2023 Black History Month Art Contest Judges
Thank you to our judges, Christal Colman, Valeasia Walker, and Kenn Bivins for lending their incredibly artistic eyes to this year’s Black History Month Art Contest!
Christal Colman
As a New York native I enjoyed over 20 years waking up to an awesome sunrise over the Atlantic Ocean overlooking the shore line and listening to the roar of the ocean waves. This came alongside of the sounds and movements of the Coney Island Amusement Park. I used my attachment to this environment to expand the color palette for my art.
As a high school student I majored in art spending many hours in the art studio studying drawing, sketching, designing, sculpting and painting. Throughout college I continued my desire to express myself through art attending the City College of New York and the Fashion Institute of Technology by taking courses in art appreciation, photography, textiles, ceramics and gallery exploration throughout the borough’s of the City.
My work is born from a desire to share my love of life's diversity through color using textiles and stones to exhibit their beauty. Currently I am focusing on wearable art using unusual color palettes to express possibilities of the future.
Valeasia Walker
Valeasia Walker is Lead Grower of Urban Design Outreach, a branding company focused on connecting businesses and communities through strategy, using intelligent design and information to build cultural wealth. With over twenty years of experience in graphic design, creative direction and community involvement, Valeasia creates relationships that bolster brand recognition, loyalty and legacy through programs, events and experiences that focus on arts and culture.
As the producer of Give Sanctuary Festival and director of photo and video productions, Valeasia Walker understands the impact of design. From eye catching flyers to live activations that draw emotional connection, creating lasting impressions is at the center of her work.
Kenn Bivins
Kenn Bivins is an illustrator and best-selling author.
After college, Kenn began working as an illustrator for a billboard company. During that time, he spent countless hours honing his visual storytelling skills. Eventually, he landed work as a comic book artist working for several publishers, including Marvel Comics.
Aside from his work in comics, Kenn has freelanced as an illustrator and animator for dozens of companies, including Cartoon Network, Warner Brothers, Universal Studios, Coca-Cola, White Wolf Gaming, and many others.
Despite his success, Kenn remains humble and dedicated to his craft as he continues to push the boundaries of his art, inspiring new generations of artists and comic book fans along the way.
In addition to finishing writing two novels, Kenn is currently designing characters and drafting the layout for his first children's book.