February is Black History Month; a nationwide celebration dedicated to honor the Black and African Americans who made significant, historic contributions to America - and the rest of the world - whether that be in the fields of science, government, laws, sports, and of course the arts. What better way to commemorate this occasion than to highlight some of Studio Gallery’s Black and African American artists!
Meet Kadeem Morris! Growing up, he spent half of his life in Jamaica and the other half in America. He continuously navigates and juggles the multiple cultures that make up his environment.
For Kadeem Morris, art has always been an interest. Throughout high school, he dabbled between video and photography. However, once he bought his own, personal camera, he realized that photography was his preferred medium. It allowed him to more effectively capture the “simple” moments - the moments that were important to him. His favorite subjects are fashion, portraits, and documentary work. Morris has a love for the “little moments” as he strives to capture the mundane in his pieces; he says, “We have an inclination to focus on the big moments that happen without acknowledging all the little moments that led up to it…[however] all the little moments that come together to form the entirety of our lives.”
When asked about Black History Month, he described it as “a period of celebrating [and acknowledging] everything that many great Black and African American people have contributed to society.” He disclaimed, however, that he feels the celebration is juxtaposed with some tension. From the lens of an artist, Morris says it is both “a good and solemn feeling.” On one hand, during this month, many well deserving Black and African American artists are given the spotlight to promote and to see their work. On the counter side, companies should consistently be focusing their efforts on uplifting Black and African American arts, and such artists should be given the platform to do so year round.
Untitled, Kadeem Morris, Photograph.
Breaking into the art world, especially as a Black and African American artist, came with its own set of challenges for Morris. These stem from working harder to be in the same space, to being typecast as a specific role. Therefore, Morris noted that it was easier to be overlooked or to be viewed in a negative manner. Even if it is unintentional, harmful biases still plague Black and African American artists. When asked about navigating the art world, he poignantly acknowledged, “To navigate as a Black or African American in this world is to always be aware of that fact, to not just be Kadeem Morris, but to be Kadeem Morris the Black Artist. I am 100% proud of my skin and my heritage…however it does get tiring sometimes operating in spaces always feeling the weight of that heritage.”
At the moment, Morris’s favorite photograph is this beautiful landscape. Taken at “blue hour”, the cool tones wash over the photograph which evoke a sense of tranquility. The puddles in the foreground indicate it just finished raining. A toy in the backyard alludes to the home as a family residence; yet, everything is still and silent at the moment. The soft, warm light from the windows and lamppost contrast the blue tones and indicate an activity occurring. To Morris, this scene captures the quintessential “American serene mundanity.”
Meet Jermey Limerick! He is an artist who favors black and white photography, and he allows his art to be guided by the story and how it wants to be told.
Growing up, Limerick never saw his future self involved with photography. Four years ago, while traveling in Paris, he began to set serious, annual goals with his photography. Self-taught, Limerick did not have an artist community at first. He recalled that the biggest hurdle was finding people to give him feedback for improvement. Critiques were an integral part of his growth as an artist. However, Limerick was committed to mastering his craft. To counteract his predicament, Limerick entered competitions that did portfolio reviews. His “win” at these competitions was to simply be reviewed.
Limerick is not an absolutist; he does not believe in one way to take photos. Even today, he is still working on “building his voice and his vision in the genre of photography.” Not only has his artistic style evolved throughout his career, but his subject matter has changed as well. For example, he went from nature and landscapes, to portraits and weddings, until he finally settled on street and architectural photography. He feels the story is strongest in those themes.
Jumper, Jeremy Limerick, Photography, 2019.
Black History Month is particularly important to Limerick. It is an important time for education - a chance to look back at all the contributions Black and African American people have made to society and culture. Without it, Limerick recalled that he never would have known about Gordon Park, “probably one of the best known African American photographers.” Park has not only inspired Limerick, but also countless other up-and-coming photographers.
To Limerick, photography is the vehicle to capture amazing stories that happen every day. He says, “it finds the contradictions, the humor, the human, and the emotion in the world around us.” Additionally, photography has the ability to empower and to motivate. It rewires the brain to look for the little things taken for granted.
Jumper, one of Limerick’s favorite photographs, particularly resonates with him. Taken in his home country of Antigua, Limerick recounted the story behind the black and white photo. Home for a funeral, his family settled at the beach, where he watched his younger cousins and nephew play in the sand. The photo’s subject is Limerick’s cousin, seen mid-jump. Limerick beautifully sums up his feelings surrounding the image, “I felt this great immense feeling of black boy joy when I took this photo. A child enjoying nature wearing his batman swim-trunks unaware of the troubles of the world and the images that society would push on him. His mouth wide from yelling, showing his emotion that many in this world fear.”
Meet Langley Spurlock! Spurlock’s art covers an extraordinary range of media: paintings, etching, digital prints, and collage just to name a few. His work beautifully melds his love for science and creative arts.
As a child, Spurlock took an aptitude test, and he scored evenly between science and art — an exception to the right brain/left brain dichotomy. His parents were supportive of either discipline; however, they encouraged Spurlock that he would have a more stable living by entering the science field. Spurlock proceeded to foster his science education, and ultimately he earned a doctorate in Organic Chemistry. Most notably, he became an Organic Chemistry Professor at Brown University. Eventually, Spurlock took a sabbatical from teaching and moved to Washington, D.C. to work on education policy. After falling in love with D.C., Spurlock became restless as a federal employee and associate executive, so he took an early retirement and pursued his other talent, art.
Spurlock enrolled in the Corcoran and studied under William Christenberry, a painter, sculptor, and photographer. Christenberry encouraged Spurlock to work in a variety of artistic media. On his journey to become an artist, Spurlock discovered that it was easy to develop the skills of an artist as long as you persevere. The difficulty lies in determining and understanding what you want to express, and what it is that you want your audience to feel from your work. Spurlock wondered how exactly he fit into the art world?
Cadium 48, Langley Spurlock, Archival Pigment Print on Bristol, 2019.
In 2004, Spurlock teamed up with poet John Martin Tarrat to embark on a fifteen-year project series: The Secrets of the Elements. This five-part collaboration covers all 118 elements of the Periodic Table. Each piece is unique in its content and character. Spurlock jokingly called the series his “day job”.
When asked about Black History Month, Spurlock reflected on his childhood. He grew up in West Virginia at a historically black college while the laws of segregation were still in effect. This experience influenced his attitude about Black History Month; he asserted that he “knows who I am and where I came from.” He believes that Black History Month serves as a reminder for people who would not typically think about it. Therefore, any mention of Black History Month is a good mention, in Spurlock’s opinion. In regards to his art and his cultural heritage, he says “you have to do what is in you…and the social consciousness comes from yourself.” Truly, his art is a reflection of himself, a fruitful marriage of science and mixed artistic media.
Meet Kara Harley! Harley is an intern at Studio Gallery who is working toward her Bachelor’s of Fine Arts.
For Harley, art has always been second nature to her. She has been drawing since before she could even write a sentence. As a child, she recalled that she preferred to “stay inside and color instead of running around outside for recess.”
As a budding artist, Harley revealed a struggle she has experienced as she breaks into the art world. She noted that for the past couple of years, “being an artist has become a ‘trend’, which is hard for true artists like myself…to get recognition.”
Harley considers Black History Month as a time to cherish and highlight the individuals who devoted their lives to promoting equality, justice, and fairness for the Black community. Additionally, she explained that this is also a time to celebrate Black culture, a beautiful and inventive culture that is often times wrongly appropriated by another. She asserted, ”Being an artist of color, Black History Month helps us get the recognition we deserve within the art community, and shed light on the talent we possess.”
Staff Contributor, Kara Harley
Graphite Drawing of Frank Ocean, Kara Harley
Harley’s go-to medium is graphite and oil paint. She considers herself a perfectionist, often spending weeks on a single drawing or painting. She jokingly noted that she is an extremely slow painter, so oil paint is her best friend! She likes to create realistic pieces, preferably portraits. In the future, she hopes to improve her abstract art skills.
One of Harley’s favorite works is the graphite, portrait drawing of Frank Ocean. Her inspiration stemmed from Ocean’s photoshoot for his 2016 album, Blond. Harley is particularly attached to Ocean, she maintains that he is one of her favorite artists, because she feels she grew up with him on his road to success.
From Staff Contributor Michele McDevitt