nature and the divine. In my paintings, I aim to convey the effortless grace and strength of Black people by drawing parallels between their beauty and the elements of nature.

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— Desmone Stepp

EDWARD WHITE

Edward White grew up with five boys whose energies were channeled to physical activities. However, touch, shapes, and colors influenced his learning style, and this tactical brain connection fed his mind with morning, noon, and night images. White had few opportunities to release these images. To escape the sports mentality fed to many African American males of his generation, White would venture into the Arts and Crafts room at the Boy’s Club only to get pulled back by sports before finishing what he started. Studying Commercial Photography at Jefferson Community College started him on his artistic journey and gave him a medium to express the images harbored deep in the crevices of his mind. Paul Schulz Companies, his place of employment, strengthened his foundation and honed White’s photographic eye. Empowered by this medium, he used his camera to capture the images that came into his mind. Over time, in addition to his photography, Edward developed his techniques for creating unique mixed-media sculptures. He has since shown his work in numerous exhibitions, including “Portland Now,” 1619 Flux, 2017; Louisville Free Public Library Foundation “Art in Library” Shawnee Library sculpture “The People” 2021; Owensboro Museum Fine Art, Owensboro, Kentucky; Artful Connections / Louisville / Owensboro, May 14 to July 17, 2022; Kore Gallery Louisville KY “Black & White September 1 - 29, 2022; Schweitzer - Bourne New Albany, IN and Collective Resistance: The Politics of Personhood October 21 - November 12, 2022.

“

Art is an avenue for my creative spirit to have a voice and to speak to whoever will stop and listen. My hands and eyes are the tools used to bring the visions and images to life for the world to explore.

— Edward White

JOMO KENYATTA

Mixed Media

24” X 48”

$10,000

GEORGE SCOTT

George Scott is a Louisville-based self-taught artist born and raised in Detroit, Michigan. His photographic inspiration is derived mainly from the desire to document the environment in which he lives and share these visual stories with the world. Also, to expound upon the artistic ideas of artists such as Gordon Parks, Jean-Michel Basquiat, and Saul Leiter. He is particularly drawn to black and white photography, which, according to him, conveys the true essence and classic beauty of a scene/portrait. His current project centers around documenting the streets of the Louisville Metropolitan area.

“

My photographic series of the local metropolitan areas is meant to show our city’s diverse beauty and grit. It’s people, it’s life, and it’s culture.

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—George Scott

BECOME A MONSTER

A KING WITH PRINCE AND PRINCESS

Photograph

12” x 16”

$150

BARBER SHOP

Photograph

12” x 16”

$150

JOHN ROACH

John Roach grew up in the West End of Louisville, where he studied with artist Ed Hamilton. Hamilton later became his mentor and friend. Roach went on to receive a degree in public relations from Butler University. He worked in restaurants, labor, factories, and the insurance industry before returning to oil painting in 2015.

LOVE AND DISTRESS

Oil on Plywood.

16” x 23”

$350.00

A COOL PLACE

Oil on Plywood

23.5”x 31.5”

$450.00

THE HOMELESS ADOPTION

Oil on Plywood

38” x 31”

$650.00

“

I have always been a huge fan of art. As a child out of the West End, my greatest pastime was to go to the local libraries and study the works of the old masters and how they became artists. Then, I would race home and pull out an old Christmas gift of oil tubes and worn-out brushes. I would paint on whatever I could get my hands on. We were poor. I was an amateur then, but I felt like a young artist. I am an oil painter by heart. I paint in oils, mostly on plywood. I love plywood for many reasons, but mostly because I am trying to make a statement for the many homes boarded with plywood in the West End.

�— John Roach

JOYCE KEMP

Joyce L. Kemp, known as the hat lady, is a fiber artist specializing in leather and mud-cloth. She creates leather portraits, bags, and hats. She has designed a patent on the boo bear and their copywritten story. Kemp was born and raised in Louisville, Kentucky. She studied Fashion Design at Los Angeles Trade Technical College in the early 90s, and after school, she started working in the fashion industry as a pattern maker. Kemp has just retired after over 20 years as a pattern maker and seamstress in the motion picture industry, working on movies and TV shows. For the past 25 years, Kemp has shown her work at African marketplaces all over California, the Watts Drum Fest, the Pan African Film Festival, and private shows. She volunteers at an abandoned cemetery in her spare time and loves cooking and entertaining.

MR. FOREVER PRESIDENT

“I work with leather and mud-cloth. I arranged the leather-like paint, emphasizing the strong colors and fabulous textures.

I also specialize in beautifully designed mud-cloth hats and leather bags.

— Joyce L. Kemp

BLACK JESUS Leather

KALILA ABDUR-RAZZAQ

Kalila Ain began her formal education at the High School of Art & Design and the Art Students League of New York; she earned her bachelor’s degree in painting and art history from SUNY Purchase and studied fresco restoration at Istituto Lorenzo de’ Medici in Florence, Italy. Kalila Ain’s painting and printmaking practice is grounded in healing from breaking; her stellar compositions illuminate sources of reconnection succeeding fragmentation. While design motifs and iconography within her work can be widely interpreted, her visual language is fully concretized through the lens of her cultural and religious practice, Lucumí. Kalila Ain holds two permanent installations at the Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital in New York City; her painting The Renaissance Woman resides in the permanent collection of The Colored Girls Museum of Philadelphia, PA. She is the illustrator of the children’s book Life is Fine, and her painting My Mother Named Me Beloved was selected by New York University’s Center for Black Visual Culture to represent their Black Rest Project Initiative.

“

Hearing the phrase “innocent women and children” while witnessing men rescue their communities from underneath the rubble struck me. I have asked myself, why are men and boys accepted as casualties of war? Who is deemed worthy of the categorization “innocent,” and how is that classification determined?

— Kalila Abdur-Razzaq

KELLY U. JOHNSON

Kelly U. Johnson, originally from Louisville, Kentucy, and currently residing in Richmond, VA, is a selftaught artist with a lifelong commitment to creativity that began in her childhood. Complementing her innate talent, she further honed her skills at the University of Louisville. Kelly’s work has been exhibited at The Kentucky Center for African American Heritage, The Black History Museum and Cultural Center, The Cultural Arts Center at Glen Allen, the Taubman Museum, and the 25th African American Exhibit at Actor’s Theatre. Her captivating creations have found a place in corporate and private collections across the United States.

SING DANCE

Acrylic Collage on Canvas

24” x 18” x 1”

$875

IN MY SPACE

Acrylic Collage on Canvas

24” x 24” x 1”

$1475

BREATHE

Acrylic Collage on Canvas

20” x 20” x 1.5”

$990

“My artwork represents the Black experience. It emphasizes the beauty, resilience, and strength of Blacks in America. I work in various mediums, including paper and fabrics, to create mixed-media art. Each element in a creation can represent different aspects of the subject story.

— Kelly U. Johnson

$750

CONNECTIONS

$780

LITTLE DREAMER

Acrylic Collage on Canvas 20” x 16” x 1”

Acrylic Collage on Canvas 16” x 20” x 1.5”

KEVIN BOARD

Kevin Board grew up in the west end of Louisville. He is the third child of nine brothers and sisters. Board was educated in the day JCPS system. He worked most of his life in the hospitality industry. His last employment before retirement was in healthcare. He is a minister in the Christian Methodist Episcopal denomination.

“

I enjoyed art at a young age. I picked up a brush during the pandemic, and it started all over for me. I work with vibrant acrylic paint colors and am primarily an abstract painter. My art entertains, challenges, and captures the imagination of the on-looker.

�

— Kevin Board

THERE’S SO MANY

Acrylic on canvas

16” x 20”

$200

THE CORNER

Acrylic on canvas

16” x 20”

$200

MUCH DEEPER

Acrylic on canvas

16” x 20”

$300

THE PATH

Acrylic on canvas

16” x 20”

$400

KEVIN JONES

Kevin D. Jones aka Darnell was born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. He was the second child of Dempsey and Gladys C Jones. Raised in Oklahoma, he attended private school until 8th grade then went to public high school and later gained a Bachelor of Arts in advertising and a Bachelor of Fine Arts in visual communications from the University of Oklahoma. He moved to Louisville Kentucky in 1999 where he currently resides.

“

I am an abstract artist. I work with acrylic paint on wood. I strive to create works which are aesthetically pleasing and thought-provoking.

�

— Kevin Jones

WAR Acrylic on wood 36”x 36”

$800

LAURISSA KABITHE

Laurissa Kabithe is a visual artist based in Louisville, Kentucky, born in Cleveland, Ohio. She always had a creative and outgoing spirit as a child. Kabithe started practicing art in high school in a few studio art courses. However, when she attended the University of Louisville, she immersed herself in various artistic mediums, experimenting with graphite, conte crayon, ink, oil, and acrylic paints to express her thoughts and emotions. Much of the imagery in her early work depicts modified versions of portraits taken by photographers she favored. These modifications were often characterized by dreamlike imagery. This pattern within her work led her to explore surrealistic art. Kabithe’s art has been featured in the Governor’s Derby Exhibit in 2022 and the KCAAH Celebrating the Black Experience Exhibit in 2022.

KISSED

“

I use my art to explore my thoughts and feelings and the experiences of those around me. My work delves into the landscape of the human mind, exploring themes such as identity, mental health, dreams, time, reality, and the subconscious. My art aims to evoke emotions and spark introspection.

�

— Laurissa Kabithe

SOLACE

Oil on canvas

24” x 30”

NFS

GREENED OUT

Oil on canvas

24” x 24”

NFS

DIVINELY GUIDED

Digital Art

13” x 17”

$650.00

LISA A. BROWN

Lisa A. Brown, a resident of Lexington, Kentucky, is a journalist and award-winning photographer. She possesses a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism and a Master of Science degree in Educational Policy Studies from the University of Kentucky (UK). She was the director of student and multicultural affairs in the School of Journalism at UK. Brown’s passion for photography ignited after being laid off from her job. As a person of faith, she recalls God instructing her to purchase a camera. She joined several photography organizations, including the Tates Creek Photography Group and the Creative Camera Club (CCC). She was named Best Beginning Photographer of the Year by the CCC in 2019. She found her niche in landscape photography and used her lens to connect with nature. Her love for God’s creation began as a child when her mother unwittingly planted a seed within her. Not fully comprehending, Brown would sit in the back seat watching her mother praise God as they drove along the Kentucky interstate. In 2023, Brown was selected as a photojournalist to accompany a group of journalists to Zanzibar. Some of her images appear in Pitt Magazine, University of Pittsburgh’s flagship publication. She currently has a photo on exhibit at the State Capitol in Frankfort. Her work has also been exhibited at the Pam Miller Downtown Arts Center, local and regional hospitals, WUKY Studios, the Living Arts and Science Center, the National Alliance on Mental Illness in partnership with the Louisville Actors Theatre, and LexArts.

NFS

REFLECTIONS OF THE CROSS Photograph

16” x 20”

“As a photographer, I try to compose my shot before pressing the shutter release. I envision capturing an image that will cause an individual to breathe deeply. I find joy and serenity in nature. I tend to focus on pops of color, which soothes one’s mood.

— Lisa A. Brown

�YOUNG MAASAI WARRIOR

Photograph

16” x 20”

$525

I WALK THE LONE PATH

Photograph

16” x 20”

$625

NORMA DRISH

Norma Drish is a self-taught artist and native of St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands, currently residing in Louisville, Kentucky. She developed an interest in the arts while observing her father, a self-taught artist and sign maker. After six years in the U.S. Army and 25 years as an autoworker, Drish decided to retire and pursue the arts. In 2021, she had the opportunity to do her first residency and exhibit “From St. Croix to the Southend” at The Little Loomhouse. In 2023, she was accepted in the exhibit “Celebrating The Black Experience” with the Kentucky Center for African American Heritage, the “Emancipation 175” Exhibit at Cane Roots Art Gallery in St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Island, and “Afloramos “We Flourish” at The Speed Art Museum. These exhibits explore the everyday lives of her people through portrait art. Most recently, Drish was accepted as part of the Harrison County Arts Annual Exhibit, celebrating the unique culture of the Ohio Valley. Drish works out of her home studio in Louisville and St. Croix during her extended visits.

“Oil is my medium of choice, along with an exploration of watercolors. Many of my portrait works are inspired by the everyday life of my family and friends who are in St. Croix; through research, conversations, and observations, “The Guardians” is an embrace of my Crucian upbringing, the African influence, and how it has evolved into what it is today. Using a palette knife, I explore these once-ethereal beings’ texture, color, and movement.

— Norma Drish

$2,000

THE GUARDIANS

Oil 30” x 30”

RONNITA NANCE

Hailing from the west end of Louisville, Kentucky, in the late 60s, Ronnita is an artist with a lifelong love for drawing and a new love for painting. Ronnita commenced her artistic voyage as a young child, discovering a deep connection with the world of colored pencils. This innate talent led her to explore classes specializing in figure drawing during her college years. In 2019, Ronnita took the bold step into the realm of painting, a transition that breathed new life into her artistry. Ronnita believes art is the language of the soul, a reflection of personal thoughts, emotions, and experiences. She views each canvas as an opportunity to communicate stories, evoke emotions, and connect with viewers. She has exhibited in galleries such as the John G. Irvin Gallery for the “Looking at You” exhibit, the Garfield Park Arts Center for the SALI National Abstract Art showcase, and the Kore Art Gallery for the “Black and White” show. Ronnita’s paintings are admired for their vibrant colors, intricate compositions, and fluidity. Currently serving as the Louisville Free Public Library COLLIDER Artist-in-Residence. This residency not only showcases her commitment to artistic exploration but also marks another chapter in a journey that beautifully blends the structured lines of figurative art with the untethered expressions of the abstract—a testament to the harmonious coexistence of the past, present, and future in Ronnita’s artistic narrative.

TOTAL PRAISE

Acrylic 20” x 20”

$200

In my art, I explore the dynamic nature of acrylic paint on canvases. Guided by fluidity, I use pouring and tilting. Acrylics’ viscosity creates vibrant, organic designs. While canvases are the main stage, I experiment on various surfaces, inviting unpredictability. This fusion of technique and spontaneity encapsulates my creative journey.

— Ronnita Nance

DAY DREAMER

Acrylic

24” x 24”

$350

MY SISTER’S KEEPER

Acrylic

24” x 36”

$360

SCOTT FERGUSON

Scott B. Ferguson was born and raised in Richmond, Indiana. He is currently based in Southern Indiana. As a self-taught artist, he has been creating for the past twenty years. He works with acrylic paint, mixed media, wood, and wire. He has exhibited paintings at the Wayside Expressions Gallery and Diamonte Restaurant in Louisville, Kentucky. He is a regular participant in the Kentucky Center for African American Heritage open studio facilitated by Gwendolyn Kelly and Julia Youngblood. He is inspired by making art in the community.

$1200

“Art is freedom from constraints, a form of reclamation, and expressing feel-good moments. Art is a way for me to find purpose and express erratic, undisciplined moods and what motivates me. I chip away, scrape, forage, move paint, find symmetry, and create order from what’s available to re-purpose.

— Scott Ferguson

THREE IS FREE

Wood Sculpture

33” x18” x 1”

$2000

STRANGE FRUIT UNHINGED

Mixed Media on Wood Board, Acrylic Paint, Hardware 36” x 24”

SHEILA FOX

Sheila Fox, also known as Godiva Goddess, is a talented mixed media self-taught artist from Chicago, now residing in Louisville, Kentucky. She’s a wife, mother and Full-time Welder-fabricator. Her passion for representing and empowering black men and women through her art drives Sheila. Growing up, she was exposed to the richness of the black culture but felt that the mainstream media narratives and images of black people were limited and one-dimensional. This realization propelled her to use art to represent the complexity and diversity of the black experience. She has been honored to showcase her work in galleries and exhibitions throughout Louisville, Chicago, Nashville, Indianapolis, and Atlanta. She has been fortunate to have the support of a community of artists, collectors, and art enthusiasts who understand the importance of representation and empowerment in the art world.

$1,850

$1,850.00

A DAY AT THE BARBERSHOP

Mixed Media, Acrylic 24” x 36”

DON’T TOUCH MY HAIR

Mixed Media, Acrylic 24” x 36”

“As a self-taught mixed media artist, I passionately capture the essence of Black individuals using unconventional materials. With two decades of drawing experience and seven years of painting, I skillfully blend history, race, and power themes in my portraiture. My dynamic pieces challenge art norms, sparking conversations about the complexity of the Black experience.

— Sheila Fox

�Mixed Media, Acrylic 30” x 40”

$1,800

SHE GLOWS ON STORMY NIGHTS

Mixed Media, Acrylic 30” x 40”

$1,200.00

INTO MY IDENTITY

Mixed Media, Acrylic 24” x 48”

$2,800

MIDNIGHT GARDEN

BLOOMING

ABOUT THE CURATORS

Aukram Burton’s extensive career as a photographer and producer has led him on a global journey, capturing the essence of diverse cultures across continents. His portfolio spans an array of destinations, including Barbados, Brazil, Benin, China, Colombia, Cuba, Ghana, Haiti, Jamaica, Nigeria, Panama, Senegal, South Africa, Tibet, and various locales throughout the United States. His work serves as a visual narrative of humanity’s rich tapestry. Aukram holds a Bachelor of Arts in Art, a Master of Education in Instructional Design, and a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies in International Education. He further honed his expertise as a research fellow at the Center for Advanced Visual Studies at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Aukram has curated numerous exhibitions both nationally and internationally. Notable national exhibitions include “Glimpses of the Middle Kingdom” at the Museum of the National Center of Afro-American Artists in Boston, Massachusetts (1986), “Images From Nigeria” at the Cone Center Gallery, University of North Carolina, Charlotte (1998), and “Journeys Through the African Diaspora” at the Kentucky Center for African American Heritage (2012). Internationally, Aukram has curated exhibitions such as the “Boston Collective Group Exhibition” at the Guangzhou Fine Arts Academy in Guangzhou, China, as part of a bilateral cultural exchange between Massachusetts and Guangdong Province (1986), and “Journeys Through the African Diaspora,” a permanent photography exhibition at Universidad del Valle Sede Pacifico in Buenaventura, Colombia (2018). In recognition of his dedication to cultural exploration, in January 2023, Aukram received a curator travel grant from the Great Meadows Foundation, enabling him to conduct curatorial research in Benin, West Africa, and explore opportunities for art and cultural exchange. Aukram’s approach to curation is characterized by his profound understanding of cultural nuances and his unwavering commitment to amplifying marginalized voices.

Julia Youngblood, founder of Youngblood Harmonizing Arts, is recognized in the arts and social justice communities for her multifaceted contributions and commitment to fostering creativity and cultural equity. She is the recipient of the 2023 Curate, Purchase, Inspire award from Louisville Visual Art and the 2022 Indiana Arts Commission On-Ramp fellowship. Julia’s academic journey has been marked by a Bachelor of Arts degree from Bennington College and a Master of Fine Arts from the San Francisco Art Institute. Her diverse skill set encompasses arts education, photography, Jin Shin Jyutsu practice, and multidisciplinary artistry, showcased through solo and group exhibitions in Kentucky, Vermont, New Mexico, and California. Her recent solo exhibition, “Held in the Sway,” featuring captivating paintings and printed textiles, was hosted at Lodgic Loft Gallery in 2022. With a rich history of community engagement, Julia spent sixteen impactful years directing ArtsReach, a renowned community arts program at Kentucky Performing Arts. Her dedication to advancing cultural equity extends beyond local initiatives, as evidenced by her involvement in panels for esteemed institutions such as the National Endowment for the Arts and The Kentucky Arts Council. Julia serves as an advisor on cultural equity for KPAN (Kentucky Peer Advisory Network). Driven by a profound belief in art’s healing and transformative power, Julia is deeply passionate about promoting individual and community well-being. She actively engages with various community organizations, including KCAAH’s Samuel Plato Industrial and Creative Arts Institute, JCPS Elev8, Molo Village, Maryhurst, Kentuckians for the Commonwealth, and Dreams with Wings, where she facilitates arts-based programming to empower individuals and foster connection. In addition to her community involvement, Julia plays a vital role in supporting exhibitions and curation at the Kentucky Center for African American Heritage, further exemplifying her dedication to amplifying diverse voices and narratives within the arts landscape. Julia’s tireless advocacy for cultural equity and her holistic approach to art and wellness inspire and uplift communities, embodying her vision of harmonizing mind, body, and spirit for a better world.