Celebrating Creativity and Vision: Atlanta-Based Black Female Artists You Need to Know
In honor International Women’s Day we are celebrating of the vibrant and diverse art scene that flourishes within the heart of Georgia, we shine a spotlight on 15 extraordinary Atlanta-based black female artists. These women, through their unique voices and unparalleled talent, contribute richly to the tapestry of the city's cultural heritage. Their works span a range of mediums, from painting and sculpture to digital art and beyond, each artist offering a distinct lens through which we can explore themes of identity, resilience, beauty, and social commentary.
MEET THE ARTISTS
Stephanie Brown- an interdisciplinary artist explores identity construction, systematic racism, and colorism through her work, reflecting her experiences as a first-generation American at the crossroads of her Jamaican and Black American heritage. Utilizing photography, object making, creative writing, and interactive installations, she creates thought-provoking pieces that challenge narratives and encourage individuals, particularly people of color, to explore and take control of their identities. Her work is deeply rooted in historical research and personal narratives, aiming to empower those with melanin-rich skin to find honor, belonging, and a sense of home, connecting back to their diverse cultural and historical backgrounds.
Shanequa Gay - The artist's work is deeply rooted in the exploration of southern Black traditions, utilizing ritual, personal memory, and storytelling to highlight the divinity in African-Ascendant women and girls, and is expressed through various mediums including installations, paintings, and performance art. Gay has showcased her talent in prestigious exhibitions globally, including the 59th Venice Biennale and the Atlanta Biennial, and has engaged in numerous residencies across the United States, Europe, Japan, and South Africa. Currently, she serves as a visiting professor at Spelman College and the Visual Artist-in-Residence at Oglethorpe University, recognized for her contributions to the arts as a Do-Good Fellow recipient and a Hudgens Prize Finalist, embodying her commitment to expanding the Black imaginary and exploring counter narratives.
Tiffany LaTrice - The founder of TILA Studios, LaTrice's work not only showcases her own artistic talents but also fosters a community for black women artists to thrive. Latric has an extensive background in the visual arts and has exhibited her work in galleries and museums across the country. She was named Leading Lady for C4 Atlanta’s women’s history month blog featuring trailblazing women in the arts in Atlanta. ABL Radio and High Noble Society blogs listed her as one of the top artist to watch in Atlanta, highlighting her work with TILA Studios in 2017. Tiffany opened TILA Studios after moving from New York to Atlanta to help overcome several of the barriers black woman artists face by building a network, offering affordable studio space, and creating opportunities to display and curate art. Tiffany is also a Teaching Artist at Hickory Hills Elementary in Marietta, GA and an after-school art teacher at S.L. Lewis Elementary in College Park.
Charmaine Minniefield - Firmly rooted in womanist social theory and ancestral veneration, the work of Charmaine Minniefield draws from indigenous traditions as seen throughout Africa and the Diaspora to explore African and African-American history, memory, and ritual as an intentional push back against erasure. Her creative practice is community-based as her research and resulting bodies of work often draw from public archives. Minniefield currently serves as an inaugural Constellations Fellow with the Center for Cultural Power. She splits her time in residence between Atlanta and the Gambia, where she continues to study the origins of her cultural identity and indigenous traditions by tracing the Ring Shout.
Marryam Moma, photographed in her home studio by Isadora Pennington.
Marryamm Moma- As a Tanzanian-Nigerian collage artist who has established a home and built an art practice in Atlanta, Georgia, Moma has chosen to move away from the rigidity of her formal architecture background to create a practice that highlights the experiences of individuals like her. She depict Black joy using a multidimensional approach that includes cutouts, layered paper, acrylic paints, gold leaf, and shiny mixed media. The contrasting textures, luxurious materials, rich colors, and the careful selection of seemingly disparate elements in her art aim to spark conversations about the multilayered experiences of Black bodies, including her own, in a society torn between divisiveness and inclusiveness.
More Talent Atlanta Artists
Krista Clark - Clark's work is a commentary on urban transformation, using mixed media to examine the spaces between growth and decay in the urban landscape.
Jessica Caldas - Caldas's art is a powerful dialogue on issues of gender, violence, and community, seeking to engage viewers in meaningful conversations around social change.
Teresa Bramlette Reeves - Through a variety of mediums, Reeves's work often reflects on personal history while inviting broader reflections on cultural narratives and memory.
Sheila Pree Bright - Bright is known for her striking photographic work, which captures moments of civil rights activism and explores themes of social justice.
Tracy Murrell - Murrell's bold, figurative works celebrate the beauty and strength of black women, using minimalistic forms to convey powerful messages of empowerment.
Lauren Harris - Harris's paintings are a deep dive into the emotional landscape of her subjects, capturing moments of introspection and the complexity of human emotion.
Maya Freelon - Known for her dynamic use of tissue paper in her art, Freelon's installations are vibrant expressions of color, light, and the impermanence of life.
Lillian Blades - Blades's tapestries and installations are a riot of color and texture, weaving together materials to create immersive, tactile experiences that reflect on heritage and identity.
Jasmine Nicole Williams - Williams's narrative-driven paintings and sculptures explore the intersections of black culture, womanhood, and the southern landscape.
These artists, through their dedication and craft, not only contribute to the vibrant artistic landscape of Atlanta but also play a critical role in shaping the cultural dialogue around black identity, womanhood, and creativity.
Their work challenges, delights, and inspires, serving as a testament to the power of art to provoke thought, evoke emotion, and foster change. As we celebrate these talented individuals, we're reminded of the importance of supporting artists who give voice to diverse perspectives and experiences, enriching our communities and our world.