Leon Kennedy is a distinguished self-taught artist. A native of Houston, Texas, Kennedy has lived and worked in Oakland, California for over 25 years. He captures and paints the people and scenes of Bay Area life. Kennedy paints on “everything” including bedsheets, wood, tables, chairs, glass, and metal. He creates his artworks with markers, paints, crayons, beads, glitter, cotton, yarn, and rope.
Leon Kennedy is inspired by the Spirit. His trademark is the hand. “Hands symbolize my personal testimony. Hands stand for the power of the imagination and for divine testimony. God is the door . . . Prayer is the key. God sees my heart. He has the master plan; I am his obedient servant. Faith leads. I follow Him.”
Kennedy’s art has been exhibited at the Smithsonian Institute, the Collection de l’Art Brut, Lowell Revolving Museum, American Visionary Art Museum, African American Museum in Dallas, Redux Gallery, Asian Cultural Center, King’s Gallery of the San Francisco Unitarian Universalist Church, and the National Museum of American Art through the Rosenak Collection. Kennedy’s art is featured in the book Contemporary American Folk Art by Jan and Chuck Rosenak.
Kennedy has created art for 50 years to show hope, love and blessings in our lives. He believes that with God, all things are possible.
Street Spirit article about Leon’s life April 2014 edition: http://www.thestreetspirit.org/the-visionary-folk-art-of-leon-kennedy
“As a child, I knew that art was my vocation. My artwork is an affirmation of faith, love, and charity in my life. These virtues are what we need most in our community. I
My paintings are visions that are God-given. When I draw faces I emphasize the eyes. Through the eyes, you see and feel something—glimpse the soul.
I pray that people feel the spirit when viewing my art and connect to their hearts. Love is most important in life and the message I show is that God is Love.” – Leon Kennedy
Image 1: Joy and Love, 2021, Acrylic, marker, cotton, glue on canvas, 16″ x 20″ Image 2: Dreams, 2021, Acrylic, marker, cotton Q-tips, glue on canvas, 16″ x 20″ Image 3: Circle of Faith, 2021, Acrylic, marker, cotton, stones, glue on canvas, 46″ x 43″
PUBLISHED: February 6, 2021 at 5:00 p.m. | UPDATED: February 7, 2021 at 7:14 a.m.
In honor of Black History Month, the Richmond Art Center is hosting its “Art of the African Diaspora” exhibit along with a satellite exhibit at Alameda’s Rhythmix Cultural Works. The exhibits offer opportunities to view art inspired and produced by Bay Area artists of African descent as it reflects the spirit and creativity of African people and, through artists’ talks and virtual open studios, opportunities to hear their stories and appreciate their creativity.
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ISSUE 14 – Clay at Home | Get Ready for Art of the African Diaspora | Welcome Sarah! | Classes Starting Soon
Clay at Home
Free online workshop THIS Sunday
Sunday, February 7, 10am-11:15am
Learn how easy it is to set up your own ceramics space! Marisa Burman, Richmond Art Center’s ceramics studio manager, will discuss and demonstrate how best to set-up a space for working with clay in your home.
Art of the African Diaspora starts next week! Now in its 25th year, but presented as an online exhibition for the first time, Art of the African Diaspora will showcase artwork by over 120 Black artists from the Bay Area. The event also offers numerous artist-organized happenings that everyone is invited to join. Meet artists, learn about and from their work, and celebrate this creative community.
We’re thrilled to announce Richmond Art Center has been selected as a host organization for the inaugural California Arts Council’s Administrators of Color Fellowship. Our amazing fellow is production manager and non-profit administrator Sarah Guerra. She will participate in a nine-month professional development fellowship at Richmond Art Center committed to expanding equity in the arts.
“I’m honored to be part of the inaugural class of CAC fellows,” says Sarah. “It is such an imperative and unique moment in history; our class of arts administrators of color are needed now more than ever.”
Get weird and have fun with digital mashups! This digital collage class focuses on free to access and easy to use software.
All Ages Class Saturdays, 12-2pm Feb 6 – Feb 27 More info…
Things That Go!
Students will use mixed media to create things that go, such a water bottle airplane and texture train. Great for kids in love with all things transportation.
Kids Class (Ages 5-11) Wednesdays, 3-4pm Feb 10 – Feb 24
More info…
Creative Exploration Series: Intuitive Drawing
This class series is about creative expansion and artistic self-discovery. In Intuitive Drawing students will experiment with drawing techniques that encourage them to create in new and surprising ways.
All Ages Class Saturdays, 11am-12pm Feb 13 – Feb 20
Learn ways to use resist methods in ceramics to create decorative surfaces. By using resist, you can “resist” glaze or underglaze being in particular areas of your piece and add interest and design perspectives to your ceramic creations.
Macy’s Union Square in San Francisco presents a satellite exhibition for Art of the African Diaspora in honor of Black History Month
Featured artists: Derrick Bell, Stephen Bruce, Orin Carpenter, Tiffany Conway, Kelvin Curry, Andrea McCoy Harvey, and Akili Simba
Exhibition Dates: February 13 – 28, 2021 Meet the Artists: February 13 & 14, 20 & 21, 27 & 28, 1pm-5pm Location: Macy’s Union Square, 170 O’Farrell Street, San Francisco
Richmond, CA: Art of the African Diaspora is thrilled to partner with Macy’s Union Square to present a satellite exhibition as part of their 2021 program. Seven participating artists will exhibit their work throughout Macy’s San Francisco store at 170 O’Farrell Street from February 13 through to February 28. These artists are Derrick Bell, Stephen Bruce, Orin Carpenter, Tiffany Conway, Kelvin Curry, Andrea McCoy Harvey, and Akili Simba.
Special artist events are happening on February 13 & 14, 20 & 21, 27 & 28 from 1pm to 5pm. During these times visitors to Macy’s will have the opportunity to meet exhibiting artists, and learn about and from their work, in an open studio environment.
For twenty-five years Art of the African Diaspora, in partnership with Richmond Art Center, has supported artists of African descent in the Bay Area through representation, professional development, and building a creative community. In 2021 Art of the African Diaspora will be a hybrid online/in-person event presented at aotad.org, richmondartcenter.org, and at venues throughout the Bay Area. Over 120 artists will be featured in an online exhibition highlighting their work, bios and artist statements at richmondartcenter.org. The online exhibition will run February 11 through to May 16, 2021. For more information about the special online artist Reception and Guest Speaker Evening, as well as numerous artist-organized events, visit https://richmondartcenter.org/exhibitions/aotad2021/
About Art of the African Diaspora: Art of the African Diaspora is the longest running event of its kind in the Bay Area. It originated from a salon for African American artists known as Colors of Black that was organized in 1990 by artist and professor Marie Johnson Calloway. In 1997 artists Jan Hart-Schuyers and Rae Louise Hayward founded The Art of Living Black at Richmond Art Center, and many of the artists from Colors of Black participated in the inaugural exhibition. Hart-Schuyers and Hayward developed The Art of Living Black to present the work of emerging and established African American artists, introduce them to new audiences, and build a creative community of artists and art lovers. Over the next twenty-five years Richmond Art Center’s commitment in presenting the exhibition ensured the increased visibility for African American artists in the Bay Area that Hart-Schuyers and Hayward wanted. Tragically Hart-Schuyers passed away in 1998 and Hayward died in 2008. However, their organizing efforts were carried on for many years by their husbands Henri Schuyers and Steven Hopkins, and Steven’s sister Melba Lazenby, who passed away in 2013. Since 2018, the event has been produced by a Steering Committee of artists dedicated to the vision of Hart-Schuyers and Hayward. In 2020 the event changed its name to Art of the African Diaspora to reflect a new era moving forward. aotad.org
About Richmond Art Center: Richmond Art Center has been sharing art and creating with community since 1936. Our programs encompass classes, exhibitions and events at our facility, as well as off-site activities that bring free, high-quality art making experiences to WCCUSD schools, community centers, and Richmond Public Library. Richmondartcenter.org
About Macy’s: Macy’s is America’s Department Store. For more than 160 years, Macy’s, the largest retail brand of Macy’s, Inc., has served generations at every stage of their lives. Macy’s customers come to us for fashion, value and high-quality products. We are proud of our heritage and the unique role we play in American culture and tradition. We celebrate occasions big and small, and have created decades of memorable experiences through Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks® and Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade®, as well as spectacular fashion shows, culinary events, flower shows, and celebrity appearances. With the collective support of our customers and colleagues, Macy’s helps make a difference in every market we serve, supporting local and national charities through funding and volunteer service. With fashion, value and celebration as our guide, Macy’s makes life shine brighter for our customers, colleagues, and communities.For Macy’s media materials, including images and contacts, please visit our online pressroom at macysinc.com/news-media.
Top image: Artwork by Derrick Bell
Above images: Artwork by Kelvin Curry (top), Orin Carpenter (left), and Andrea McCoy Harvey (right)
For more information contact:
Stephen Bruce, Steering Committee Chair, Art of the African Diaspora
stephenbstudios@yahoo.com, 916-446-3271
Amy Spencer, Exhibitions Director, Richmond Art Center, 2540 Barrett Avenue, Richmond, CA 94804
We are so excited to announce that Richmond Art Center has been selected as one of ten host organizations for the inaugural California Arts Council’s Administrators of Color Fellowship. This fellowship is administered by the School of Arts and Culture at the Mexican Heritage Plaza.
Richmond Art Center’s fellow is production manager and non-profit administrator Sarah Guerra. She will participate in a nine-month professional development fellowship at Richmond Art Center committed to expanding equity in the arts.
“I’m honored to be part of the inaugural class of CAC fellows,” says Sarah. “It is such an imperative and unique moment in history; our class of arts administrators of color are needed now more than ever.”
Staff at Richmond Art Center look forward to learning from and working with Sarah!
About Sarah Guerra
Sarah Guerra is a queer native Tejana who has dedicated her life to supporting and leveraging the arts as a tool for education and political and social justice. A Bay Area resident since 2001, Sarah is a seasoned program manager that has overseen the creation, implementation, and evolution of commissioning programs and artist residencies focused on uplifting Black and Brown queer and trans people for Brava! For Women in the Arts, Queer Cultural Center, and La Peña Cultural Center. She participated in the Ford Foundation’s inaugural Future Aesthetic cohort and has served as a liaison and conference organizer for the National Performance Network. As the Production Manager for the Queer Cultural Center, Sarah has supported the presentation of eight National Queer Arts Festivals, providing direct support and feedback to artists as well as implementing Festival logistics. She has served as a grant reviewer for San Francisco Arts Commission, Galería de la Raza, and Live Arts Boston; and recently completed the Executive Program in Arts & Culture Strategy with National Arts Strategies in partnership with the University of Pennsylvania School of Social Policy & Practice.
About the California Arts Council Administrators of Color Fellowship
The California Arts Council Administrators of Color Fellowship program was initiated by the California Arts Council with the goal of uplifting an inclusive workforce and supporting the vibrancy of organizations that create and preserve the cultural identities of all California communities, reflecting the Arts Council’s commitment to racial equity. The pilot program is made possible by a grant from The James Irvine Foundation and 2018 one-time increased state arts funding. arts.ca.gov/programs/administrators-of-color-fellows
About: My artwork resonates a process of gathering, reflecting, composing, juxtaposing and reassemble. My color palette comes from mélange of re-claimed organic items, things others have thrown away: metal scraps, industrial leavings, abandoned commonplace objects, castoff baubles, junked trinkets, and other discarded odds and ends. My new discovery medium is acrylic pour over found objects.
– Atiba Sylvia Thomas, Assemblage Artist and Teaching Artist
Online Exhibition: February 11 – May 16, 2021 Online Reception: Saturday, March 20, 3pm
Richmond, CA: Art of the African Diaspora, in partnership with Richmond Art Center, supports artists of African descent in the Bay Area through representation, professional development, and building a creative community.
In 2021 Art of the African Diaspora will be a hybrid online/in-person event presented at aotad.org, richmondartcenter.org, and at venues throughout the Bay Area.* Over 110 artists will be featured in an online exhibition highlighting their work, bios and artist statements. The online exhibition will run February 11 through to May 16, 2021. richmondartcenter.org/exhibitions/aotad2021
“Art of the African Diaspora is an exhibition that introduces African Diaspora art to new audiences, but also provides fresh insight into its artists and their Bay Area experiences. We are excited that the 2021 program will be a virtual hybrid which we anticipate will expand our audience,” says Stephen Bruce, artist and Steering Committee Chair that produces Art of the African Diaspora.
In conjunction with the online exhibition, artists will host open studios, artists talks and satellite exhibitions throughout February, March, April and May 2021. These artist-curated events will be both virtual and in-person happenings (covid-permitting), and audiences can find out about them via aotad.org. Satellite exhibition partners include Macy’s, San Francisco; Rhythmix Cultural Works, Alameda; Creative Framing & Gallery, Oakland; and NIAD, Richmond. An special online artist Reception and Guest Speaker Evening are also planned. More information about these events to be released soon.
* No in person events will be held at Richmond Art Center. Individual artist events are subject to City and County health orders and compliance with the social distancing requirements.
Participating Artists: a. d. floyd, Abi Mustapha, Ajuan Mance, Akeem Raheem, Akili Simba, Alix J Magloire, Andrea McCoy Harvey, Antt’Smalls aka AnttonioDesigns, Arthur Norcome, Ashara Ekundayo, Beautiful Beads by Lan, bertrell smith, Bill A. Dallas, Brianna Mills, Carla Golder, Carrie Lee McClish, Charles Curtis Blackwell, Chasya Thierry, Christian Vassell, Chuck Harlins, Claude Lockhart Clark, Damon Powell – Artist & Theologian, Darryl Thompson, De’Ana Brownfield, Deatra Colbert, Derrick Bell, Diamela, Doitshā Jones, Dolores R Gray, Donna Gatson, Donna Meke’da Bradley, Dre’An Cox, Dulama, Elishes Cavness, Elmarise Owens, Escape Artist, Ester M. Armstrong, Fan Lee Warren, Floyd Brown, Freddie Crome Lambright, III, Gene Dominique, Genesse McGaugh, Gregory Worsham, Hilda Robinson, iam4muze, Idris Hassan, Irene Bee Kain, J of Coeurs De Papier, J. B. Broussard, JaeMe Bereal, James Gayles, James Knox, Janay Futch, Janet Barnes, Jasmine, Jason Byrd, Jason Powell-Smith, Jennifer Inez Ward, Jessica Keener, Jimi Evins, Jonathan Taylor, Joseph Robinson, Julee Richardson, Julie Atkinson, KaliMa Amilak, Karen Smith, karin turner – karinsArt, Keisha White, Kelvin Curry, Kimberley Champion, Kimberly Johnson, L Holley, Latisha Baker, Lorraine Bonner, Maalak, Marguerite, Mark Sublett, Marva Reed, Mia Mya Dawson, Michelle Tompkins, Naomi Floyd, Olubori Babaoye, Ora Clay, Orin Carpenter, Orlonda Uffre, Pam Jackson, Patricia Patterson, Patricia Perry, Raven Harper, Raymond L. Haywood, Renata, Rodney Bell, Ron Calime, Shanju, Shantae Robinson, Shante’ Young, Shawna Kinard, Stephanie Thames, Stephen Bruce, Suzane Beaubrun, Sylvia Thomas, TaSin Sabir, The Art of Justice, TheArthur Wright, Tiffany Conway, Tomye, Val Kai, Valerie Brown-Troutt, Vaughn F. Filmore, VirgiNia Jourdan Fine Art, Wanda Sabir, Xan Blood Walker, Yasmin Sayyed, Yolanda Holley, Yolanda Patton ThaSun, Zoë Boston, and Zwanda
About Art of the African Diaspora: Art of the African Diaspora is the longest running event of its kind in the Bay Area. It originated from a salon for African American artists known as Colors of Black that was organized in 1990 by artist and professor Marie Johnson Calloway. In 1997 artists Jan Hart-Schuyers and Rae Louise Hayward founded The Art of Living Black at Richmond Art Center, and many of the artists from Colors of Black participated in the inaugural exhibition. Hart-Schuyers and Hayward developed The Art of Living Black to present the work of emerging and established African American artists, introduce them to new audiences, and build a creative community of artists and art lovers. Over the next twenty-five years Richmond Art Center’s commitment in presenting the exhibition ensured the increased visibility for African American artists in the Bay Area that Hart-Schuyers and Hayward wanted. Tragically Hart-Schuyers passed away in 1998 and Hayward died in 2008. However, their organizing efforts were carried on for many years by their husbands Henri Schuyers and Steven Hopkins, and Steven’s sister Melba Lazenby, who passed away in 2013. Since 2018, the event has been produced by a Steering Committee of artists dedicated to the vision of Hart-Schuyers and Hayward. In 2020 the event changed its name to Art of the African Diaspora to reflect a new era moving forward. aotad.org
About Richmond Art Center: Richmond Art Center has been sharing art and creating with community since 1936. Our programs encompass classes, exhibitions and events at our facility, as well as off-site activities that bring free, high-quality art making experiences to WCCUSD schools, community centers, and Richmond Public Library. richmondartcenter.org
Images: Artworks by Fan Lee Warren (top), Val kai (above left), and Tiffany Conway (above right)
For more information contact: Stephen Bruce, Steering Committee Chair, Art of the African Diaspora stephenbstudios@yahoo.com, 916-446-3271
About: In Alabama, as a young child, I observed my mother making quilts for our beds on a quilting frame made with two-by- fours. I watched her stretch the balls of cotton that we grew on the farm into a batting layer, and wash and soften flour sacks for backing fabric. The pieced top of the quilt was recycled from clothes we had outgrown.
Some years ago my daughter took me to a series of classes at the Museum of the African Diaspora in San Francisco (MOAD), which was taught by master quilter, Marion Coleman. This allowed me to continue the quilting tradition. Since those first quilts, I have done dozens of quilting projects. My quilts have been exhibited over two dozen times, with one being featured in the New York Times Art Section along with other quilts from the African American Quilting Guild of Oakland (AAQGO).
I am reminded of the utility of quilts when I think of my mother. But quilts are also beautiful art, and a great vehicles for storytelling. I enjoy the process of quilt making. We have moved from coverings for beds to public and private art depicting who we are.
Quilting not only allows me to create beautiful art, working with different colors and textures, but also to use the beauty of the quilting medium to draw the viewer into thinking about serious issues facing our world.
VALERIE BROWN-TROUTT Something wonderful happened to me during the summer of 1999. I claimed and discovered my artist: Me! I went to several second hand shops and bought old canvas and found thrown away framed pictures and took them apart, covered them with gesso and started a studio on my patio. I got lost for hours in the dialogue of mixing color, creation, making meaning through images and mediation. Turning old ugly things into something new is so much fun and inexpensive. Messing up, changing my mind and starting all over again satisfied by creative energy Art in a variety of forms has always been my passion. I love paintings, poems, theater, jazz, singers, poetry, actors and actresses, photography, great movie pictures, sculpture, rhetoric, comedy, nature, etc. My art, often whimsically, intentionally creates what I have missed in my art loving experience, me! For example, I was born into a world that never showed me a lovely black, fat angel, so I painted me some. I am nurtured by and long to see things that look like me, especially my people (whom I love) and my ancestors. This is where it started.
I continue today to address the absence of images that I think are important to the stories of my life and culture. I create to preserve and share with others especially my grandchildren what life is for me presently and while growing up in the 50’s and 60’s. Many of these images celebrate the core values of my spirituality and codes of the communities of my origins which makes life meaningful for me.
About: Painting has always held a special place in my heart. Art reflects, radiates and reveals God’s omnipresence here on earth. It can stimulate the wonderment of ones mind to not only see its visual beauty, but to feel the essence of the wind. I live to paint another day!
