Henry A. Brown is a collage artist who lives and works in Grand Rapids, MI. You’ll often find four elements, sometimes hidden, in Brown’s collages; water, fish, money, and a clock. Each object holds particular significance to the artist. He explains, “time and money… it’s what we think about all the time. We always think we have the time to fix things but we don’t. We think we can go around throwing money at it [the problem] to fix it but we can’t. And what good’s money and time if you don’t have what nourishes… water and fish?”

Jasmine Bruce is a Michigan-based visual artist. She graduated from GVSU with a BFA in Illustration in 2018. In the summer of 2020, Bruce completed multiple murals in the city of Grand Rapids including the mural of Harriet Woods Hill, the first African American Woman to serve as an officer in the Grand Rapids Police Department, part of the Women’s Way public art initiative. The mural is located in the alley off Louis St. NW at the northwest corner of GRPD headquarters.

Melissa Campbell lives and works in Raleigh, NC. She graduated from GVSU with a BA in Art & Design in 2004. In the summer of 2020, Campbell began an initiative to place artwork in K-12 classrooms. She explains, "I am a firm believer that exposure to Black art helps create well-rounded, well-prepared learners and leaders. So I’m donating prints of my artwork to teachers in the hope that one day it can bridge the gap between these conversations and the healing necessary to create a peaceful coexistence for everyone." 

Brett Colley earned his MFA in Printmaking from the University of Iowa in 1994. Colley is now an Associate Professor at GVSU and teaches a variety of courses including Drawing, Printmaking, and Senior Seminar. His recent writing and studio work assumes a wide, critical perspective on industrialized animal agriculture and examines the tragedies of racism, sexism, ableism and ecocide that intersect with our exploitation of other species.

Douglas Gilbert made a career as a professional photographer for more than 60 years. When Gilbert was twenty-one, he joined the staff of Look magazine in New York as the second youngest photojournalist in the magazines history. A few years later, he left Look to work as an artist and has since had his work published in countless national and international publications such as LIFE, The Saturday Evening Post and Glamour. His complete body of work is archived in the GVSU Art Gallery permanent collection. He currently lives with his wife in Grand Haven, MI.

Markeyna Jefferson graduated from GVSU with a BS in photography in 2018. Jefferson explains, "as a Black female photographer with a passion for social justice, I try my best to use my platform to display the African American community in a positive light. I photograph portraits that convey how Black individuals turn their pain caused by institutionalized racism into inner beauty, confidence, and success."

Jon Onye Lockard taught life drawing, portrait painting, and the art and culture of African Americans for over forty years at the University of Michigan and at Washtenaw Community College. Lockard was a beloved member of both institutions and also had a distinguished career as a portrait painter and leader in the African American community.

Jon McDonald is an American painter and educator living in Grand Rapids, MI. Jon holds both a Bachelors and a Masters degree in fine art from San Francisco Art Institute. Read more about McDonald's life and work in this 2011 profile. 

Rufus Snoddy moved to Northern Michigan over a decade ago from Los Angeles, California. Snoddy's work reflects a concert of approaches, materials, and dichotomy, striving for seamless shifting from  one to the other. "It is sculpture....it's painting....it is both." More accurately he calls his work Construction Paintings. With a graduate degree focusing on sculpture, Snoddy has spent many years pursuing the act of collecting sundry materials, construction and painting methods. 

Contact

For special accommodation, please call:
(616) 331-2563

For exhibition details and media inquires, please email:
Joel Zwart, Curator of Exhibitions
[email protected]

For learning and engagement opportunities, please email:
[email protected].