April Bey, COLONIAL SWAG: First Edition Atlanticans aprilbey@gmail.com Digital print stapled into eco fur on panel 30 x 24 in
2021
“I hate men who are afraid of women’s strength.” -Anais Nin
Theft of power, though seen by some as a method to exert one’s strength, in fact, is deeply rooted in fear. It is fear that drives hate, fear that drives violence, fear that keeps us locked in eternal battle. When we refuse to learn or try to see the world through another’s eyes, we lose the empathy from which kindness blossoms. Removing ourselves from the comfort of the familiar, from the security of well-worn paths, from the confidence we draw from the mistaken knowledge that ours is the
correct perspective – this is the only way to begin to truly understand the world around us and to love those in it, however different their experiences may be from our own.
April Bey spoke to us from Los Angeles in late February. She was anticipating receiving her first vaccine later in the week. Her role as an educator made her eligible at the time. Bey is a full-time art educator at Glendale College, though this semester she has opted to teach half-time and work on curriculum work. Bey is also busy
getting ready for her first show at the California African American Museum. This will be her largest installation to date. The show, titled Welcome to Atlantica, depicts a fictitious planet where Bey has been sent from another planet to report. There are themes of Afrofuturism and Afrosurrealism as well as a tourist attraction theme. Bey grew up on a
small island in the Bahamas and there is a distinct nod to this as well. To hear more about this work and more, listen to the complete interview.
Michael Bevilacqua spoke to us from New York City in early March. At the beginning of the pandemic, he was unable to get to his studio so he brought as much art material home as he could to work there. He immediately began creating works on paper based on a figure emerging from the water. This spoke to how he felt at the time
having to suddenly change course. As the pandemic went on, he moved to his home on Long Island where he set up a makeshift studio. The figure in the water is based on a meme and rendered primarily in green tones. To hear more about this work, his upcoming show in Korea, and how Bevilacqua adjusted to working on paper when he was unable to get canvases, listen to the complete interview.
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Maria the Jewess & the Women of Alchemy
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Weekly Grants &
Resources for Artists
Emily Kennerk, installation, 2015
Every week you will find updated resources here to apply for grants, find residencies and more.
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A career in art comes with some measure of expense. There are materials to purchase, studio space to consider, and of course just the general expenses of living day-to-day. Sometimes an opportunity worth having might come with a small fee for entry, but that doesn’t always have to be the case...
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Opportunity comes in many forms. Sometimes it is funding or a cash prize to bolster your finances and allow you to sustain your practice. Other times, opportunity can be the chance to have your art on view for a wide audience or the occasion to network with a community of...
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Galleries aren’t everything. While indeed you should pursue ways to connect with gallerists and get your work on their walls, there are other methods to put your art into the world. Many publications have regular calls for artwork, either exclusively or in amongst...
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Perseverance is key for any artist wishing to build a career. The road is long and often difficult, but that is no reason to turn back. Anything worth achieving is bound to have its obstacles and a career doing something you truly love is well worth achieving. Stay the course...
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These are positive and / or negative reviews of galleries, art fairs, consultants, writers, online pay to play offers,
residencies and more – all written by artists so that other artists can beware of situations where institutions treat artists badly, or that end up costing the artist money or are outright scams.
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