Artist Bio: As a woman of color it is important to me that my work always illustrates other people of color being uplifted even in their most daunting of hours. I am a creative therefore my subject matter may vary however, the expressiveness of bold color always remains the same. I am always striving to push the envelope. How might I hide pieces of myself within the painted layers while simultaneously connecting with the outside world? My ultimate goal is to invoke emotion that not only transcends age, race, or gender but connects with the human experience at the most basic level.

Artist Statement: “Save Us” is a 30”x 40” mixed media on stained wooden cradle piece that simultaneously depict little girls of color and also shines a light on the horrors of sex trafficking. These are two subject matters that are not often depicted within the art community.

Contact the artist: [email protected]
http://gwharper.com

Artist Bio: Eric James Norris is a Georgia-based artist currently enrolled in undergraduate studies at Georgia State University in Atlanta, GA where he also works as a gallery assistant at the Ernest G. Welch School of Art and Design Galleries. Primarily a printmaker and painter, Eric's work has consisted of everything from portraiture of both animals and people to abstracted, and sometimes even humorous images, objects, and illustrations relating to contemporary life. Recently his studies at GSU have allowed him an opportunity to pursue more conceptually relevant work and step away from commissioned paintings.

Artist Statement: My work, including this piece, is focused on confronting and conquering the stigma associated with mental illness. Many people who live with mental illness are marginalized due to the stigma associated with their diagnosis. I think that everyone benefits by allowing these individuals to operate as productive members of society. This piece in particular, is autobiographical account of my own experience living with schizophrenia. Prior to being prescribed the proper medications, I was a slave to delusion and unstable, emotional mood swings. Thanks to the introduction of new medications, that part of me is only a memory. I’ve never had the opportunity that I have now. I’ve been able to succeed in school, work, and my personal life. I spent a lot of my life unable to fathom any success, and now I have attained it.

Contact the Artist: [email protected] | https://www.instagram.com/ericjamesnorris/

Artist Bio: Kristina Sooy is currently a senior in the photography BFA program at Georgia State University. She began at GSU with an Associate’s Degree in Commercial Photography from Gwinnett Technical College. She enjoys thinking conceptually for more fine art photography applications and marries that with her commercial technique. Kristina Sooy struggles daily with Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD), anxiety, and depression. Communicating her thoughts through photography is easier than writing or talking most of the time because of her ADHD. With ADHD, it’s difficult to articulate things very well. However, it’s easier to visualize what she would like to communicate through her images. Whether that is addressing an important social issue, expressing feelings of anxiety, being ironic in a funny manner to slip a laugh into someone’s mundane day; Sooy believes that in instances when words don’t penetrate, or create enough impact, photography can fill these voids where communication gets lost in translation. Many problems in the world could be solved if people could communicate better and feel empathy for each other’s perspectives. Photography offers a way to communicate and for others to empathize.

Kristina Sooy definitely feels as if she has a better grasp on her mental health than earlier in her life. In the past, she would resort to much more destructive methods in order to cope with her ADHD, depression and anxiety. Recently, in therapy, Sooy has discovered a few new healthy ways to cope with her anxiety. This made her think of all the other methods she has used to cope with her mental health issues, and felt motivated to explore coping mechanisms further with this project. Kristina Sooy aims to document coping mechanisms that she has used, currently uses, or will use in the future to cope with her mental health issues. Photographing coping objects feels cathartic and a way of coping all on its own. While very difficult to talk about, an ongoing coping habit for Sooy was to hurt herself by slamming her head into a wall, cutting her arms and legs, or burning herself with a lighter. Kristina Sooy mentions she feels it is cathartic to stage these coping objects as still life against vibrant colors because it reminds her that no matter how much she enjoyed cutting as a distraction, it is a highlighted reminder of a very unhealthy way to cope. Kristina Sooy’s intention with this work is to provoke viewers into evaluating their own coping mechanisms and to reflect on how they affect their emotions and growth. https://www.instagram.com/kristinasooyart/

Artist Bio: I'm just out here, floating around in the molecule soup, making art. I'm so happy to have this opportunity to share my creations and discoveries with other floating masses of dream particles during these strange times. Since graduating from Georgia College & State's Art Studio Program in 2010, I've dabbled in many different mediums including painting, photography, and 3-D papiermache creations. However, over the past two years my artistic medium of choice has moved in the direction of digital collage. These collages explore color, a comical take on proportion, and my lifelong study of the relationship between science and spirituality. My process entails the universe beaming through the top of my head, using my aura's tentacles as a portal. These collages are the result of that personal meditation with Cosmic Consciousness, herself.

Artist Statement: Digital Collage for a digitally isolated world.
My collages explore color, a comical take on proportion, and a lifelong study of the relationship between science and spirituality.

Contact the Artist: [email protected]
https://xanjordan.weebly.com/

Artist Bio: Tess LaRie Ellis is from Spartanburg, SC. She moved to midtown Atlanta one year ago. Her passion for painting began at an early age. Growing up in a rural area of the South, she entertained herself with creative endeavors and exploring the outdoors. She enjoys many kinds of media: analog photography, acrylic painting, ceramics, collage, and more. She has recently been utilizing digital design to layer different media to combine her styles. She is inspired by nature and surrealism. Through simplistic planes of color, she aims to subtly distort reality and present symbols that have multiple meanings.

Artist Statement: This piece is digitally layered. It is composed of multiple photographs that I took in Arizona, a photograph of a conversation in American Sign Language, as well as an ink and watercolor painting. The photograph of the ASL conversation is a still image from a video that was recorded while I was researching Deaf patient and healthcare practitioner communication. I am forever grateful to the kind people who have allowed me to be included in the Deaf community during my journey of learning American Sign Language.

Contact the Artist: [email protected]
http://www.tesslarie.com/

Artist Bio: Spencer-Grace Williams is a Sophomore at Georgia State University studying Political Science. She has always had a proclivity towards art and has pursued it in many mediums including puppet making and abstract painting. Her foray into ceramics began about a year ago and she hopes to continue building her portfolio in the field.

Artist Statement: The vessel was made originally in the form of a Greek amphora, but with a goal in mind to take a traditional form and abstract it in a way that fit more closely with the artists view of modern day. This amphora is not in its typical setting nor its typical form, nor was it made by a person anyone would have had in mind in Ancient Greece, and seeing this vision of the future represents the great inclusivity that has been brought on in our global society.

Contact the Artist: [email protected]
https://www.instagram.com/basement.lupone/?hl=en

Artist Bio: Samiyah Malik is a multimedia artist and independent curator based in Atlanta, GA. Through her passions for art and design, Malik provides a creative eye for individuals and entrepreneurs who seek graphic design, web design, social media management and photography services. Samiyah Malik is a Muslim Bangladeshi American Woman viewing life through the lens of her identity. Her identity serves as a reflection of her work and how she sees the world as she continues her path of self-discovery. By combining both mediums of photography and design, she has created her own style of digital design: ‘GLOW IN THE DARK.’

Artist Statement: This collage represents an Islamic saying, ``May your partner's beauty be the coolness of your eyes`` I think about who my lover is often. I try to picture them and imagine what it would feel like to be in love at a level divinely orchestrated. The piece is related to inclusivity because love is inclusive to all: race, gender, religion, culture, spirituality. Also is goes much deeper into the inclusivity of beauty, the coolness of your eyes - translates to beauty that is not only considered highly attractive, but a sense of peace, harmony and pure bliss. This collage encourages people to be themselves and love themselves.

Contact the Artist: [email protected]

Artist Bio: Hello this is Nierra Dyer, I like art and drawing things. I've been in the IDEAL program for two years. I work at the art gallery in the Arts and Humanities building and at the Children's Museum in Atlanta. Last year I worked as an assistant in the IDEAL office. I've enjoyed this opportunity to go to state because I want to be an art teacher when I'm done with college.

Artist Statement: I did a self portrait using Jim Dine's technique again. I added different colors similar to his work, the idea was not to make it look realistic, points to my individuality.

Contact the Artist: [email protected]
https://ndyer5.wixsite.com/colorfulnierra

Artist Bio: I am a Junior at Eaton Academy. I am on the autism spectrum and I have adhd. I have studied Photography on my own since Freshman Year. On my own because Eaton does not have an art program. I hope get to be a professional artist.

Artist Statement: Love Loud says God Bless because we all need love and blessing. My color adjust in Love Loud was for Autism and LBGTQ. We both feel alone.

Contact the Artist: [email protected]
https://ashleyalstonartist.com/

Artist Bio: My works are centered around my fascination with the human psyche and the way in which we choose to live in this beautiful chaos, it's a self conflicting contradiction. My paintings are the intersection of comfort and vulnerability. I want people to feel safe and relate to my work but also take a mindful step back to question and acknowledge what makes them feel that way. I am currently studying Psychology with a minor in Art to pursue Medical Illustration.

Artist Statement: This piece reflects the vast spectrum of identity and the identities given to us before we can consciously decide who we are ourselves. From the time we are born we interpret who are supposed to be from the environment and media surrounding us. The idea is to assert “I am”, instead of passively asking “Am I?” I chose to use a monochromatic scale of pink because it represents delicacy. When we take the time to reflect on our own identity, we create a space for others to do so as well, building a more inclusive and accepting community.

Contact the Artist: [email protected]
https://www.instagram.com/tyleahsymone/?hl=en

Artist Bio: My name is Jennifer Altamirano Ocampo and I am a POC artist based in Atlanta. I usually work digitally, however, I do not shy away from traditional materials, usually watercolor, colored pencil, charcoal, and graphite. My artwork is usually based around the subject of animals and symbolism, playing with themes of nature and how they can be interpreted by different people.

Artist Statement: Song of Wolves is a watercolor painting of a man dancing under moonlight while wearing a wolf mask. The scars on his chest imply that he is transgender. The piece communicates love through the positive relationship between wolves and the moon. The transgender man dances in the light of the moonlight with his scars showing, feeling love despite the struggles in life he has had to endure. The purpose is to represent a group like trangender people being happy and loved by nature, which is infinitely accepting.

Contact the artist: [email protected]

Artist Bio: My name is Sayid Webb and I’m a graphic designer, photographer and event planner, I used my skills to create flyers, posters, anime character and other things that I thinks of. I’m a first year student in IDEAL Program, I like gaming, anime, graphic design and photography.

Contact the Artist: [email protected]

Artist Bio: Kearra Smallwood is an Atlanta based artist who works across mediums. Kearra is currently pursuing a degree in psychology from Georgia State University in hopes of becoming an expressive arts therapist. A common theme in Kearra’s work is social change and activism. She strives to make her art welcoming, yet thought-provoking in efforts of fostering open conversations that lead to the advancement of society.

Artist Statement: How do you convey struggle through art? This was the primary question that I asked myself as I was creating this piece. You can’t highlight inclusivity without acknowledging the struggles that each community faces. In fact, it seems that the very thing that binds is as a people is the presence of a struggle. All too often we are separated by an individualistic society that prizes uniqueness over commonality, but what we fail to realize is that the human condition is a constant regardless of race, gender, or social status. We all feel fear, long for love or acceptance, and desire to succeed. With this piece, I wanted to communicate this in the most effective way I knew how.

Contact the Artist: [email protected]

Artist Bio: Stephanie Catrambone is a soon to be Master of Architecture candidate at Georgia Tech. She was born and raised outside of Philadelphia. After spending two years in the Peace Corps in Malawi where she taught various art classes, she began to foray into different mediums - oil painting, linocuts, collage, photography and watercolor. She is a self-taught artist, and spends all of her free time creating. Her art was featured in the 2019 Tuckamony Art Show in Bucks County, Pennsylvania.

Artist Statement: This piece, made in March 2020, amidst the coronavirus pandemic, is a collage imported into a digital background. This piece was inspired by the resiliency and power of the working class, and is an aspirational statement on their coming together in these unsure times, to navigate the stormy sea of capitalism together. It is a statement of my hope for the future, that the working class will leverage their power, to improve conditions and human rights for generations to come.

Contact the Artist: [email protected]

Artist Bio: I’m currently focusing on a series of self-portraits that dive into postpartum depression and the impact it has on mothers. My work centralizes on trauma and how it negatively impacts women. This work is meant to provide an idea on problems mothers do not share amongst other people. I wanted to create a visual representation of what women think about when they suffer from this mood disorder and the lack of expression they have.

Piece Description & Statement on Inclusivity: This photo is just a glimpse into a series about postpartum depression and how women as well as others are impacted by it. The image represents intrusive thoughts that women have about their babies. I believe that depression is an inclusive subject because everyone has witnessed, experienced, or at least learned about the subject. It is a topic worth discussing and I feel that women are at the forefront of this conversation.

Contact the Artist: [email protected]