Andrew Nichols

As an artist born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, Andrew Nichol's passion for art ignited at an early age. Growing up in a culturally diverse environment, he became acutely aware of the struggles and triumphs of the African diaspora. This awareness, combined with a love for painting, shaped his artistic journey. Andrew Nichols work delves into the multifaceted experiences of the African diaspora, exploring themes of identity, resilience, and cultural heritage. Through his paintings, he aims to capture the essence of these narratives, shedding light on the rich tapestry of African American history and its impact on contemporary society. Drawing inspiration from the vibrant energy of New York City and the allure of Hollywood, Nichols art reflects the convergence of these two influential cultural hubs. He seeks to bridge the gap between the urban grit of Brooklyn and the glamour of Hollywood, creating a visual dialogue that resonates with viewers from all walks of life. Using a combination of bold brushstrokes, vibrant colors, and intricate details, Andrew strives to evoke emotions and provoke thought. Each stroke on the canvas is a deliberate attempt to capture the essence of struggle, resilience, and triumph that defines the African diaspora. Through art, Andrew Nichols aims to challenge societal norms, confront stereotypes, and celebrate the beauty and strength of the African American community. By highlighting the struggles and triumphs of the African diaspora, he hopes to inspire dialogue, foster understanding, and promote social change.

Antoinette Ellis-Williams

Dr. Antoinette Ellis-Williams is Professor of Women’s & Gender Studies at New Jersey City University. Ellis- Williams is an emerging, Jamaican born, multi-media interdisciplinary abstract artist, playwright, activist, and poet. Dr. Ellis is a recipient of a 2026 New Jersey State Arts Council Individual Artist Fellowship Award. Noted artist and curator of WBGO exhibition at the Jazz Gallery (2023), Danny Simmons stated reasons why he selected artists Femi Johnson and Antoinette Ellis-Williams, “… I poured through lots of online images of Black abstract artists. I looked at artists from all over the African diaspora but after I narrowed it down by several factors including geography in reasonable proximity to the Jazz Gallery, … I heard the rhythm of several artists’ works. Then I looked for the most creative abstract sounds looking to pinpoint improvisation, the work and sound that moved beyond boundaries and moved intentionally into uncharted territory. Femi Johnson and Antoinette Ellis Williams’ artwork played the most untraditional music I had found.. ...their painting reflected free form Jazz found in little hip off beat jazz clubs where one went late at night to be transported to new places to new sounds to new visual languages....each blazing new fantastical paths….” In 2023 she participated in an abstract collage artist residency with Global Art Project in Leece, Italy. Dr. Ellis’ public art is in Newark Airport Terminal A (United Airlines Club Lounge) and has also appeared in the Newark Artist Collaboration with Audible. She has had solo exhibitions at Akwaaba Gallery, Nico’s @ NJPAC, the Visual Art Gallery at NJCU, Moody-Jones Gallery. Her work has appeared at Newark Museum of Art, The Jazz Gallery NYC, Bergdorf Goodman, NJ State Museum, Morristown Performing Arts Center with Art in the Atrium, Overlook Hospital, Consulate General of Greece in NYC, Museum of Science, and Industry in Chicago, Ill, Prizm Art Fair, Calabar Gallery, Femme Curators, among others. Antoinette is part of Womb of Violet; a project-based collective created by fayemi shakur that honors the work of contemporary Black women writers, poets and artists and pays homage to Black feminist and womanist thinkers. Her work is in Volume I & II. Her work has appeared in Scoundrel Time Magazine, When Women Speak Anthology, Tribes 16. She has performed at the Bowery Poetry Club, When Women Speak Podcast, NJPAC Dodge Poetry Summer (2025), and many open mics. She is a playwright and actor of Scarf Diaries. Her second poetry book Justice & Divinity (foreword by Danny Simmons) was released in 2025. Her one-woman play premiered at New Jersey Performing Arts Center in 2017 and at reg. e gaines’ 2021 Downtown Urban Art Festival in NYC. Scarf Diaries won BEST play. Ellis-William’s documentary Lee Hagan: Connecting Generations (2016) won best short documentary at the Newark Black Film Festival. Her TedX Talk Finding Justice in the Land of the Free (2015) tried to unpack her immigrant status in America. She has presented papers at Oxford, Harvard, Rutgers, Seton Hall, Princeton, United Nations. Dr. Ellis is also a licensed minister who preaches throughout the tri-state. She earned her Ph.D. in Public Policy & Urban and Regional Planning, Cornell University, MPA from University of Pittsburgh and a BA in Sociology, Seton Hall University.

Briana McNeil

Briana is an abstract artist working in Montclair, New Jersey. "Affectation" is her introductory series without a classical education in the studio arts, thus its apt, yet vulnerable title. In 2020, she became intrigued with the capsule shape prevalent in the series and its multiform ability on the two-dimensional plane. Each composition communicates resource and substance despite limits or restriction while supporting their individual subjects. Her use of black and white, textured medium not only extends this message, but amplifies its expression. ​

Bryant Small

Bryant Small, an acclaimed artist residing in Jersey City, NJ, seamlessly juggles a career in social media and marketing based in New York City. His passion for culture, color, and all things that glimmer infuses every aspect of his life and work. Bryant's artistic vision transcends boundaries, exploring the realm of free abstraction with a mesmerizing blend of vibrant hues. His ‘Alcohol Ink’ pieces are a testament to his creativity, flowing freely and unpredictably, and seemingly defying gravity. Bryant's talent has earned him prestigious accolades, including the Conception Arts and Global Art Collective 2020 awards, as well as, the 2017 Award For Excellence. In addition, he has been honored as one of International Art Market Magazine’s Gold List of Top Emerging Contemporary Artists. His artwork has graced numerous collective and solo exhibitions across the United States, captivating audiences and earning a place in private collections worldwide. Bryant's philosophy echoes through his art and life: "Broken Crayons Still Color... and a little glitter and sparkle NEVER hurt anybody!"

Daniel Jenkins

New Jersey-based artist Daniel Jenkins creates artwork that combines figure work and abstraction. He purposely merges opposites, producing a unique and distinct style he consistently delivers. Shortly after finishing art school, Daniel began experiencing vision problems. After multiple tests and doctor visits, he found out he had a brain tumor that was causing him to go blind slowly. Following a successful brain surgery, the tumor was removed, and Daniel’s eyesight was fully restored. Taking this as a sign not to neglect his talents, Daniel set out to create one whole piece of art every day for an entire year. This endeavor led him to merge his classically trained figurative work with his life experiences and love for abstraction.

Danielle Scott

Danielle Scott is a mixed-media assemblage artist from Jersey City, NJ. Her artwork is a powerful expression of politically and socially charged messaging. In 2021, she was honored with the Artist of the Year award from ESKFF, the Eileen S. Kaminsky Family Foundation Artist Residency Program in Mana Contemporary. Danielle Scott gained further recognition when she was featured in Essence Magazine's 2021 edition as one of the top LGBTQ artists to watch. Her pieces have been acquired by prestigious institutions such as, The Newark Museum of Art in 2021, as well as by notable figures like Roxanne Gay, a New York Times best-selling author, and The Weissman Family Collection. Danielle Scott has begun to use her art as a conduit to explore bold, fearless, and thought-provoking topics, drawing inspiration largely from her own journey and life experiences. Her creative process involves utilizing various mediums, including photo montages, found objects, paint, raw materials, old books, and collage. From vivid paintings to piercing photography to striking sculptures, all of Danielle’s artistic offerings aim to captivate the viewer, transporting them into a realm rooted in truth. Her inspiration springs from a journey that spans her Cuban heritage to explorations in the American South, where the weight of historic segregation resonates distinctly from the dynamics she encounters in Jersey City.

Demetric Denmark

Demetric Denmark, born in Winter Haven, Florida, first discovered his talent for art at Winter Haven High School, where it was recognized and nurtured. He attended Kansas State University, where he deepened his art studies and earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 1997. He attributes his inspiration to his grandfather, well-known artist James Denmark, and his own children. Denmark's collages, paintings, and portraits were showcased at the 2004-2005 National Black Fine Art Show in New York and various exhibitions in the Washington, DC area. Currently residing and working in Florida, he continues to explore mixed media, incorporating fabric, cut-out collage elements, and highly textured paint into his artistic endeavors.

Dodji Gbedemah

Dodji Gbedemah is the owner/proprietor of Kente Royal Gallery (KRG) in Harlem, NY. Dodji is a gallerist, curator, and visual artist, as well as a musician and entrepreneur. He graduated from NYU with a business degree and has many years of experience in entrepreneurship, leadership, and management. He opened his gallery after years with companies, such as Zipcar, Uber, and Doordash. He was inspired to put his business acumen and artistic vision to the service of the Community when he noticed the lack of representation of artists of the African diaspora. He opened KRG in 2019 and has worked with many artists to create solo and group exhibitions, including Gabrielle Baker (painter), Bertram Knight (photographer), William Daniels (quilter), and more. Dodji’s works are abstract and figurative paintings deeply rooted in Adinkra symbolism and West African Culture, as well as other subject matter.

Leila Rose Fanner

Leila Rose Fanner is a painter and illustrator. Born to a South African artist and an African American musician, she was raised in South Africa and currently works from her studio close to Cape Town. In her work, Leila is “depicting the gentle, natural feminine presence, the spirit of Mother Nature or the essence and potential of the Soul” as she states it. Leila’s subject matter explores the symbolic language of dreams and the subconscious landscape of emotions from a very personal, distinctly feminine perspective. Through her art, she unfolds a story about the soul's journey within the material world, often referencing African flora and fauna, fabric patterns and folklore.

Mason Archie

Mason Archie is considered one of the foremost contemporary oil painters of his generation, often working in the traditional old master style of painting, reminiscent of a 19th-century painter. Best known for his landscapes, Archie’s work blends impressionism and realism with a more vibrant and contemporary palate. These picturesque landscapes capture nature's serene, luminous quality at the edges of daylight. Archie’s enchanting images encourage viewers to think about this “brilliant light,” the way it glows, its warmth, and its reflection. Archie’s ability to combine traditional and realistic styles creates artworks that feel natural to the viewer yet depict critical aspects of African American history. Mason transitioned into becoming a full-time fine artist in 2005, quickly gaining recognition for his mastery of traditional realism. Using quality materials and drawing on techniques learned from studying the old masters, he became a luminary in the art world.  Born and raised in Dayton, OH, Archie’s natural talent for art emerged early as local teachers recognized his considerable talents and put him to work drawing diagrams for class or painting backdrops for school plays. Acceptance into a prestigious high school, Patterson Co-Op, catapulting him into success in pictorial art and outdoor advertising. After graduating, Archie began working full-time for Lamar Outdoor Advertising Company, eventually becoming the youngest art director the company would have. Archie also started his own small commercial sign company and specialized in graphic design. He later founded Kindred Spirits, an inclusive space where disenfranchised youth could create, learn computer graphics, gain financial literacy, and access art education and exposure. Mason Archie’s exploration into African American history has influenced some of his work, including the Quilt Code, Underground Railroad and Inkwell series. For example, his Quilt Code series showcases how quilts were used as mnemonic devices for guiding enslaved people to freedom along the Underground Railroad. It has been documented that ​​a safe house along the Underground Railroad was often indicated by a quilt hanging from a clothesline or windowsill with embedded code to warn of immediate dangers or where to head next. Mason’s works of art have been exhibited at esteemed venues, such as The Schuster Art Center, The Indianapolis Museum of Art at Newfields, The Indiana State Museum, The Haan Museum, The Charles H. Wright Museum, The David C. Driskell Center, The Indianapolis Art Center, The Chicago Museum of Science and Industry, the Herron Galleries, and The National African American Museum Cultural Center. Among his numerous accolades, Mason was featured in The International Review of African American Art, American Art Collector, American Lifestyle Magazine, Black Art in America, and The American Art Review.  Mason is the recipient of the 2007 Creative Renewal Fellowship from The Art Council of Indianapolis/Lilly Endowment and the 2020 DeHaan Artist of Distinction Award. His consistent recognition in prestigious competitions, including a perennial award winner from 2007 – 2009 and 2023 in the Hoosier Salon’s Annual Juried Exhibit, in addition to, Artist of Distinction Award in the Indiana Artist Club Members Exhibit which are two of the oldest competitions in the country. Mason’s most recent awards include the 2023 Haan Museum "Generations" Invitational Best of Show Award and the 2024 Hoosier Art Salon, and Clowes Collaborative Best of Show Award. Mason's works are in corporate and institutional collections, including The Indiana State Museum, The Richmond Art Museum, The Charles H. Wright Museum of African American Art, Nationwide Corporation, Wells Fargo, Lilly Endowment, Elanco (a Division of Eli Lilly), Eskenazi Health, and Community South Hospital. His artwork is also in private collections of corporate, executives and celebrities across the country.

Mercy Moyo

Mercy Moyo began to draw as a very young person and used her drawings to describe the world around her and tell the story of life in contemporary Africa. Her images are primarily collages, incorporating objects, which complement and reinforce the images depicted. She uses oil, acrylics, charcoal, smoke from candles and pencils to create vibrant images of contemporary women in Zimbabwe today. One of her goals is to use her art to showcase the beauty of African women be they from the village or the capital city of Harare, portraying the real African woman – in her long skirts, fuller figure, with her head nicely covered abiding by the norms and rules of the typical African way of life. Mercy has exhibited multiple times at the National Gallery of Art, Zimbabwe and her work has also been included in shows in the Czech Republic, Finland, South Africa, and the US. She is the first woman artist to win the National Arts Merit Award for two-dimensional work in Zimbabwe (2006) and has received a number of residencies. She studied at the Peter Birch School of Art and Design and the National Gallery of Zimbabwe Visual Art Studios.

O'Neil Scott

O'Neil Scott is a Pennsylvania based representational oil painter. Captivated by portraiture and its capacity to impart complexities that comprise the human condition his work is designed to give a voice to marginalized communities. His paintings convey contemporary subject matter and look to give the viewer a way to understand and relate across social boundaries. He had his third solo show in 2022 and has been in numerous publications including Fine Art Connoisseur Magazine, American Art Collector Magazine, and Artist Magazine. His work is in private collections across the United States and Internationally. He currently has a solo exhibition planed for Villanova University in 2023 and a Solo Museum Exhibition at the Zillman Art Museum in 2025.

Papa Tall

Papa Tall is a fine artist whose work fuses the past with the future and the traditional with the contemporary. His art is characterized by intense colors, keen graphic sensibility, and a balance of symmetrical and transformative elements. Inspired by his studies in Senegal, Tall incorporates aspects of the past to look forward in his art. His work centers around the symbolism of masks, representing serenity, initiation, protection, and connection to nature. Papa Tall aims to convey the stories told by the masks to the viewer. His art is about creating balance, spirituality, and elevation, drawing inspiration from nature. Through meditation and prayer, he strives to stay connected to the world and bring happiness to those who view his work. The colors he uses represent the spirit and the essence of life.

Serron Green

Raised in Newark, New Jersey at the height of the Black Power Movement, and during the eighties, as became the newest form of self-expression, Serron Green aka xplorefreedom, realized early on, the joining of these ideals would be the inspiration for his work. The self-taught artist began experimenting with graffiti during the eighties and nineties. He began incorporating different mediums such as markers, watercolor, and even house paint—with spray paint always remaining a constant. Since that time, he has broadened his scope of work to now include materials such as, reclaimed wood, rich textiles, and many other unconventional items. 2009 was a pivotal year for the artist. At the urging of friends, fellow artists, and collectors, he began creating work for formal exhibition. Pieces created in the years prior were sold by word-of-mouth through a broadening circle that created an increasingly steady demand. He currently lives and works in Newark—a limitless source of inspiration. His travels across Europe, The Caribbean, North and South America, have greatly impacted the way he sees the world around him, and with each discovery of a new locale, its traditions, and culture, it strengthens his belief that art truly has the power to invoke change in the world.

Tolu Ayorinde

Tolu Ayorinde is a Nigerian/American painter and art educator in New York City. Born in Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria, Tolu earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Art Education from Obafemi Awolowo University, formerly the University of Ife in Nigeria. He also earned a Master’s degree from the City University of New York. Striving for movement and rhythm in his paintings, Tolu’s works are often motivated by scenes of nature from his travel experiences, and an insatiable interest in visual interpretations of history and folklore. In addition to working on paper, canvas and mixed-media, Tolu has explored and successfully incorporated “bold painting knife technique” to achieve texture and other effects. His paintings are adorned with intricate use of color theory, especially in his depictions of historical accounts, which is evident in his many personalized projects commissioned in his colorful abstract style. Tolu recently participated in the Sixteenth Harlem Fine Art Show at the Glass House in New York. He currently lives in Queens, New York, and is employed as a Visual Arts Instructor for the City of New York public school system.

William Daniels

William graduated from SUNY Empire State College, earning his B.A. in Visual Arts/Curatorial Studies and earned his Ph.D. in Art Theory, Philosophy, & Aesthetics from the Institute for Doctoral Studies in the Visual Arts. William is a multidisciplinary artist who works primarily in textile. His art quilts and accessories feature traditional quilt blocking and paper piecing techniques and occasionally incorporate nontraditional components. His inspiration derives from urban art practice that confront contemporary issues. He often integrates modern archetypes with historical, societal, or spiritual topics. From 2014 to the present, he has received numerous awards including both the 2019 Male Quilt Artist of the Year Award from the National African American Quilt Convention, and the Lifetime Achievement Award bestowed by the African American Quilt Museum.