Meet The Artists

 Shari has a deep connection to helping establish an open dialogue between function and narrative in all aspects of artwork. Her focus is expressing Afrocentric art while using different mediums and material she collects on trips and outside. Shari favorite choice of medium is using nature in her art.  Shari sees nature as a symbol of strength, unity and resilience which enlightens the community of being a black woman

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Key is a local Philadelphia traditional painter, mixed media artist, and founder of DeArtis Key Creations . In 2016, she rediscovered her passion for art while seeking release from her depressive mental health struggles. She found that redirecting her focus to creativity, resourcefulness, and community enabled her to thrive in ways she wouldn't have previously imagined. 

Through her creative intricacies, Key uses themes of texture and movement to evoke curiosity and emotions in hopes of enticing each viewer to stop and take a second look. In the future, she hopes to partner with cannabis business leaders across the country to help minimize waste related to the cannabis industry and encourage creativity.

I am a visual artist and abstract-surrealist painter currently based in Philadephia. I often use acrylics and watercolors, appreciating the fluidity of water with pigment across a canvas. As my style has developed, I have favored using acrylic paint, for its richness and control. 

I am a self-taught artist, though I favored taking art courses, and sought experiences that would allow me to further develop the skill. 

I have a deep appreciation and fascination with the subtle interplay of the natural world and emotions. Incorporating themes of nature, landscapes, and sensualism in a surrealist expression, has been a recent development in my style. I am inspired by the metaphysical world, and organic body; often including the female form, and allusion to the four elements.

Where I see the future of my art, is in sculpture and casting, while still incorporating paint and more natural pigments.

Meet Ebony Bennett , a visionary Black female artist whose canvas becomes a tapestry of Black culture's rich stories and vibrant heritage. Through her brush, she weaves narratives that transcend time, celebrating resilience and beauty. With each stroke, she captures the essence of identity, embracing the power of representation. Join Ebony Bennett on a visual journey that echoes the rhythms of heritage and paints a portrait of strength, unity, and unapologetic creativity. 

IG: @ebennettart

Website: ebennettart.com

May of 2021, I started working with clay, making Afrocentric Masks. These masks I'd like to think made their way through my fingertips on their own. I never took a class or even watched a youtube channel on how clay works. With this clay, my fingers started forming noses first, then eyes, then mouths, and so on. My masks have their own Series called the "Unseen." What this name meant for me started out very political. People of color in America are present but never actually being seen for the greatness, amazing talents, and overall powerful movement and effect we have in this world. Then my ideas started structuring and creating more tribal-like features, like gauged lips and ears, piercings, and tribal markings combining the two concepts. Each mask is made once with no duplication, making them so special and unique. You can check out in my online store and at local events.

Marla, or Mo, is a photographer based in New York, New Jersey and Philadelphia. Marla’s work has mainly focused on nature and architecture, however, she has been expanding her craft into other areas such as shooting portraits, graduation photos, engagement photos, events and videography. Although she’s experienced in shooting different subjects, her favorite is nature. To her, nature is grounding and mesmerizing, and she enjoys capturing the beauty in what’s already been created by the Universe.

Kris Charlery is a DC-based creative specializing in photography. She got her start as a digital intern for the House Oversight Committee. She then started working as a Digital Assistant/ Photographer at the Senate Democratic Media Center under the leadership of Senator Chuck Schumer. Since her time in politics, she has continued to explore editorial and experimental photography. This series she has on display is a part of her upcoming project “Anderson” a series based loosely on the symmetrically aesthetic found in Wes Anderson films. Enjoy.

Kyiona Carswell, also known as @go__goldie, is a multi-talented artist and model, from New Jersey. With a recent move to Philadelphia after several years in New York, she brings her unique artistic vision to different cities and communities.

Kyiona's work is primarily inspired by women, and she has gained recognition for her captivating portrait series featuring women as her main subjects. Through her art, she aims to empower and celebrate the strength, beauty, and diversity of women.

In addition to her artistic endeavors, Kyiona is the proud owner of Stoney Universe, a company specializing in creating 3D objects from resin. From ashtrays and grinders to trays and handbags, she crafts unique and visually striking pieces. Her work was showcased at Showfields during a six-month residency in 2021, demonstrating her talent and innovation in the field.

As a passionate advocate for environmental sustainability, Kyiona is currently in the process of transitioning Stoney Universe to a more eco-friendly material. By prioritizing the planet, she aims to create beautiful and functional objects without compromising the environment.

Furthermore, Kyiona is expanding her artistic repertoire and exploring the world of digital design. While she has traditionally worked with acrylic on canvas for her paintings, she is now venturing into the digital realm to further express her creative vision. Her paintings often stem from her own photographs, which she captures under the alias @ohsnap__goldie.

With her diverse range of artistic talents and unwavering dedication to her craft, Kyiona Carswell is an artist to watch. Through her work, she continues to inspire and captivate audiences, leaving a lasting impression with her unique perspective and artistic flair.

Ceshia Elmore, M.Ed. (she/her/queen), better known as Queen Phierce, is a Blacktivist, Educator, and Multi-hyphenate Artist based in her hometown of Philadelphia, known for creating safe and brave in-person and virtual spaces for people and artists of diverse backgrounds. Queen Phierce has used her art and influence to educate and empower Black Womxn through internet radio, webcasts, and podcasts. She began exploring textile are with the creation of EARffirmations, sustainable earrings created from wine cork with hand painted affirmations on them. She also began building her painting portfolio in late 2022. Queen is also a 2022 Unstoppable Voters Fellow with the Center for Artistic Activism and a 2023 Bartol/Marrazo Teaching Artist Micro-Grant recipient. 

QP confidently locates herself as a Black, Queer, cisgendered woman. West Philadelphia, born and raised. Her platform is used to motivate, educate, celebrate, and elevate the everyday Queen, creating platforms for Black women, femmes, and gender expansive people centering self-care, body positivity, Reproductive Justice and Black womxn empowerment. She is also a professional voice actor, public speaker, and event curator.

Multimedia Shamanic Artist
Digital Creative

Portrait/muralist 

The mission is to create art works that examine the Black experience throughout the African Diaspora and Raise the level of cultural awareness

I am an Artist.
Gallery: @dtrmodern