Families poured into the Marshall J. Gardner Center for the Arts on Friday night as a youth-led exhibit showcased the work of teenage and young adult artists from Gary and across Northwest Indiana during Black History Month.
The Colors of Culture exhibition celebrates Black creativity and students from across the region. Organizers said the show was created to highlight young talent and give students a space to express themselves and be seen. With arts programming declining in many schools, they said, the exhibit offers a creative outlet for youth across Northwest Indiana.
The exhibit spotlights the voices and visions of artists ages 13 to 24, including students from Calumet New Tech High School, Charter School of the Dunes, Hobart High School, Steel City Academy, Thea Bowman Leadership Academy, Parker Jr. High School, Purdue University Northwest, Malcolm X College, and other institutions.
“We just knew a space needed to be created for our creatives,” said Jamika Smith, a co-curator of the exhibition. “I thought it was good to create a space where they can express themselves the way that they wanted to express themselves.”
She said she began thinking about the idea during last year’s Black History Month and set plans in motion in October.
Smith is the CEO of Teena’s Legacy, a nonprofit dedicated to creating safe spaces for girls and women to explore their authentic selves, and Affirm My Design, which offers a holistic approach to the upholstery and home decor industry. A creative herself, she said she wanted to do something special this year, so she collaborated with Kimberly Kimble to put out a call to artists and parents who believed students should be represented in the show.
“We just wanted to highlight all the talent of the youth in the city. They need an outlet for something other than sitting in front of a screen,” Kimble said. “It helps them to know that they’re seen and they’re important, and that they have an outlet to display all of their talents.”
“It’s very important that people can see creativity,” she said.
Some of the images from Friday’s debut of the Colors of Culture exhibition at the Marshall J. Gardner Center for the Arts. (Rayonna Burton-Jernigan/Capital B)
Friday’s opening kicked off the art exhibition. Cars lined Lake Street as family members and supporters rushed into the arts center, eager to see what the students had done. From food to music — supplied by aspiring DJ Ja’Miayah Griffith — to live dance and musical performances, the evening emphasized celebrating young artists in the community.
“I feel like today turned out really awesome. We didn’t expect this many people to turn out,” said Mariah Smith, 14, Jamika’s daughter and the evening’s MC. She hyped up every student as they came to display their work to the guests in the audience. “It’s so encouraging, and it lets all of us know that there are people out there who are eager to help and uplift each other.”
Smith said the art world has always been part of her life. From watching her mother turn old furniture into something new to creating her own paintings and short-form documentaries, she said art has always felt like home.
“I feel like it’s so important to be in the arts because it’s a way to tap into your inner child, to be creative and open to seeing new things,” she said.
Like her mother, she said she hopes this art exhibit opens the community’s eyes to the creative forces in the region, regardless of age.
“I feel like it’s so important because they’re going to be the future leaders, and if you encourage them now, then they’ll be motivated to continue doing it in the future,” she said.
Sutorria Lee, 19, is among the artists featured in the youth exhibit. An aspiring stylist, she said she was excited when she was asked to create a piece.
“I just love fashion,” she gushed. “I love to make people feel good about themselves, and I feel like everyone deserves to have that confidence, no matter how they look. I want to style people based on what they like.”
Although worried because she had no idea what to create, she decided to follow her heart. After seeing traditional and denim fabrics during her search, she knew she had to make something that honored tradition with a modern touch.
Across the country, access to arts education varies widely. But schools serving low-income communities are less likely to offer robust visual art, music, or theater programs.
A recent West Side graduate, Lee is attending Ivy Tech Community College in Gary to study business administration and hopes to open her own business in the future.
“I want to create my own stuff,” she said.
The exhibit will remain on display through March 13. The Marshall J. Gardner Center for the Arts gallery is open Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Sundays from 2 to 4 p.m.