Boxx The Artist  synthesizes expressionistic portraiture through acrylics, digital, and public art that examines the African Diaspora providing cultural images that honor a marginalized community and expresses her love for Blackness. She is an Indianapolis based full-time, visual artist practicing for 6 years, from Gary, Indiana. Boxx has featured work in several exhibitions including the Black Creativity Juried Exhibit 2022 and 2023 (Chicago Museum of Science and Industry), the 26th African American Art Exhibition (Roanna H. Victor Gallery at Actors Theatre of Louisville), and honored as a 2023 and 2024 Hoosier Women Artist by the Indiana Lt. Governor with two consecutive one-year art installations in the Indiana State House. Boxx was awarded the DeHaan Artist of Distinction Award for 2022, and recipient of the 2022 Power Plant Grant provided by Big Car Collaborative and the Andy Warhol Foundation for Arts to create an independent creative project.

Boxx The Artist has served in various residencies, fellowships, apprenticeships, including serving as the 2021 Maker-In-Resident for the Ignite Studio in Fishers, Indiana; 2021 Artist and Curator for Cat Head Press Artist Residency, and was a 2021 Fellow for the Indiana Arts Commission, On Ramp Creative Entrepreneur Accelerator. She has over 10 mural installations in the city of Indianapolis notably serving as an apprentice to install a 5-story civic mural for the City of Indianapolis, a permanent mural installation in the Indiana State Museum, as well as a mural for the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibit at Conner Prairie: Living History Museum.

Boxx currently serves as PATTERN Magazines Artist-in-Residence with a long term creative entrepreneurship residency. Her work has been featured in the Indianapolis Airport, as well as several media publications such as Fox59, WishTV, WRTV, Indystar, Nuvo, Indianapolis Recorder and more, and is a Certified Minority/ Woman Owned Business in the State of Indiana.Connect with Boxx The Artist on social media, @boxxtheartist on all platforms.

 

ARTIST STATEMENT 

Pablo Picasso once remarked, 'Paintings are but research and experiment - I search constantly and there is a logical sequence in all this research.' This sentiment resonates with my approach to art, particularly in my exploration of Black history and culture. Pursuing African-American Studies in college provided me with a lens through which I could analyze my history within the African diaspora. Previously, my understanding was limited to oppression and adversity. Creating paintings became much like studying for me, where I examine Black history and culture researching subject matters to capture Blackness in positive spaces. Through acrylics, digital art, and film I highlight the pages in history where Black people were [are] worthy. Areas like African civilizations, the Black Renaissance era, Civil Rights era, to the evolution of Black culture shapes my art practice where I create expressionistic portraits of dark-skinned subjects. My process incorporates the relationship of a dark past and dark-skin to radiate dark pigmented skin, yet uncover the beauty in Black history. Through the use of traditional acrylics, digital acrylic, photography, and public art I capture expressionistic portraiture with the use of dark hues, browns, black, and whites to convey the beauty in subject matters. Tones, textures, and stylized strokes eloquently express the details in facial features, structures, with symbolism and abstract for background appeal. These methods serve as my personal tools of research and expression, allowing me to delve into the details of my subjects while creating compelling narratives that celebrate the beauty within Blackness.

 

ARTIST RESUME 

SELECTED EXHIBITIONS

2021   Intersections, Hank & Dolly’s Gallery,  Harrison Art Center, Indianapolis, IN

 

JURIED EXHIBITIONS

2022-23   Black Creativity Juried Art Exhibit, Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago, IL 

2020   26th African American Art Exhibition, Roanne H. Victor Gallery at Actors Theatre, Louisville, KY

2019   Prized Possessions Juried Show, Nickel Plate Arts, Noblesville, IN

 

AWARDS/GRANTS/FELLOWSHIPS (honors, scholarships, etc.)

2024-23  Hoosier Women Artist Award, Office of the Lt. Governor Suzanne Crouch, Indianapolis, IN

2024      Art & Soul Featured Artist, Indianapolis Arts Council, Indianapolis, IN

2023 Disrupt Indy Innovation Grant, Be Nimble Foundation, Indianapolis, IN

2022 Dehaan Artist of Distinction Award, Indianapolis Arts Council, Indianapolis, IN

2022 Honor Award in Public Art, ‘The Fastest’ Major Taylor Mural, Monumental Awards, Indianapolis, IN

2022 Power Plant Project Grant Recipient, Big Car Collaborative, Indianapolis 

2021 Honor Award in Public Art, Art & Seek Project, Monumental Awards, Indianapolis, IN

2021 CICF Artist Ambassador, Grant recipient, Central Indiana Community Foundation, Indianapolis, IN

2021 On-Ramp Creative Entrepreneur Accelerator Program and Fellowship, Indiana Arts Commission 

2021 Merit Award in Public Art,  Murals for Racial Justice Project, Monumental Awards, Indianapolis, IN

2021 Achievement Award in Public Art, SWISH Mural Project, Monumental Awards, Indianapolis, IN

2019    Indiana Arts Homecoming Scholarship Recipient, Indiana Historical Society

 

ARTIST RESIDENCIES/APPRENTICESHIPS/TEACHING

2023      PATTERN Magazine Artist-in-Residence, Creative Entrepreneur, The Stutz Building, Indianapolis, IN

2023 Creative Career & Masterclass Series, Artist Development Accelerator, Arthentic Arts, Inc, Indianapolis, IN

2023 Artist Lecture, Creative Futures Conference, Ivy Tech Community College, Indianapolis, IN

2022      Artist Panelist, Accelerator Program, 7house, Indiana Arts Commission, Phoenix Theatre, Indianapolis, IN

2022      Superpower Panelist, On-Ramp 2.0, Indiana Arts Commission, The Arts Federation,Lafayette, IN

2021      W.O.R.K. for Success Virtual Career Panelist, Ivy Tech Community College-Lake County

2021      Apprenticeship, “Major Taylor Mural,” Bicentennial Legends Mural Installation, Indianapolis, IN

2021      Maker-in-Residence, Ignite Studio, Fishers, IN

2021      Artist & Curator Resident, Cat Head Press: Printshop/Artist Cooperative, Indianapolis, IN

 

PUBLIC ART PROJECTS 

2023 O'bannon Park Community Mural Installation, Indy Parks and Recreation, Indianapolis, IN

2022 Public Art Activation, Community Garden Bed & Mural, Indiana Destination Development Corporation

2022     “Seed Swap” Perspective Playground, Permanent Mural Installation Exhibit, Indiana State Museum

2022      Habitat, Mural Installation, Smithsonian Institute Traveling Exhibit, Conner Prairie, Fishers, IN

2021 Indy Keeps Creating Storefront Window Mural, Circle City Mall, Indianapolis Arts Council

2021 Inclusion Mural, Garfield Park Arts Center, Community Mural Installation, Indianapolis, IN

2021 Swish Indy, March Madness Art Project, Vinyl Mural, Indianapolis International Airport 

2021 High Art Billboard Project, Indianapolis Arts Council & Regan Outdoor Advertising, 6654 W. Washington St.

2020 Indy Art & Seek: Public Art Interventions, “Interactive Community Canvas/Mural”, 25th & Sherman 

2020 Racial Justice Project Mural, Arts Council of Indianapolis, 300 S. Meridian, Indianapolis, IN

 

COMMISSIONS

2023 Welcome Race Fans, 24x36 digital acrylic on canvas,  Indianapolis Motor Speedway

2022 Freddie Hubbard, Legends Music Poster Series, Old National Music Centre, Indianapolis, IN

2021 Roberts Blueprint, 48x60, acrylic , Hamilton County Community Foundation Collaboration Hub, Fishers, IN

2021 Martin Luther King Jr. Tribute, 18x24, acrylic on canvas, Abstract Portrait Commission for Anderson University, Cultural Resource Center, Anderson, IN

 

LIVE ART, INSTALLATIONS, & EVENTS (showcases & displayings)

2023   Spectacular Black Girl Art Show, Zhou B Art Center, Chicago, IL

2021-23    Artway Street Fest, Art Installation, 7 House, Indianapolis, IN

2018-23    Cultural Arts Pavilion Curation, Installation/Activations, Indiana Black Expo, State Convention Center

2019   Pattern Magazine Launch Party, Interactive Art Installation, Indianapolis, IN

2019   Pattern Magazine's Supply Trade Show, Art Exhibit, Indianapolis, IN

2019   Fishers Arts Crawl, Art Exhibit/Live Art, Fishers, IN

2018   Indianapolis Pride, Featured Artist 

2019   The Black Experience, Live Art/ Exhibit and Activation, University of Wisconsin

FILM

2023  The Women In Between: A Portrait Montage Project, Documentary, Non Fiction, Director/Producer, Indianapolis, IN

 

 

EDUCATION

2013    Bachelors of Arts Mass Communication   
            Bachelors of Arts African American Studies     
            Minor: Political Science, College of Liberal Arts

            Certificate of Entrepreneurship & Innovation,
            Krannert School of Mgmt, Purdue University