Sunrise in St. Croix
Textures: The History and Art of Black Hair
I recently Zoomed Kent State University museum’s excellent research in history, fashion, art, and visual culture to reassess the “hair story” of peoples of African descent with KSU Museum with co-curators, Joseph L. Underwood, assistant professor of art history at KSU and Tameka Ellington, associate professor at the School of Fashion at KSU.
To say, I felt seen during the webinar would be a massive understatement.
The talk explored topics such as the preferential treatment of straight hair, the social hierarchies of skin, and the power and politics of display.
Black hair has long been an visual signifier that has been leveraged, disdained, celebrated, and scrutinized for centuries.
I have been studying exhibition photos on the website. The shape of the combs, product packaging, and masterworks from artists including Sonya Clark, Lorna Simpson, Mary Sibande and Lina Iris Viktor have left me truly inspired to dig out some unfinished rope hair pieces I stashed away at the beginning of the Pandemic.
Black Hair Flag, 2010
JC Friday: I Am My Hair
- September 10, 2021 6:00pm – 9:00pm
On Location: Art 150; 150 Bay Street, Jersey City NJ, Studio #231
Of Friday, September 10, I’m hosting my first open studio session in 18 months.
Audience participation is encouraged. Come wrap and hitch knot yarn onto rope to become a part of a hair installation and find a common denominator amongst us all, HAIR.
We are also making strings of beads made with recycled bottle caps in the 2nd floor common area of Art 150.
NOTE: Entrance lobby for the 2nd floor studios is separate from that for the residential units of 150 Bay and can be found at the NE corner of the building, at the corner of 1st St. and Provost St.
September Exhibitions: Next
FIF 2021: Future Is Female
On View: September 1, 2021 – September 30th, 2021
On Location: 175 Pearl St, 5th Fl Brooklyn NY
The 3rd annual Future is Female exhibit, curated by sk.Artspace, aims to shed light on black women visual artists who persevered and became activists through their personal choices. The exhibition will highlight women, like me who unapologetically live their lives through action, women who had no intention of being a person of influence, yet raised the bar to lead, even when no one was looking – the “Unsung Shereos.”
JC Friday : I Am My Hair
September 10, 2021 6:00pm – 9:00pm
On Location: Art 150; 150 Bay Street, 2nd floor Jersey City NJ
Of Friday, September 10, I’m hosting my first open studio session in 18 months. Audience participation encouraged. Wrap and hitch knot yarn onto rope to become a part of a hair installation and find a common denominator amongst us all, HAIR.
Inspired by an Object
Exhibit On View: September 10, 2021 – October 15, 2021.
In-Person Opening Reception: Sunday, September 12, 11:00am-5:00pm
On Location: Studio Montclair Gallery. 127 Bloomfield Ave, Montclair NJ
Threads That Bind: When The Fabric of Social Culture Unravels
Exhibit On View: September 12, 2021 – October 17, 2021.
In-Person Opening Reception:: Sunday, September 12, 12:00pm-6:00pm
On Location: 481 Van Brunt St Brooklyn, NY 11231
Recycle 2021
Exhibit On View: September 12, 2021 – October 17, 2021.
In-Person Opening Reception: Sunday, September 12, 12-6
On Location: 481 Van Brunt St Brooklyn, NY 11231
The Social Fabric: Black Artistry in Fiber Arts, An Exhibition in Homage to Viki Craig
Exhibit On View: June 4, 2021 – October 24, 2021
On Location: Morris Museum, 6 Normandy Heights Rd, Morristown, NJ
Save The Date: JC Friday 9/10/21
Join me for an interactive open studio audience participation session, to wrap and hitch knot thousands of yards of recycled yarn onto rope. Your essence will become a part of this hair installation, finding a common denominator amongst us all, HAIR.
WHEN: On Friday September 10, 2021, 6pm- 9pm
LOCATION: 150 Bay Street PH9, 10th floor Jersey City NJ
Also, I will be working in my Art 150 Studio #231 on the second floor of 150 Bay on Saturday, September 11 and Sunday, September 12 from 1:00-6:00pm both days. Stop by
NOTE: Entrance lobby for the 2nd floor studios is separate from that for the residential units of 150 Bay and can be found at the NE corner of the building, at the corner of 1st St. and Provost St.
Morning Dew
Sunrise and Morning Dew
The ornamental grasses on my roof deck sway gently,
with the breeze.
Holding droplets of dew , while the sun rises.
The light dancing between the high rises,
in boomerang reflection.
Warming the air and evaporating the pearl like droplets,
into vapor.
All Dressed Up, Nowhere To Go
While in lockdown during the first month of the Pandemic, I decided to organize my closet and clean out my storage unit.
While sorting through my things, childhood memories of playing dress up in my mother’s clothes flooded my brain.
I recreated this moment with this installation.
Nimbus People, Place, Disruption
My work Ponytails and Door Knocker Earrings is being used in the collaborative dance work, People, Place, Disruption with NIMBUS premiering on April 28th.
Show details to follow…
I Am My Hair: Spoken Word
Fiber Art Now’s Excellence In Fibers VI.
Virtual online exhibition on view on New Bedford Art Museum’s website HERE through March 2021. I am in the Sculptural artist group.
Color, Cuts and Contour Delineations
Take a break from the dank and drink in the color, whimsical line play and personal stories at 5 Points Art Gallery + Studios in Milwaukee, WI at “Color, Cuts, and Contour Delineations” Exhibition.
I am showing several new recently completed fiber works along with Anwar Floyd-Pruitt (Madison, WI) and Spencer Hutchinson (Chicago, IL).
The exhibition runs from February 5, 2021 until March 28, 2021.
The opening reception is from 6-9 p.m. on February 5, 2021 with an artist talk starting at 7 p.m. (CST) in person and via ZOOM. I’ll share the link when i get it.
Utilizing 100-foot extensions of rope, twine, and yarn wrapped, woven, tied and embellished with recycled beads, ribbon, pearls and tape to symbolize natural hair, I am inviting the audience to discuss microaggressions against black women and our hair.