SAPPHIRE & CRYSTALS: FORWARD

July 15th – September 2nd, 2022

4th Floor Gallery

Friday, July 15 – Friday, September 2, 2022

Opening reception: Friday, July 15, 2022; 7-10pm

Sapphire & Crystals, a collective of African American women artists in Chicago, was initially conceived by Marva Pitchford Jolly and Felicia Grant Preston. Their idea that women artists of African descent produce their own exhibitions resulted in the collective’s first show at the historic South Side Community Art Center (SSCAC) in 1987. In its thirty-five-year history, more than 40 of the most dynamic African American female artists in the United States have participated in exhibits at many galleries, museums, and art centers within Chicago and beyond. The works by each artist addressing various themes including race and gender, limited palettes, and honoring their pasts, exemplify the diversity within the group. The theme for the current show, FORWARD, signals the renewed enthusiasm that members are embracing in the movement toward new artistic opportunities in a changing cultural landscape.

Participating artists:

Rose Blouin

Tianna Bracey

Dorothy Carter

Arlene Turner-Crawford

Evelyn Davis

Makeba Kedem-DuBose

Juarez Hawkins

Candace Hunter

Malika Jackson

Renee Williams-Jefferson

Nicole Malcolm