Bradford is highlighting the accomplishments of aspiring young artists.
Dozens of people gathered to celebrate the opening gala of Canvas for Change: Black Youth Art Showcase at the Bradford West Gwillimbury Public Library on Thursday evening, the first day of Black History Month.
The group exhibition featured 20 art pieces from nine Simcoe County youths ranging in age from 13 to 18 who participated in the Canvas for Change program. Offered by the group Making Change, the program invited those with lived Black experiences to participate in three workshops where they learned about conceptualizing, communicating, and visually representing ideas unique to their own stories and perspectives, under the mentorship of Toronto artist Ashante Blackwood.
One of those artists is David Moseri, 18, who had two paintings in the exhibit including Black Panther, which was inspired by the Black rights group of similar name, as well as Freedom, which tells the story of a slave who was forcibly taken from his homeland and brought to a different county.
Moseri wrote the word “freedom” in red to symbolize the blood shed by Black slaves who were beaten while in bondage.
The young Black artist said he moved from Africa to Texas when he was six and didn’t begin to learn about Black history until middle school, but that it stuck with him.
“I was shocked at what happened to Black people,” he said.
While he’s been creating art since he was a child, Moseri said this was his first time being in an exhibit, and hopes to be part of more, especially with the newfound skills he learned under Blackwood, who taught him to paint.
“I feel like this allows a lot of people to come out and show their skills and how they feel about their own artwork to express a deeper meaning of themselves in the canvas,” Moseri said of the program and exhibition, adding he would do it again if he had the chance.
Because she’s more accustomed to working with adults, Blackwood said mentoring younger artist was a challenging but “amazing” experience.
“I feel like they gave me a lot of creativity and gave me a lot of inspiration,” she said, adding that she was “very shocked” by how talented the youths were, and appreciated the experience of teaching them while learning about their backgrounds and upbringings.
Blackwood also said she was impressed by how much the artists challenged themselves to get our of their comfort zones and try new mediums.
“I had so much fun, and I think the kids did amazing,” she said. “In the end, they learned and came through in all aspects of the exhibition. I’m super proud of them.”
In addition to snacks, refreshments and music by Freez’ Careeb, a high-energy Caribbean dance band, the gala also included guest speaker and Ward 1 Coun. Cheraldean Duhaney, who was recognized among the country’s Top 100 Black Women to Watch 2023 by Canada International Black Women of Excellence in October.
She thanked everyone involved in the program and event for “setting up our young people for a better and brighter future,” before praising the artists for their talent.
“This is your gift and your passion and your story through your art and you should be proud,” she said.
Making Change board chair Keisha-Ann Shaw Hill emphasized the importance of launching the gala on the first day of Black History Month, which she said is “a time to share the beautiful parts of Blackness with other members of our communities,” with the exhibition giving people “a chance to step into (the artists’) worlds and view this rich tapestry of their experiences.”
The library was happy to be partnering with Making Change for a second year, cultural services manager David Di Giovann said.
Because the artwork will remain on display at the library until Feb. 11, he’s hoping it will have “a bigger impact” with “more folks connecting to the artwork.”
The exhibit will move to the MacLaren Art Centre in Barrie from Feb. 15 to 29.
Publicly launched late last year, only 13 people applied (none from Bradford) and only nine of those could commit to all three workshops and two exhibits, according to Laura LaChapelle, program director for Making Change.
As a result, the program pivoted to allow each artist to showcase more artwork.
“We weren’t expecting a huge number for the first year,” LaChapelle said. “Next year we expect it to be much higher.”
Making Change is a not-for-profit organization led by a community of Black women who plan and co-ordinate activities, projects and events in the community supporting inclusion and diversity across Simcoe County.
For more information, visit makingchangesc.com.
