For our inaugural issue, we’re including our editor's current list of artists to support. Keeping in line with the rest of the issue, this list is women only. Enjoy the whirlwind of getting to know a few of her favorite artists!
Cristina Martinez (Contemporary Visual Artist)
I’ve been following Cristina’s Instagram page since 2020, and every time I interact with it I am in awe of the art and the process. I am encouraged by her journey and although I am not a mother myself, I'm also deeply inspired by the mother she is. She’s a super dope Afro-Latina currently based in Seattle, and all of these different aspects of her art will also leave you wanting to join her community as a collector. Her common themes of growing, women, flowers, tears, and playing with color have become staples in her artwork. In her interview with Amanda Seales for her podcast titled “Small Doses”, she described herself as an emotional artist. She doesn’t classify herself as a technical artist- and I think that works to her advantage in connecting with her base. As a lover of flowers, seeing the use of flowers to describe blooming as a person, connects so deeply and spiritually for me. I rely on flowers in my home to keep me motivated and my morale high throughout the week. I love picking out flowers each week at the store or florist, and arranging them on Sunday to signify a new week has begun. Throughout the week when I look at them, I feel uplifted. Since Cristina portrays her emotions through her art, you can immediately pick up on the point of a piece whether it is needing to be nurtured by those around you, dreaming about the future, or being seen as a black woman. It is truly a self-reflecting and sometimes healing experience when taking in her art.
Shefon Taylor (Interdisciplinary artist)
Shefon Taylor’s art feels like a love poem to Black people, specifically Black women. It goes deeper than just love. Her art connects our past with our current in a familial way. That was one of the many things that drew me to her artwork. I’ve always loved visiting museums or exhibitions focused on persevering black history and flipping through family albums, and vintage Ebony, Jet, and Essence magazines. Holding reverence for our past and learning from our ideals and ways of life has helped shape my understanding of our progression to the present day. It's like that old saying “You don’t know where you're going if you don’t know your past.” Taylor explores all of this through her art, and as she pieces together these collages she’s forging a path between our memories and our innermost thoughts that shed a light on the black experience. Through her work, she celebrates and enlarges black women, but also brings to the forefront our curiosities and even our apprehensions. It is a constant conversation between the past, current, and future.
Jillian Evelyn
I discovered Jillian Evelyn’s art through Juxtapoz Magazine. I was in the grocery store one day (Kroger to be specific), and I always peruse the magazine stand to see what’s new and I decided on Juxtapose. As always, during my quiet time, I decided to begin indulging in the magazine and Jillian’s article immediately stood out to me. The first thing to stand out to me was the women she drew were partially nude, and their breasts were exposed. The self-confidence these women exude is amazing, because well why shouldn’t they? This piece of work that was highlighted was for an upcoming show titled “Connecting the dots.” Jillian stated “I’ve always found the censorship of nudity bizarre considering we all have bodies. The title does have multiple meanings. One is to ask the question to the viewer why this one shape on the female form is forbidden when it's just the natural shape that we have attached all this meaning to.” She later states that the areola doesn’t need to be considered taboo and I couldn't agree more.
Aisulu N. (Figurative Painter)
I’m positive I first saw Aisulu’s work via IG Story from one of the many other creatives I follow. I instantly delve into her world and lost track of time scrolling through her feed. Her art is often people of all different shades conveying a simple message. Her mantra states “ The energy and emotion in my paintings is always positive. There is too much pain and grief in the world already.” Born in Almaty, Kazakhstan she has lived in various countries such as the United States, France, and Singapore and strives for her art to reflect this and connect with people globally. She states that her subjects aren’t actual people “so much as a mixture of emotions, memories, and values evoked in the act of painting.” I noticed that often they are dressed elegantly almost with an essence of a few different global styles or periods warped into one moment. That's one of the best parts of the message in my opinion, and probably the first part of the art to draw you in. The next part would be the positioning, if it's a couple or duo you can immediately tell by the body language what Aisulu is trying to convey. I also love how she uses color subtly throughout the subject’s face. It’s soft and stunning. I truly appreciate the warmth and peace I feel viewing her work.
Shaina Mccoy
When I first discovered Shaina’s art it felt like looking at a picture of one of my own loved ones. An uncle at a BBQ or family reunion, baby pictures, grandma sitting in her favorite chair holding one of my cousins and the list goes on. It's almost as if you’re flipping through a family album, and I love every moment of it. My favorite part is that all of these paintings are faceless so you have to rely on the textures she brings to the canvas. In one of her pieces titled, The Mccoys you can see the texture of the afro, and the skin of the black man is rich and dark-skinned. Another one of my favorites is a self-portrait of Shaina as a little girl. Although it is technically faceless, you can just tell she’s smiling through the groves, textures, and outlines of the face. Simply put, it's too good. Her art feels familiar and like a celebration of black family life.
Lindsay Adams (writer and painter)
I think when I first started following Lindsay on Instagram I thought I would just continue to love and study her art, however her page became a source of reference and deep admiration. Lindsay Adams is a Black woman from Washington, DC living with Cerebral Palsy, and a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated. One look at her page and you will see she rigorously researches the black experience in America. She proudly shares new literature that she reads and unapologetically explores the different mediums such as social, cultural, and political that make up the black experience. This translates to her art, and you can feel this knowledge and emotion in each piece.
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