Reflecting the Times with Dr. Melissa Blount

Nina Simone asked the question, “How can you be an artist and not reflect the times?” This question appears especially poignant entering enter the third year of a global pandemic as we experience increasing violence against people of color, the trans and queer communities, and women.

Join Dr. Melissa Blount in conversation about the role of art in times of chaos and despair. We’ll examine the role art has in making the invisible visible, speaking truth to power, and creating an empathetic thread of connection.

Wednesday, June 8, 7p, Reflecting the Times with Dr. Melissa Blount. This event is free to attend and open to the public. Click here to RSVP.

BIO

Dr. Melissa Blount is a licensed clinical psychologist, writer, and artist who creates textile pieces that explore the notions of trauma, white supremacy and violence against Black cis and transgender women. Through community sewing circles, she cultivates unique opportunities for people to bear witness to the unjust and violent loss of life in communities of color. Melissa is also a passionate community activist and volunteer in Evanston. She was a founding member of both MEET (Making Evanston Equitable Together) and OPAL (organization for Positive Action and Leadership). Melissa currently serves as an Advisory Board member for the James B. Moran Center for Youth Advocacy.

This program is part of the Evanston Made BIPOC Members Group Show at the Evanston Art Center, June 3-30. Learn more at evanstonmade.org

Kicking off the Evanston Made 2022 exhibit series, is the BIPOC Members Group Show at Evanston Art Center, featuring contemporary art works created by Evanston Made’s BIPOC Members. BIPOC members of Evanston Made identify as Black, Indigenous, People of Color.

Curated by Artist and Community Activist Fran Joy with Advisory Council members Indira Johnson, Laurice Bell, Anne Wolff and Lisa Degliantoni, the group show will be on exhibit June 3- 30, and will host free public programming throughout June. The public is invited to the opening reception Friday, June 3, 5-8p.

“Supporting and promoting BIPOC artists and curators is a priority of mine and I am honored to collaborate with Evanston Made in the beautiful Evanston Art Center,” Fran Joy, artist and curator. The public is invited to a tour and curator’s talk, Thursday, June 16, 7p.

Evanston Made and Evanston Art Center will forgo the traditional commission structure and pay artists 100% of art sales. “This BIPOC Group Show is part of a national trend on making bold and long overdue amends to black and brown artists, who have been massively underrepresented in the arts,” says Lisa Degliantoni, Executive Director of Evanston Made.

Evanston Made

Evanston Made is a membership-based 501(c)3 nonprofit arts organization in Evanston, IL. with a mission to connect artists and artisans to art enthusiasts and also to provide community and professional development to our members to further their careers. Membership is open to artists, artisans, makers who make everything from art to clothes to music. We also welcome members who are art lovers and patrons who want to help us carry out our mission. EIN# 84-3971750