Nye’ Lyn Tho is a West Oakland resident of 9 years, hailing from Philadelphia, PA. She was born and raised in New York with her 10 siblings and currently resides with her partner, Ahmunet Jessica Jordon. She currently runs a Photography & Graphic Design studio operating out of American Steel Studios with a focus on portraits, commercial/ad work and branding.
What do you find most inspiring about photography? Tell us about your current projects.
I’m in love with the psychological and soulful vulnerabilities of Photography. The moments that one can’t usually pick up on because they happen so fast. I can shoot a room of people and literally read the room when I review the shot. For instance, I can tell this one individual is in love with the woman he is talking to by how lost he is in her eyes. How his body is leaning toward her with his chest, his heart, reaching for her. While on the completely opposite side of the room some lady is dying to get out of a conversation. In one photo I discovered that a groom in a wedding I shot had a deep dislike for his father. Something he confirmed months later. So many things can be read in body language, facial expressions, and general energy that aren’t readily available in real-time observations because they can happen in an instant.
Even with studio portraits there is a certain psychological playful manipulation. I love digging for the genuine moments. For instance if a woman’s face lights up when she starts talking about her son, I may dig for her to tell me something funny he did. One of my favorite shots of this guy came from me poking fun at his adoration of his girlfriend as he had mentioned her 3 times in the span of 5 minutes. He did a sheepish shift in stance with a huge grin on his face while briefly looking away from the camera. I love the dance between myself, the camera, and the subject. The moments where I capture someone’s true self, the un-guarded self, their soul. It really makes me understand why people of certain cultures do not want their photo taken. It truly is the capturing of one’s soul. Having someone be spiritually nude for me is an honor and I take the way I handle it very seriously.
How did you become involved with The Art of Living Black? How does your work represent and uphold the tradition of this exhibition?
One of my mentors, Stephen Bruce, introduced me to The Art of Living Black. Before this my art was limited to the Graphic Design/Commercial Photography world so it was a very new and intimidating world that I harassed him with way too many questions about. He basically told me to quit bugging out and make something…anything…and just put it on the wall. Haha!
I Tried to Smudge It Away, 2016
Natural Heir is very much the art of living black, as it is a visual pun of the state of having natural hair within the black community. It relates to natural hair and the political ties that the black community has in regards to embracing it. There is a lot of controversy in regards to embracing our coils, “kinks,” and rough texture. When we do, it is often considered unprofessional in the workplace, people think reaching in to touch it is okay, it is considered unkempt. We are expected to straighten it to fit European standards of beauty. I named one piece Melba Tolliver, for a woman who worked for ABC and refused to cover up her afro in order to look more “professional” to cover the White House wedding of President Richard Nixon’s daughter.
So far, I have photographed 12 subjects, studied their personality, observed their crowns, and matched them to relating plant life that historically represent African and African American culture. For instance, I replaced one subject’s hair with cotton, another with collard greens, one figure has a head of sage while another, a calla lilly.
What was your path to becoming an artist? Please share some of your favorite work.
Salassie, 2016
My mother used to draw these portraits in pencil and it always looked like magic the way she took a blank sheet of paper and sketched family members faces onto it. She may as well have pulled a quarter out of thin air. Anyway, I tried to draw like her and became really obsessive about nailing it. Then I got into construction because I wanted to be a “builder” and then someone convinced me to combine the two so I went to college for Architecture and after interning at an Architectural firm and realizing that’s not what I wanted to do at all, I discovered Graphic Design. I moved to California, went to the Academy of Art for as long as I could afford it, and then obtained my first Graphic Design job where I stayed for 7 years living in Photoshop and Illustrator while teaching myself Photography. I wanted to do it all. I still do. Except now I do it all at once. Natural Heir is a combination of all of the artistic skill sets that I’ve been obsessing with for the past 7 years.
Who are your inspirations?
I’m inspired by doers. Folks who do whatever drives them all day everyday. Folks who do it so often that they have mastered whatever it is that their doing. Folks who bare their entire soul within their creation. I’m also intrigued by folks who have discovered a non-conventional way of creating. Artists who create otherworldly art, fantasies, magic, the surreal. I love artists who can tell a million stories with one single image, song, scene. Gordon Parks, Ava Duvernay, Annie Liebovitz, Kara Walker, Solange, Frida, Shepard Fairey, Whitney Houston, Tim Burton, Shonda Rhimes, Michael Jackson, Justin Bua, Basquiat, Rodrigo Coral, Rog Walker, Bryant Terry, Stephen Bruce, Syd the Kid.
They Call It Kinky, 2016
What do you like to do when you’re not taking pictures?
I like eating. Haha! Really, just sitting with my partner, off and on staring at her, while watching an epic move with great cinematography and stuffing my face. I’m a Taurus. I also like getting to know people…not what people are telling my about themselves but by observing them, reading their body, listening to not what they say but how they say it…what my subconscious tells me about them. Usually this happens one on one and not very often as I really like spending time alone. I’m a Scorpio Moon.
What’s on your bucket list?
Live in the woods near water.
Own a home/property.
Raise a family.
Marry my partner.
Capturing (or maybe just witness) the Northern Lights.
To eat at a restaurant that has a top chef (like in the worlds top 10).
To capture Barack and Michelle Obama.
Movie Cinematography.
Grow my own food.
Master an instrument (drums, violin, or bass).
If you could meet one artist, living or not, who would it be and why?
Man! I had an older cousin, Dee Dee, who died in a car accident when I was a kid. She was magical and whenever she would visit she would show me all of these things she created….clothing, jewelry, things that lit up, sketches. I was a shy kid so I would just become dumbfounded sit back and observe her, thinking “she feels just like me!”. I never felt so close to someone but her spirit felt so similar to mine. I never really talked to her. I would love to talk to her and look at all of the things that came out of her mind and ask her questions about them. She was brilliant.
Thank you for your time, Nyé Lyn.
To see Nyé Lyn’s work, and the work of the other artists on exhibition for The Art of Living Black, please visit our galleries starting Tuesday, January 10. The exhibition, along with our other Winter shows, continues through March 4, Tuesdays through Saturdays. Our galleries are always free to the public. Please visit our Exhibition Events for links to events associated with our galleries, including receptions and artists talks.
Bring a new level of color to your creative practice in 2017. We’ve selected some of our most colorful classes for you to explore. Register today and see you in the studio!
Art of Living Black Exhibition Returns for the 21st Year at the Richmond Art Center
The only annual exhibition in the Bay Area that exclusively features regional artists of African descent opens on January 10, 2017.
RICHMOND, CA — December 23, 2016 — The Richmond Art Center is proud to host the only annual exhibition in the Bay Area to exclusively feature regional artists of African descent. This year’s exhibition will feature over 40 local artists, including work by this year’s featured artists: Gene Dominique, Justice Renaissance, and Nyé Lyn Tho.
The Art of Living Black was founded by the sculptor Jan Hart-Schuyers and painter Rae Louise Hayward after their realization that black artists were not being represented by galleries in any significant way. This year’s exhibition will showcase a broad range of works by artists throughout the Bay Area, combining the exploration of art in a variety of mediums, while many pieces offer spiritual or political messages.
“The Art of Living Black continues to provide a key opportunity for local artists to show their work,” says Orlonda Uffre, Exhibition Coordinator. “The exhibition is always a vibrant mixture of works, yet representing the myriad facets of life for artists of the African Diaspora.”
“This exhibition is always relevant and always changing,” says Ric Ambrose, Executive Director of the Richmond Art Center. “The Art of Living Black creates a supportive forum for the artists to display their creative talents and to share their stories with their colleagues, art enthusiasts and the community at large.”
The Art of Living Black opens in the Main and West Galleries on January 10, 2017, at the Richmond Art Center, 2540 Barrett Avenue, Richmond, CA. Continuing the dedication to community engagement, the Richmond Art Center is hosting an artists talk for the Art of Living Black on Saturday, February 4, from noon to 2 pm, with the opening reception for all three Winter Exhibitions to follow, from 2 – 5pm. For more information about the Art of Living Black and the concurrent Winter exhibitions programming and events, please visit the Richmond Art Center’s website: https://richmondartcenter.org
About the Richmond Art Center:
The Richmond Art Center is the largest visual arts center in the East Bay, delivering exciting arts experiences to young and old alike who reflect the diverse richness of our community. The Art Center features hands-on learning, well-equipped studios, Art in the Community programs and contemporary exhibitions in its galleries.
Every year, the Richmond Art Center serves thousands of students through classes and programs taught by professional artists, both onsite at the Art Center and at sites throughout Richmond. The Art Center’s four galleries mount rotating exhibitions that display the works of emerging and established Bay Area artists. Artists such as Richard Diebenkorn, Jay DeFeo, Wanxin Zhang, Mildred Howard, Bella Feldman, Hung Liu, William Wiley and Peter Voulkos have been showcased here.
Now celebrating its 80th anniversary, the Richmond Art Center originated in 1936, when local artist Hazel Salmi, who worked for the WPA, traversed the streets of Richmond with a suitcase packed with art supplies, eager to teach art to anyone interested. Today, everything at the Art Center continues to breathe life into Salmi’s original vision: That within every person lives an artist.
Visit the Richmond Art Center’s website for more information: https://richmondartcenter.org/
Influential Glass Artist Marvin Lipofsky Exhibition Opens at the Richmond Art Center in January 2017 Exploring the legacy of the artist and cornerstone of the Studio Glass Movement in an intimate selection of works from his private estate.
RICHMOND, CA — December 20, 2016 — A leading figure in the world of glass, the late Marvin Lipofsky was instrumental in establishing and promoting the Studio Glass Movement on the West Coast. The Richmond Art Center will exhibit a collection of his works in Marvin Lipofsky: Molten Matter/Fantastic Form, which opens in the South Gallery on January 10, 2017. The works selected from his estate represent a curated glimpse into his decades of artistry.
“This exhibition moves from some of his earliest work through phases of formal exploration and aesthetic mastery,” says Jan Wurm, Director of Exhibitions. “With the beginning foundation of a sculptor’s approach to form, Lipofsky pursued the molten mass of hot glass to blow, cut, etch, sandblast, and flock as he found shape, opened interiors, rearranged parts, and dazzled with color. We are thrilled to be able to share these fascinating works with our visitors.”
Lipofsky was a revered figure in the American Studio Glass Movement, as the founder of the glass program at the the University of California, Berkeley and the California College of Arts and Crafts, and as one of the first American glass artists to travel to Czechoslovakia. Well known for his traveling and teaching in and beyond California: to Europe, Russia, Japan, and China – Lipofsky shared his passion and experience while gathering new inflections and influences in an ever-refining practice.
Marvin Lipofsky: Molten Matter/Fantastic Form opens to the public on Tuesday, January 10 and runs through March 4, 2017. For more information about the Richmond Art Center’s Exhibitions program, please visit their website: https://richmondartcenter.org/
Images:
Top Left California Loop Series #4, 1970
Photo: M. Lee Fatherree
Collection of the Artist
Center Left Series Crystalex–Hantich Novy Bor #1, 1982
Photo: M. Lee Fatherree
Bottom Left Pilchuck Summer Series, 1988-1989 #9, 1989
Photo: M. Lee Fatherree Collection of the Artist
About the Richmond Art Center:
The Richmond Art Center is the largest visual arts center in the East Bay, delivering exciting arts experiences to young and old alike who reflect the diverse richness of our community. The Art Center features hands-on learning, well-equipped studios, Art in the Community programs and contemporary exhibitions in its galleries.
Every year, the Richmond Art Center serves thousands of students through classes and programs taught by professional artists, both onsite at the Art Center and at sites throughout Richmond. The Art Center’s four galleries mount rotating exhibitions that display the works of emerging and established Bay Area artists. Artists such as Richard Diebenkorn, Jay DeFeo, Wanxin Zhang, Mildred Howard, Bella Feldman, Hung Liu, William Wiley and Peter Voulkos have been showcased here.
Now celebrating its 80th anniversary, the Richmond Art Center originated in 1936, when local artist Hazel Salmi, who worked for the WPA, traversed the streets of Richmond with a suitcase packed with art supplies, eager to teach art to anyone interested. Today, everything at the Art Center continues to breathe life into Salmi’s original vision: That within every person lives an artist.
All of these skills and more await. Check out this short list of picks we think you should know about. Registration for Winter session continues through the new year, and classes start in early January!
Thanks to the Richmond Standard for this great recap of our 2016 Holiday Arts Festival! “The Richmond Art Center (RAC) hosted the 54th edition of their popular Holiday Arts Fest on Sunday, and a bustling turnout enjoyed the 50-plus artisan vendors, engaging make-your-own-art tables and some tasty food offerings.”
Read the rest of the article here: http://richmondstandard.com/2016/12/richmond-art-centers-54th-holiday-arts-fest-draws-crowd/
As the Richmond Standard wrote in the October 18, 2016 issue:
When it comes to treasured resources in the Bay Area, it’s hard to top what the Richmond Art Center has brought to the area for 80 years. The robust venue . . . is accessible, attractive and overflowing with artistic offerings for every age group and interest.
I see the energy created by our diverse offerings virtually every day – when guests arrive for artists’ talks, to see new works by Bay Area artists, students creating new art forms with their hands and innate inspiration, or joining in on the fun at a family event in our Courtyard. I am especially honored to lead this award-winning organization that provides a community forum for people of all ages to see, make art and learn about art.
We have continued to expand our Art in the Community outreach program to deliver more after school programs to Richmond elementary and middle schools, and community centers; continuing our free family weekend activities that encourage multi-generational learning; and providing professional development to elementary teachers to integrate creative art making into their curriculum; presented increasingly ambitious art exhibitions like, David Park and the Human Spirit, and Making Our Mark, attracting new audiences and national acclaim. We have also added new teaching artists to provide lifelong learning opportunities for youth and adults while keeping our classes affordable and offering more scholarships.
I know that you understand the importance of the Art Center, and I hope that you will consider continuing your commitment to supporting our ongoing efforts to bring art to thousands of people each year. I am also pleased to announce that your contribution will be matched 1:1 by anonymous donors who share your commitment to the Art Center. Your tax-deductible gift will help support our exhibition, studio, and community-based programs. You can donate online here right now.
I would value the opportunity to meet with you to discuss what your contribution can mean to us. You can reach me at Richard@therichmondartcenter.org, or by phone at (510) 620-6777.
There’s more than just art to buy at this year’s Art Center’s annual holiday festival with food trucks and Richmond’s own craft brewery and cidery participating.
RICHMOND, CA — November 29, 2016—On Sunday, December 4, 2016, the largest community event and fundraiser for the Richmond Art Center returns for its 54th year, with over 50 local artists and artisan collectives participating. In addition, this year’s festival is also hosting three local food trucks, as well as two other Richmond-based vendors: a craft brewery and a cidery.
“So much of bringing people together for this event is centered around artists, which makes perfect sense,” says Nisha Chauhan-McGrath, Volunteer Services Coordinator and Holiday Arts Festival coordinator. “We wanted to make sure that our visitors have an all-around great shopping experience, and that has to include good food and drink, and a place to mingle and connect.”
The food truck idea is a new one for the decades old arts festival but a welcome one at the Richmond Art Center. Participating vendors include Curbside Kitchen, a gourmet mobile food truck based out of San Pablo, CA, that offers Filipino-American cuisine, with hints of Latin and Southeast Asian flair. Favorite dishes include their Curb-bahn mi, described as traditional Filipino adobo meets bahn mi, and small plates that include Filipino street tacos and Mom’s lumpia.
Opie’s Gourmet Stacked Burgers will be on hand, serving up their sizzling full menu of signature “absolute best Gourmet STACKED Burgers” (not to mention herb/garlic fries and the “Herbavoire” for vegetarians).
DUM Indian Soul Food will treat customers to a modern interpretation of classic Indian flavors, “ the best of flavors and textures from north, east and south India to the streets of Bombay!” with specialties including Paneer Skewers seasoned with North Indian spices and served with tangy coconut chutney.
Local Richmond-based craft brewery Benoit-Casper Brewing Company (“Good Beer for Good People”), established in 2014 by two craft beer obsessed friends, Marc Benoit and Chad Casper, run a production-only brewery located in the heart of Richmond, and will be sharing several new drafts.
And Far West Cider Company will be sharing their hand-crafted ciders as Richmond’s only farm-to-glass cidery. Far West Cider Company specializes in uniquely Californian hard ciders made exclusively from apples grown on Chinchiolo Family Farms; a fourth generation family farm located in rural San Joaquin County, CA.
The festival opens its doors to the public at 11am and ends at 5pm at the Richmond Art Center, 2540 Barrett Avenue in Richmond, CA. Attendees will be able to decorate their own canvas tote bag, perfect for shopping or carrying art supplies, create their own handmade terrariums, bid on silent auction items, mingle with many local artists and Richmond Art Center art instructors, and learn more about what’s happening in the Richmond nonprofit community.
This year’s Holiday Arts Festival features many new artist vendors, and gourmet food trucks and food vendors on site. Art collectors mark the day as an opportunity to bid on collectible, prized works by notable Bay Area artists. To see the list of vendors and community partners participating in this event, please visit the Holiday Art Festival’s web page as it will be continuously updated with current information: https://richmondartcenter.org/holiday-arts-festival/
About the Richmond Art Center:
The Richmond Art Center is the largest visual arts center in the East Bay, delivering exciting arts experiences to young and old alike who reflect the diverse richness of our community. The Art Center features hands-on learning, well-equipped studios, Art in the Community programs and contemporary exhibitions in its galleries.
Every year, the Richmond Art Center serves thousands of students through classes and programs taught by professional artists, both onsite at the Art Center and at sites throughout Richmond. The Art Center’s four galleries mount rotating exhibitions that display the works of emerging and established Bay Area artists. Artists such as Richard Diebenkorn, Jay DeFeo, Wanxin Zhang, Hung Liu, William Wiley and Peter Voulkos have been showcased here.
Now celebrating its 80th anniversary, the Richmond Art Center originated in 1936, when local artist Hazel Salmi, who worked for the WPA, traversed the streets of Richmond with a suitcase packed with art supplies, eager to teach art to anyone interested. Today, everything at the Art Center continues to breathe life into Salmi’s original vision: That within every person lives an artist.
Donate today to help support our scholarships for local youth and adults, free community classes and events, and our galleries and exhibitions. Today your donation will be matched dollar for dollar by a generous anonymous donor.
Become a volunteer. Our volunteers are a vital part of the work we do and they help us with a variety of really important projects.
Give us a thumb’s up review on Facebook, Google or Yelp. Tell others why you love coming to the Richmond Art Center.
Support your local artists and buy local. Check out the Silent Auction, have lunch at the food trucks, sample local beer and cider and meet our Community Partners at the Holiday Arts Festival on Sunday, December 4.
Richmond Art Center’s 54th Annual Holiday Arts Festival Partners with Local Nonprofits
Five Richmond nonprofits share their missions, sell their work in the Community Gallery at the Art Center’s annual holiday festival.
RICHMOND, CA — November 18, 2016—On Sunday, December 4, 2016, the largest community event and fundraiser for the Richmond Art Center returns for its 54th year, with over 50 local artists and artisan collectives participating. This year, the festival has expanded to present and give visibility to nonprofit partners with the Richmond Art Center, which include Rosie the Riveter Trust, Girls Inc. of West Contra Costa, NIAD Art Center, and RYSE Youth Center.
“We love our neighbor the Richmond Art Center and their annual Holiday Festival, said NIAD’s Gallery Director, Tim Buckwalter. “What a fantastic tradition. At NIAD Art Center, we delighted and honored to be a part of it. This year we’re pleased to showcase work from four of our emerging artists – Vanessa Bravo, Donzell Lewis, Shana Harper and Sara Malpass – who will be amazing works in clay, fiber, and clay.”
RYSE Youth Center will also be creating art to sell this year. Says Visual Arts Coordinator Vanessa “Agana” Espinoza: “The Visual arts team at Ryse Youth Center has been creating some new original handmade jewelry, art and crafts to share at the Richmond Art Center’s Holiday Art Festival. We are honored to present some amazing unique pieces for sale made by the talented young artists at Ryse. We are very excited about this partnership especially after collaborating on a youth-led mural in the front entrance of the Richmond Art center.”
“Girls Inc is so excited to be working with some very special young entrepreneurs, helping them to fulfill their desires for a successful career doing what they love to do,” says Cristal Banagan, Associate Director of Girls Incorporated of West Contra Costa County. “With the help of personal mentors, our young ladies are creating their businesses, and finding opportunity to “make their mark” with the help of the Richmond Art Center! Stay tuned in to these incredible young marvels and their beautifully creative creations, brought to you as only Richmond can!”
“Rosie the Riveter Trust will be selling a variety of unusual ‘Rosie’ items to benefit its work on behalf of the Rosie the Riveter/WWII Home Front National Historical Park,” says Marsha Mather-Thrift, Executive Director of Rosie the Riveter Trust. “Items will include a variety of unusual designs from the Rosie the Riveter National Park Gift Store. We are very excited to be participating in this years Arts Festival and supporting the greater Richmond community.”
Also present will be staff from The Latina Center, whose mission is to improve the quality of life and health of the Latino community by providing leadership and personal development opportunities for all Latinos.
The festival opens its doors to the public at 11am and ends at 5pm at the Richmond Art Center, 2540 Barrett Avenue in Richmond, CA. Attendees will be able to decorate their own canvas tote bag, perfect for shopping or carrying art supplies, create their own handmade terrariums, bid on silent auction items, mingle with many local artists and Richmond Art Center art instructors, and learn more about what’s happening in the Richmond nonprofit community. All within a few steps of great meals served up by Curbside Kitchen and Opie’s Gourmet Stacked Burgers.
This year’s Holiday Arts Festival features many new artist vendors, and gourmet food trucks and food vendors on site. Art collectors mark the day as an opportunity to bid on collectible, prized works by notable Bay Area artists. To see the list of vendors and community partners participating in this event, please visit the Holiday Art Festival’s web page as it will be continuously updated with current information: https://richmondartcenter.org/holiday-arts-festival/
About the Richmond Art Center:
The Richmond Art Center is the largest visual arts center in the East Bay, delivering exciting arts experiences to young and old alike who reflect the diverse richness of our community. The Art Center features hands-on learning, well-equipped studios, Art in the Community programs and contemporary exhibitions in its galleries.
Every year, the Richmond Art Center serves thousands of students through classes and programs taught by professional artists, both onsite at the Art Center and at sites throughout Richmond. The Art Center’s four galleries mount rotating exhibitions that display the works of emerging and established Bay Area artists. Artists such as Richard Diebenkorn, Jay DeFeo, Wanxin Zhang, Hung Liu, William Wiley and Peter Voulkos have been showcased here.
Now celebrating its 80th anniversary, the Richmond Art Center originated in 1936, when local artist Hazel Salmi, who worked for the WPA, traversed the streets of Richmond with a suitcase packed with art supplies, eager to teach art to anyone interested. Today, everything at the Art Center continues to breathe life into Salmi’s original vision: That within every person lives an artist.
Visit the Richmond Art Center’s website for more information: https://richmondartcenter.org/
“The Art of Living Black continues to provide a key opportunity for local artists to show their work,” says Orlonda Uffre, Exhibition Coordinator. “The exhibition is always a vibrant mixture of works, yet representing the myriad facets of life for artists of the African Diaspora.”
“This exhibition moves from some of his earliest work through phases of formal exploration and aesthetic mastery,” says Jan Wurm, Director of Exhibitions. “With the beginning foundation of a sculptor’s approach to form, Lipofsky pursued the molten mass of hot glass to blow, cut, etch, sandblast, and flock as he found shape, opened interiors, rearranged parts, and dazzled with color. We are thrilled to be able to share these fascinating works with our visitors.”
Collection of the Artist
Dear Richmond Art Center family,
