Opening of Made With Chi feat. Jenne Glover
This exhibition with mixed media artist, Jenne Glover, opens Saturday, May 4th with a reception from 2-6pm.
Petworth Porchfest 2024
The event brings together community by offering Petworth residents an opportunity to host local bands on their porch, where residents and visitors can enjoy live music together. The aim of the event is to encourage the gathering of community, support local artists and businesses, and inspire people through the art of music. To learn more about the performers and schedule, please click on button below.
Art of Noize will be opened during Porchfest to take a load off and to view the current exhibition one last time.
Closing Reception of "Ethereal Visions: A Journey Through Art"
Please join us on Friday, April 26th from 7p - 10p for one last look at the beautiful works by Greta Chapin-McGIll of the “Ethereal Visions: A Journey Through Art” exhibition. Learn the vision behind each artwork, while meeting the artist behind the works.
Free & open to the public.
Sessions - Open Mic
This is our monthly open mic jam session for poets, instrumentalists, vocalists, MCs, and anyone willing to share their art. It’s a space where artists are free to create and not required to be as formal as they are in other venues. At our open mic, artists are encouraged to expand the boundaries of their own expression, and perform with artists they normally wouldn’t, and play, sing, rap, or dance as if no one is watching. Participants will either perform alongside a DJ or a live band.
Tickets can be purchased in advance for guarantee admission, or at the door.
Sip n See with Artist Greta Chapin-McGill
Please join us on Saturday, April 20th from 2pm - 6pm, to learn more about the artist, Greta Chapin-McGill, and the story behind the current exhibition “Ethereal Visions: A Journey Through Art,” while enjoying beverages, taking in the beautiful artwork.
Please RSVP for this special event via the button below.
Greta's Artist Talk Brunch
Please join us on Sunday, April 14th from 11a-2p to learn more about the artist, Greta Chapin-McGill, and the story behind the current exhibition “Ethereal Visions: A Journey Through Art,” while enjoying light bites.
This insightful discussion will be moderated by the talented Curator Carol Rhodes Dyson.
This event is free & open to the public.
“Ethereal Visions: A Journey Through Art” Exhibition featuring Greta Chapin-McGill
We are pleased to announce our new exhibition, “Ethereal Visions: A Journey Through Art,” featuring the work of the illustrious Greta Chapin-McGill. Chapin-McGill came of age in the 1970s and was influenced by the vibrant artistic culture of the era. She went on to study painting and art history at Howard University and the Corcoran School of Fine Art. Prolific in her determination to explore the many-pronged answers to our universal questions, Greta’s work has been shown in several domestic and international solo and group exhibitions over the years. She has received numerous accolades for her art. Recently, she was entered into the Congressional Record by U.S. Representative Kweisi Mfume in celebration of her extraordinary work that masterfully expresses her emotions and experiences as an African-American woman. In February 2024, Greta received a Certificate of Recognition from the Arts Council Arundel County for her piece in the “Inspired Surroundings” art exhibit at the Goldstein Treasury Building.
“Ethereal visions are intuitive dreamlike experiences that can come at any moment in any place. To facilitate the arrival of these artistic visions, I stimulate my eyes and my mind through travel. As a visual artist, I must put something new in front of my eyes. For this artist, creativity begins with the curiosities I have indulged in throughout my artistic journey.
As a passionate painter, I find joy in transforming blank canvases into vibrant stories. I love exploring new places, trying new foods, and immersing myself in new experiences and colors. These paintings are answers. Answers to questions I find universal. How did mankind come to exist? What is love, and why do we feel overwhelming attraction to certain people? Is there a tangible extension to this life? How do we deal with the reality of death?
These answers were found in small shops in the back alleys of Venice, in hours upon hours looking at religious themes in the Vatican and obscure churches that meld Christianity and tribal religions. Exploring the temples and tombs of Giza, dreaming in a cafe in Montmartre, I paint the answers.”
-Greta Chapin McGill
Save the dates for the following:
Sunday, April 14th, 2024 - Artist Talk
Saturday, April 20th, 2024 - Sip N’ See
Opening Reception: “Ethereal Visions: A Journey Through Art"
Free & Open to the Public
*Featured Artwork will be available for purchase; inquire about payment plan options*
We are pleased to announce our new exhibition, “Ethereal Visions: A Journey Through Art,” featuring the work of the illustrious Greta Chapin-McGill. Chapin-McGill came of age in the 1970s and was influenced by the vibrant artistic culture of the era. She went on to study painting and art history at Howard University and the Corcoran School of Fine Art. Prolific in her determination to explore the many-pronged answers to our universal questions, Greta’s work has been shown in several domestic and international solo and group exhibitions over the years. She has received numerous accolades for her art. Recently, she was entered into the Congressional Record by U.S. Representative Kweisi Mfume in celebration of her extraordinary work that masterfully expresses her emotions and experiences as an African-American woman. In February 2024, Greta received a Certificate of Recognition from the Arts Council Arundel County for her piece in the “Inspired Surroundings” art exhibit at the Goldstein Treasury Building.
We hope you will join us on Friday, March 15th, for an enchanting evening of art and fellowship!
Grants 101 Workshop
Presented by DC Commission on the Arts & Humanities
Thursday, February 22, 2024
Time: 7:00pm - 9:00pm
*Follow alley by Entitlement Lounge to gravel lot; in brick building to the right*
Are you an artist or organization looking to fund art projects in D.C.? Are you interested in learning about grants, but have no idea where to start? Please join DC Commission on the Arts & Humanities Community Engagement Specialist Dwayne Lawson-Brown, and members of the Grant Application Assistance Program for the “Grants 101.”
Come learn about some of the grants available through the DC Commission on Arts & Humanities, and receive first-hand accounts on the grant process from successful grantees.
PLEASE NOTE: An RSVP is not required to attend and does not guarantee admission. Seating for the event is first-come, first-seated until we reach capacity. For more details and to rsvp, please visit: https://events.humanitix.com/grants-101
Valentine's Special Open Mic
Join us for the Valentine’s edition of our open mic. This is a monthly event for poets, instrumentalists, vocalists, and anyone willing to share their art. This is a space where artists are encouraged to expand the boundaries of their expression, connect with other artists, and play, sing, rap, or dance as if no one is watching.
FEBRUARY FEATURED ARTIST
ZANE LUHV (@zaneluhv)
For a good time, call Zane Luhv. Washington D.C born and raised, Zane has been performing in open mic creative spaces since 2022, getting her start at Busboys and Poets Hyattsville. After finding comfort in her voice, she started performing at open mics all over the DMV area, exciting the audience with her spicy erotic lines. Zane entered her first erotic poetry contest held at Release Open Mic April 2023 coming in second place. Her first feature performance was at Wasted Lounge in May of 2023, followed by Talented Tongues at The Artemis, FurEver Open Mic, and DC Refresh.
MEET OUR HOST
Stefanie Coleman (@stefmarie)
Stephanie Coleman, artistically known by her stage name StefMarie, is a 3X Author, Motivational Speaker, Event Curator, Spoken Word Artist, Mentor, Mental Health Advocate & Founder of The Artist Network. The Artist Network, established in 2022, was founded to connect artists together for artistic development & business opportunities. The Artist Development Program was created within the company to help artists develop and prepare for their artistic careers. The company consists of seasoned poets, comedians, singers & musicians headlining all over the east coast.
StefMarie has been writing & performing poetry for over 20 years at both private & public events but recently started pursuing her poetry full time. She is a DMV Renaissance 2022 Poet nominee who was recently featured & interviewed on Good Day Washington WUSA TV Channel 9.
StefMarie takes pride in promoting healing, self care, & empowering others through her passion.
Opening Reception: "F is For February" Exhibition
“F” stands for FVCK in the modern era. It’s used as a noun, a verb, even an adjective. But it also stands for the shortest month of the year. The time of year when we preface excellence with a color. The month we love black people. And each other.
This “F is For February'' features works by two immensely talented local artists who just so happen to be black, Rodney “BUCK!” Herring and Alanzo Robles-Gordon. With Buck’s impressionist, graphic, and literary influences, and Alanzo’s ability to take separate material and create landscapes and stories, “F is for February '' serves as a cultural collage that gives voice to a range of emotions and experiences lived daily by both, as artists and men. “F is For February'' and these are their stories.
"F is For February" Exhibition: Featuring BUCK! and Alanzo Robles-Gordon
*Artwork available for purchase; please inquire about payment options*
This “F is For February'' features works by two immensely talented local artists who just so happen to be black, Rodney “BUCK!” Herring and Alanzo Robles-Gordon. With Buck’s impressionist, graphic, and literary influences, and Alanzo’s ability to take separate material and create landscapes and stories, “F is for February '' serves as a cultural collage that gives voice to a range of emotions and experiences lived daily by both, as artists and men. “F is For February'' and these are their stories.
Meet the Artist - Rodney “BUCK!” Herring
@buck_paints
A Baltimore native, Rodney “Buck” Herring, attended Hampton University where he majored in art, and found his voice reading some of the greatest writers of the 20th century. BUCK! Describes his work as, “An ongoing conversation with myself in regards to my many artistic influences gathered from daily life and also from seeking information. My art is often interrupted by my logical thoughts, which are then reinterpreted back into a visual representation of its chaos.” A collage of words and impactful imagery, his work is in a category of its own. With over 25 years of professional experience, Buck delves deep into his own vices in an ongoing journey of spiritual discovery. Buck has successfully managed and designed campaigns for national brands including, Heineken, Adidas, Scion, Boost Mobile, Sprint and Timberland. An accomplished designer, his work was a part of the UNCF evening of stars for which the team won a NAACP image award. His work was featured in the 2019 Netflix movie Love Dot Com: The Social Experiment.
Meet the Artist - Alanzo Robles-Gordon
@aenderspeaks
Alanzo Robles-Gordon is an Afro-Latino artist, who traces his family line to St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico. Born and raised in Arlington, VA, Alanzo currently resides in Southeast Washington DC with his young daughter. As a young child he developed interest in the fine arts through many weekend trips to the Kennedy Centers' Millennium Stage and enumerable tours of the DC Smithsonian Museums. Alanzo received his Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of the District of Columbia (UDC). Alanzo has held solo exhibitions at UDC’s Gallery 42, The Town Hall Education Arts Recreation Campus, (The ARC) in Washington, DC., and has participated in various group shows in the DC metropolitan area. He’s been a guest lecturer at the Laurel Arts Guild and the Montgomery Art Association where he documented the arc of his innovative and unique collage technique. Over the past three years, Alanzo has delved into the public art realm, contributing to several works in the DC area with his most recent work installed in the Takoma Park neighborhood of DC.
This exhibition will be on view through March 8th, 2024
Sessions
What is Sessions? It’s an open mic jam session for poets, instrumentalists, vocalists, MCs, and anyone willing to share their art. It’s a space where artists are free to create and not required to be as formal as they are in other venues. Sessions is a space where artists are encouraged to expand the boundaries of their own expression, and perform with artists they normally wouldn’t, and play, sing, rap, or dance as if no one is watching. Participants will either perform alongside a DJ or a live band.
January Featured Artist
DJ Art.Is (@art.ispoet)
Dj Art.Is is a local DJ., MC, Poet, Author, Activist, and Event Coordinator, and is known for jump starting the careers of upcoming artists in the DMV through his business. Art.Is is a 2022 & 2023 DMV Haikuist Of the Year Renaissance nominee & headlining artist for award shows, festivals, private events & more. Art.Is uses his art mediums to invoke this in others to create pathways to success through Art.
Tickets can be purchased in advance for guarantee admission or at the door.
Closing Reception "Her" Exhibition: Redeat Wondemu
Please join us on Saturday, January 20th from 1pm-5pm, for the closing reception of “Her” exhibition featuring photography of Redeat Wondemu. This will be your last chance to meet the artist to learn about the people in her work & their stories, and to view the amazing photos!
“Her” delves into a profound narrative of subtle resilience and quiet strength. Red’s lens invites viewers to explore a world where breathing becomes an unconscious act and where acceptance of change emerges from the shadows of rejection. It’s a visual odyssey encapsulating love’s persistence amidst a world that challenges its existence, a tale of perceiving people without faltering at their actions or reactions. Do you know her? Wondemu’s exhibition opens a window into this compelling narrative.
Traversing her homeland of Ethiopia, Red’s meticulously crafts pre-conceptualized series using both digital and film photography. Her approach to subjects exudes thoughtfulness, reverence, and boundless imagination. Rooted in nostalgia for analog film, drawn from childhood memories of her father’s use of analog cameras for family portraits, Red personally develops films and creates gelatin and alternative prints in her darkroom.
This event is free & open to the public.
Kwanzaa Fundraiser Event
SOLD OUT EVENT!!!
Habari Gani, Art of Noize Family!
We have truly enjoyed a spectacular year with you all and would like to take this moment to thank you for showing up for this community in 2023. We look forward to seeing just how far we will go in 2024 as a result of your steadfast support.
Our 2nd annual Habari Gani! Kwanzaa Fundraiser will be a night of storytelling, dance, poetry, and music as we celebrate Kwanzaa on the day of Nia (purpose)!
The event will feature spoken word, art, and dance led by Taylor Renee (@taylorrenee_db), and will explore the seven principles of Kwanzaa: Umoja, Kujichagulia, Ujima, Ujamaa, Nia, Kuumba, and Imani.
We are overjoyed to include the work of Nerd the Poet (@nerdthepoet) in our lineup for the night. Dominic “Nerd” McDonald, also known as Nerd the Poet, is a young entrepreneur and spoken word artist. He utilizes his personal experiences to minister to and mentor his community through the arts. He is the 2022 winner of Day 8 Publishing's "DC Poet Project." Additionally, he is the 2023 DMV Renaissance Awards Best Male Poet. By writing from his heart and what he sees and hears, he hopes to be a “change agent” for the unheard.
Additional featured Artists:
Brookie Madison: @brookiemmadison.poetry
Dewayne Brown-Lawson: @crochetkingpin
Moné: @_heymone
Ephraim Nehemiah: @ephraimnehemiah
Drissy W.: @bossdrissy
Tia Glenn: @luvlee_leo
Bleu Pepper: @bleupepperpoet
This is a free, family-friendly fundraiser but requesting $10 donation which will benefit Ora Lee Smith Cancer Research Foundation (www.oralee.org) and support local artists & programs such as these.
Sessions Open MIc Holiday Party
Join us Sunday, December 17th, doors opening at 6:30 p.m., for a special Sessions Holiday Party, hosted by StefMarie Cole (@stefmariecole) and featuring local comedian David Balagazi, aka Zunni (@_zunni_). Zunni has taken his hilarious sets to the Arlington Drafthouse, Room 808, Hotbed, and DC Improv and has now amassed over 700k followers on TikTok.
Just in….we have a special lineup planned for you to now include acts by Fleetwood & Miko, during our last Sessions of the year, so drop in, take the mic, and have a jolly time with us. So you don’t want to miss this one!
Sessions is our monthly open mic jam session for poets, instrumentalists, vocalists, MCs, and anyone excited to share their art. Tixs can be purchased in advance or at the door.
"Her' Exhibition by Redeat Wondemu
“Her” delves into a profound narrative of subtle resilience and quiet strength. Red Wondemu’s lens invites viewers to explore a world where breathing becomes an unconscious act and where acceptance of change emerges from the shadows of rejection. It’s a visual odyssey encapsulating love’s persistence amidst a world that challenges its existence, a tale of perceiving people without faltering at their actions or reactions. Do you know her? Wondemu’s exhibition opens a window into this compelling narrative.
Renowned for her honesty, emotional depth, and ability to capture vulnerability, Red Wondemu extends her artistic repertoire in this showcase. She invites audiences into her intimate visual universe by integrating platinum prints and utilizing the antique cyanotype process to freeze central figures in fluid motion.
Traversing her homeland of Ethiopia, Wondemu meticulously crafts pre-conceptualized series using both digital and film photography. Her approach to subjects exudes thoughtfulness, reverence, and boundless imagination. Rooted in nostalgia for analog film, drawn from childhood memories of her father’s use of analog cameras for family portraits, Wondemu personally develops films and creates gelatin and alternative prints in her darkroom.
Notably, her series “Modern Muse: Portraits of Ethiopian Women” gained accolades with a solo exhibition at the Addis Ababa Museum in 2021 and clinched the prestigious “Best in Show” title at the Photographic Process group exhibition hosted by the Art League in Virginia. Her poignant portraits of Ethiopian laborers, inspired by Irving Penn’s iconic photography, found a notable feature in The Washington Post.
This exhibition will be on display from December 15, 2023 - January 20, 2024. The gallery warmly welcomes visitors from Thursday to Saturday, between 12PM and 6PM.
Opening Reception: "Her" Exhibition by Redeat Wondemu
Please join us on Friday, December 15th for the opening reception of “Her”, featuring the platinum & cyanotype photography of Redeat “Red” Wondemu.
“Her” delves into a profound narrative of subtle resilience and quiet strength. Red’s lens invites viewers to explore a world where breathing becomes an unconscious act and where acceptance of change emerges from the shadows of rejection. It’s a visual odyssey encapsulating love’s persistence amidst a world that challenges its existence, a tale of perceiving people without faltering at their actions or reactions. Do you know her? Wondemu’s exhibition opens a window into this compelling narrative.
Traversing her homeland of Ethiopia, Red’s meticulously crafts pre-conceptualized series using both digital and film photography. Her approach to subjects exudes thoughtfulness, reverence, and boundless imagination. Rooted in nostalgia for analog film, drawn from childhood memories of her father’s use of analog cameras for family portraits, Red personally develops films and creates gelatin and alternative prints in her darkroom.
Join us on a visual journey through “Her” story, an unparalleled expression of resilience and grace captured through the lens of Redeat Wondemu.
This exhibition will be on display during normal gallery hours until January 20, 2024.
AoN & HR Records Presents the Opening of Works by Eric Hagan
Please join us at HR Records on Friday, Dec. 8th, as we partner with HR Records for the opening of works by artist Eric Hagan.
Eric’s art experiments with familiar patterns, easily discernible as human, in an unfamiliar way. These faces, along with the emotion they communicate to us, are distorted and interwoven into amalgams forms, cascading outwardly from the center. Eric’s work plays with shifting perspectives that alter with almost every distance and angle from which they are viewed. There are several motivations for the development of this style, which have driven Eric to cultivate it over the past 16 years.
This event is FREE & open to the public. So come out with family & friends to view this creative artwork, while digging through vinyl crates!
Featured artwork will be available for purchase. Please inquire about payment plan options via email at adrian@artofnoizedmv.com
Jammin on the Heights-Open Mic
Join us and the town of Forest Heights, Maryland (@forestheightsmd) Thursday of each month for a night of DMV poets, MCs, vocalists, instrumentalists, and various performers. ‘The Heights’ is a space where artists across the area are encouraged to expand the boundaries of their creative expression, and brings everyone from your favorite wordsmith to the finest musicians in the DMV.
Hosted by Stefmarie Cole, with featured band Communion, this month’s featured artist is 2 Chill Phyl (@2chillphyl). Phyl, “2 Chill Phyl,” is a nationally ranked, award-winning, anointed & appointed spoken word artist from D.C., in which her words bring inspiration, healing & wisdom to every room! She is ranked the #8 Woman Poet in the World, and is the 2023 DMV Renaissance Awards Best Female Poet. Phyl is also a published author who has been featured at Busboys & Poets, Voices in Power, Piano Keys, and many more! Phyl believes through words we express, heal, inspire & change the world.
Doors open at 7:00pm. Admission is Free & Open to the Public.
Location: 5508 Arapahoe Drive, Forest Heights, MD
Sessions
Sessions is an open mic jam session for poets, instrumentalists, vocalists, MCs, and anyone willing to share their art. It’s a space where artists are free to create and not required to be as formal as they are in other venues.
November Featured Artist
AloneatiQ is a thought-provoking spoken word artist from Greensboro, NC. AloneatiQ has performed across the country, including Arizona and the DMV, and additionally, Abu Dhabi. AloneatiQ has a unique conversational style that combines intellect, wit, intricate wordplay and multiple entendres. There are lines that will have you asking: "Did he just say that!?"
Instagram: @AloneatiQ
Artist Talk: “Watermelon, Chicken & Cornbread”
Please join us Saturday as the host, social equity advocate Daniel Adegbesan, sits down with artists James S. Terrell & Zsudayka Nzinga to discuss the body of work, examining the beautiful culinary history of African-Americans, and decolonizing food narratives by taking back the history and imagery associated with the food custom of “Watermelon, Chicken & Cornbread.”
This event is free & open to the public as all is welcome! Doors open at 1pm.
Featured artwork will be available for purchase. Please inquire about payment plan options.
This exhibition will be on view through December 2, 2023 during regular gallery hours.
Jammin' on the Heights
Join us and the town of Forest Heights, Maryland (@forestheightsmd) on the last Thursday of each month for a night of DMV poets, MCs, vocalists, instrumentalists, and various performers. ‘The Heights’ is a space where artists across the area are encouraged to expand the boundaries of their creative expression, and brings everyone from your favorite wordsmith to the finest musicians in the DMV.
Hosted by Stefmarie Cole, this month’s featured artist is Black Chakra (@blackchakra88). Black Chakra is a spoken word and hip-hop artist whose talents have been showcased on stages across America. In his time competing in poetry slam competitions, he has been a national poetry slam champion in many competitions. Black Chakra embodies the city of Baltimore through aggressive performance and incredible writing. Next to being the talented writer that he is what he takes most pride in is being a youth poetry teacher Dewmore Baltimore organization, in which he helps youths cultivate their talent on national stages.
Doors open at 6:30pm. Admission is Free & Open to the Public.
Location: 5508 Arapahoe Drive, Forest Heights, MD
Opening Reception: "Watermelon, Chicken & Cornbread"
“Watermelon, Chicken & Cornbread” uses the power of visual art to reclaim narratives around some of the most import cuisine in American history and how it came to be.
Please join us Friday, October 20th from 7pm-10pm, with live music from the Eddie Anderson Project.
This exhibition will be on display from October 20th - November 30th.
"Skin Deep" Closing Reception
Join us on Saturday, October 7th from 1p-4p for the closing reception for “Skin Deep'“ Exhibition, and your last chance to view the great body of work & meeting the artists behind it!
This event is a free, family-friendly event & open to the public.
Brunch Artist Talk
Please join us on Sunday, October 1st from 1p-3p for Artist Talk with current exhibition “Skin Deep” artists Candice Tavares and Vanessa Villarreal, to learn the inspiration behind their work and life’s journey, while partaking in light brunch refreshments.
This event is free and open to the public.
Petworth Art All Night
Art of Noize will be extending gallery hours until 9pm for Art All Night on Friday, September 29th. Please stop by the gallery to view the amazing works in the “Skin Deep” exhibition by artists Candice Tavares and Vanessa Villarreal, curated by Dr. Lauren Davidson.
Free, family-friendly event.
Sessions
What is Sessions? It’s an open mic jam session for poets, instrumentalists, vocalists, MCs, and anyone willing to share their art. It’s a space where artists are free to create and not required to be as formal as they are in other venues. Sessions is a space where artists are encouraged to expand the boundaries of their own expression, and perform with artists they normally wouldn’t, and play, sing, rap, or dance as if no one is watching. Participants will either perform alongside a DJ or a live band.
SEPTEMBER FEATURED ARTIST
Mary Mance(@maryzmance)
Mary Mance is a professional, traveling Spoken Word Artist and Host based in the city of Philadelphia. Her life's journey began in her hometown of Gaithersburg, Maryland. Mary's open mic debut was in 2018 on the legendary Busboys and Poets stage. Since then, Mary has headlined for their platform, as well as, Voices in Power, Poetry Me Please, and The Rose Garden Events to name a few. Her poetry is a mixture of raw truths and nurturing advice; and she is always excited to share her art.
MEET OUR HOST
Stefanie Coleman (@stefmarie)
Stephanie Coleman, artistically known by her stage name StefMarie, is a 3X Author, Motivational Speaker, Event Curator, Spoken Word Artist, Mentor, Mental Health Advocate & Founder of The Artist Network. The Artist Network, established in 2022, was founded to connect artists together for artistic development & business opportunities. The Artist Development Program was created within the company to help artists develop and prepare for their artistic careers. The company consists of seasoned poets, comedians, singers & musicians headlining all over the east coast.
"Skin Deep" Exhibition
“Skin Deep” is curated by Dr. Lauren Davidson and brings together the work artists Vanessa Villareal and Candice Tavares. Viewers are given an intimate look into their visions of Black beauty. It is a direct rebuttal to the historically dim vision of Black beauty through a mainstream lens. By digging deeply into historical and contemporary perspectives of African American life and exploring traditions in the African diasporic community, these artists tackle topics of self-identity, Black female beauty, and self- acceptance.
Meet the Curator - Dr. Lauren Davidson
Dr. Lauren Davidson is an independent art curator and founder of Museum Nectar Art Consultancy. Museum Nectar is a curatorial and art advisory service working primarily in the field of contemporary African American art supporting emerging and mid-career artists. Through her curatorial work, Davidson investigates issues and initiates conversation about the many facets of the Black experience.
Past exhibitions include The World in My Mind (The Ven Hotel, Washington, D.C.) and New Visions: Hope and Possibility (Hera Hub DC). Most recently, along with Jarvis Dubois, Davidson co-curated the critically reviewed “The Ties That Bind” and “Zero Dollar Bill: The Prints of Imar Lyman” at IA&A at Hillyer in Washington, D.C. The culmination of this dual exhibition was a moderated conversation between artist Imar Lyman and award-winning filmmaker Haile Gerima (“Sankofa”, 1993) about their use of printmaking and film to advance social justice. Davidson partners regularly with local DC based arts organizations to curate exhibitions and conduct artist talks. She also serves on the International Art and Artists (IA&A) at Hillyer Advisory Committee and as a docent at the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery.
Davidson is currently pursuing a Master of Arts degree in Museum Studies at Johns Hopkins University. She received a Bachelor of Science degree from Cornell University and a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine. She also completed a postdoctoral residency and Master of Comparative Medicine from the National Institutes of Health and the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences. She balances her left and right brain through her veterinary work and curatorial practice.
Meet the Artist - Candice Tavares
Candice Tavares is a self taught illustrator and wood artist born and raised just outside of Philadelphia, PA. Her art is a celebration of Black beauty, love and culture that highlights the rich history and diversity of black hair and skin complexion. She was encouraged to experiment with different mediums during Saturday morning art classes and introduced to woodworking while helping her dad build and fix furniture in his woodshop. Years later she was able to combine that knowledge and experience to develop a style of art that felt uniquely hers. Candice was inspired to create positive, emotionally captivating images of black women, men and families as a therapeutic outlet for the emotionally charged work she does as a palliative care pharmacist. She sees her art as an opportunity to challenge the negative narratives about blackness that are so prevalent within the healthcare system and media at large. Her art is intended to remind Black people of their inherent beauty and value and remind non-black viewers of their shared humanity with black and brown people through the common bonds of love, joy and longing.
Meet the Artist - Vanessa Villarreal
Vanessa Villarreal is a mixed-media visual artist based in Washington, DC. Originally from Florida, Vanessa’s affinity for creating started at the age of three and was sustained throughout her life, practicing an array of mediums, from crocheting to painting. After years of prioritizing her studies in the health field as an undergraduate and then graduate student while trying to sustain her passion for the visual arts, she eventually committed to her journey as a full-time visual artist in February of 2022. In September of 2022, she exhibited her mixed-media triptych, “When I Grow Up” in her first juried gallery exhibition at Girls Who Paint Gallery in Kensington, Maryland. Since then, she has exhibited her work at several other local group exhibitions. Through mixed-media art, she creates more tangible documentation of the Black experience in America and her own personal experiences, highlighting Black people's joy, vulnerability, and humanity.
The exhibition will be going on from September 8 - October 7th. Please visit during gallery hours or attend a special event(s).
Sessions
What is Sessions? It’s an open mic jam session for poets, instrumentalists, vocalists, MCs, and anyone willing to share their art. It’s a space where artists are free to create and not required to be as formal as they are in other venues. Sessions is a space where artists are encouraged to expand the boundaries of their own expression, and perform with artists they normally wouldn’t, and play, sing, rap, or dance as if no one is watching. Participants will either perform alongside a DJ or a live band.
August featured artist is VOYCE (@_voyce) is a vocalist who is classified as an “Trap RnB” artist, who has made appearances in support of major artists such as Jacquees and Sean Paul. Voyce’s music is upbeat with a sick base and a melodic voice. He is determined to be heard by all who are willing and ready to receive his VOYCE!