Decatur Area Arts Council announces the February 2019 exhibit in the Anne Lloyd Gallery at the Madden Arts Center, 125 N. Water St. in downtown Decatur. Entitled “Honoring HER-story” the exhibit will be open from February 1-26. It features four dynamic African American women artists – Sandra Bridges, painting; Malika Jackson, sculpture / painting; Natalie Jackson O’Neal, photography; and, Trish Williams, art quilts. Through their art work they honor the dignity and heroism of African American women - both past and present, both everyday women and those who made a significant impact on history.
The featured artists:
- · Sandra Bridges, from Chicago, taught art for 35 years in inner city schools. Her award-winning paintings speak of the “beauty in each subject, even the meek and underserved.”
- · Malika Jackson, graduate of the School of the Art Institute in Chicago, has shown her work in prestigious venues throughout Chicago.
- · Natalie Jackson O’Neal, a Peoria artist, adopts the format of retro vintage magazine covers to illustrate social issues fought by African American women. Her work has appeared in notable national projects such as “Art Aids Africa” and “The Boys of Sudan.”
- · Trish Williams, from Peoria, creates textiles in the tradition of the story quilt. She has appeared in numerous publications and exhibited both national and internationally.
The public is invited to attend the opening reception for the exhibit which will be held during the First Friday Gallery Walk in downtown Decatur, IL on Friday, February 1 from 5-7:30 pm. The artists will speak briefly about their work at 6 pm. The event is open free to the public.
The First Friday Gallery Walk also includes:
- Blue Connection, 117 N. Water – Millikin University Printmaking exhibit
- Illinois Art Gallery, 160 E. Main St. – Nicole Christison, painting
- The ArtFarm, 252 N. Park St. – Gene Tanta, painting
This program is funded in part by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council Agency. For more information, contact the Decatur Area Arts Council at 423-3189.
