BIO

Boxx the artist synthesizes interactive art through paintings, digital art, and installations. She is an Indianapolis based full-time visual artist practicing for approximately 5 years professionally, from Gary, Indiana. Boxx's visual artwork uses acrylic, digital, public installations, and film to capture different elements of life from the African diaspora celebrating Blackness. 

Her art initiatives are to share interactive art and offer art that serves as a connector of community. Boxx has exhibited in a host of exhibits and installed different murals located throughout Indianapolis like the High Art Billboard Project, Murals for Racial Justice Project, and the Indy Art & Seek with a community interactive mural installation located at the Martindale-Brightwood Library.

She completed serving as an Artist Apprentice for the Bicentennial Major Taylor mural installation, installing a 5-story civic mural. Boxx has severed as Maker-In-Resident for the Ignite Studio at the East Hamilton Public Library in Fishers, Indiana; Artist and Curator for Cat Head Press Artist Residency, and was a 2021 Fellow for the Indiana Arts Commission, On Ramp Creative Entrepreneur Accelerator. 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 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 

“Paintings are but research and experiment - I search constantly and there is a logical sequence in all this research”. -Pablo Picasso.


Pursuing African-American Studies in college was the first time I was able to analyze my history through the African diaspora and Black experience. Prior, I only knew slavery, oppression, and the adversities of my history. 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 modern day 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 deeply pigmented skin, yet uncover the beauty in Black history. My choice of traditional acrylics and digital acrylic on canvas offers the dynamic combination to eloquently capture the light within dark hues.

ARTIST RESUME 

SELECTED EXHIBITIONS

2023   Keep It 500, Gallery 924, Indianapolis Arts Council, Indianapolis, IN

2023   Hoosier Women in Art Exhibit, Indiana Statehouse, Indianapolis, IN

2023-20   Legacy, Garfield Parks Art Center, Indianapolis, IN

2022   Tiny XI Exhibit, Gallery 924, Indianapolis Arts Council, Indianapolis, IN

2022-18  IBE Cultural Arts Pavilion, Art Exhibit, Indiana State Convention Center

2022   Afro-Futurism Exhibit, Indianapolis International Airport, Indianapolis, IN

2022   Hoosier Women in Art: Identity, Garfield Parks Art Center, Indianapolis, IN

2022   Cultural Connections, Garfield Parks Art Center, Indianapolis, IN

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

2021  Fabric of Society, Nickel Plate Arts, Noblesville, IN

2021   Child’s Play, Nickel Plate Arts, Noblesville, IN

2021   Wanderlust, Ignite Studio, Fishers, IN

2021   Power: Hoosier Women in Art Garfield Park Arts, Center, Indianapolis, IN

2020   Meet the Artist XXXII Exhibit, Indianapolis Central Public Library Gallery

2019   December Exhibit, Murphy Arts Center, Indianapolis, IN

2018   Spectrum, Art Exhibit, Garfield Park Arts

2017   Raw Indy, Old National Centre, Indianapolis, IN 

2016   Gifted Exhibit, Custom’s Art Studio, 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.)

2023 Hoosier Women Artist Award, Office of the Lt. Governor Suzanne Crouch, 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    Maker-In-Residence Juror, Serving on jury committee to select the next artist, Ignite Studio, Fishers, IN

2021    Grant recipient, Central Indiana Community Foundation, Round 2 for Visual Arts

2021    Grant recipient, Central Indiana Community Foundation, Artist Winter Ambassador for Visual Arts

2021    On-Ramp Creative Entrepreneur Fellowship, Indiana Arts Commission,  

2021    On-Ramp Creative Entrepreneur Accelerator Program, Indiana Arts Commission,  2020/2021 Cohort

2019    Indiana Arts Homecoming Scholarship Recipient, Indiana Historical Society

 

COMMISSIONS

2023 Welcome Race Fans Art, 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

 

ARTIST RESIDENCIES/APPRENTICESHIPS

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

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

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

 

PROJECTS 

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   28th USCT Dedication Mural, Hotel Tango, 640 Virginia Ave, Indianapolis, IN (pending)

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- Public Art Installations, “Interactive Community Chalkboard Canvas/Mural”, 25th & Sherman, Indianapolis

 2020   Racial Justice Mural, Arts Council of Indianapolis, 300 S. Meridian, Indianapolis, IN (Community Activism mural in downtown Indianapolis)

 

FILM

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

 

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

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

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

2019   Artitude, The Healer, Art Exhibit/ Live Body Painting, Indianapolis, IN

2018   Indianapolis Pride, Featured Artist 

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

 

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