We are proud to introduce the BVB Community Spotlight! Each month, we will highlight a different group from the Black community of Brookwood to keep up with people, events, and opportunities in various areas of interest. To start the school year, this month's spotlight will focus on the amazingly talented visual artists of Black Brookwood.
1. Eva-Sychell Mitchell (she/her)
Eva-Sychell Mitchell is a senior at Brookwood with twelve years of artistic experience. She specializes in 2-D traditional art. She admires the diversity and versatility of the "many branches within traditional art."
I just love experimenting with each and every medium that is available to me or that I find out about.
Her most recent works, for her AP Art Portfolio, explored "all about creativity in the world." Her artist statement was:
Everyone uses creativity in life, and, as an artist, it's essential in my life. Creativity was needed, is needed, and will always be needed in this world. In the past, many innovators have used creativity for their own inventions and passions. My sustained investigation focuses on the use of creativity by these innovators. Without these innovators, the world would look very different, and through my portfolio, I intend to explore the thought process of these various innovators.
Her insightful portfolio received a 4 from CollegeBoard.
Currently, Eva is working on an untitled piece that explores the feeling of overthinking. It will be the first of hopefully many pieces of hers exploring mental health. She also plans to explore human relationships and Black culture in future pieces. The latter is particularly impactful on Eva as an artist; she says the accomplishments of African-Americans past and present "inspire [her] and make [her] want to impact other people's lives" through her work.
After graduation, Eva plans to major in art with a business minor, and in the future, she hopes to create a business selling her art on prints, stickers, t-shirts, etc. Eva's passion and talent are evident in her work. When asked about these qualities, she said:
Art is my passion, and I plan for it to be a part of my life forever. I hope that one day, my art can inspire others and show them that it is possible to be a successful creative as a Black person in America.
You can see more of Eva and her work on Instagram and TikTok (@artby_esychell) or her up-and-coming YouTube channel esychellart.
2. Jordan Hale (she/her)
Jordan Hale is a senior at Brookwood who has considered herself an artist for most of her life but began seriously pursuing art about three years ago.
She works primarily in graphite, particularly throughout her high school art career, having been inspired by a realistic portrait of her mother. Her most recent pieces were in her AP Studio art class last school year and focused on music. Jordan has "always been very drawn to music and sought to explore experiences behind this powerful force." She elaborated on this focus in her inquiry statement:
Music tends to conveys messages that, more often than not, words cannot, thus leading to the power of music itself. Whether it be the fact that music inspires people to do certain things in life, connecting with the person on an emotional level, or playing a very prominent part of a person's day, music has the capacity to affect our world.
She particularly enjoyed a piece about her family trip that employed a comic book format that showed detail and dynamism in each square.
The theme of music and human connection carried over to Jordan's recent mixed-media piece involving sheet music and a pair of earbuds "centered around music connecting two people who are very different from each other." Jordan connects music and relationships to Black culture through her art, stating:
Music is [...] a prominent part of many black households, and it brings families together in many ways. I was very fortunate to be able to depict music's impact on lives and black families in my artwork.
This school year, Jordan will be taking Media Arts, which "consists of different forms of media such as photography, digital art, and more." After high school, she plans to pursue science, particularly biology, in college but will remain invested in art as an extracurricular through clubs and community arts. Jordan shows unique intimacy and personality in her artwork. When asked to explain her passion for her work, she said:
I am very thankful to be able to express myself through my artwork and connect with people because of it.
You can connect with Jordan on Instagram, @_jordanhale, or by email at jelysehale@gmail.com. Jordan also participates in art shows; dates will be posted on her social media, and all are welcome to attend.
3. Lolita McKnight (she/her)
Lolita is a senior at Brookwood with about 7 years of artistic experience. She most enjoys digital art "because it’s so accessible."
I can draw anywhere, and I find more inspiration when I’m not confined to a desk or the same room all day.
Lolita currently works on a curating team at the High Museum of Art. The exhibit, "Metamorphosis," features middle and high school artists and explores themes like aging and major life changes. Her exhibition experience extends beyond curating, though, as her piece “Recovering Narcissist,” is currently on display at the Hudgens Center for Art and Learning.
The piece, she says, is "a reinterpretation of the story of Narcissus, who fell in love with his own reflection" and involves an interactive element in which the mere presence of viewers of the piece is a commentary "on the narcissistic nature of society." The piece, in essence, aims to combat that trait. Lolita explains:
By appreciating art in the present moment, rather than focusing on ourselves, [the piece] offers a momentary sense of recovery.
Lolita's art is heavily inspired by the rococo style of 18th-century France but struggles with representing her version of blackness in the constraints of the style. She has learned, however, from artists like Kehinde Wiley and Yinka Shonibare and works to decolonize baroque art styles through authenticity and self-expression. She strives to portray black women and people of color in the "Marie Antionette aesthetic" of her dreams.
Wiley’s regal portraits of black people and the baroque aesthetic resonate with me, just like Yinka Shonibare’s use of textiles and sculpture to express cultural identity. As a black lover of the rococo style, I rarely see representation from my perspective, but these artists inspire me to showcase black women and people of color in my work.
On the topic of a future in art, Lolita acknowledges her evident passion for art while also paying attention to other interests.
While I love art and dream of it being a central part of my career, I have many hobbies. Whether I end up owning a cafe or becoming an architect, art will always be involved because it’s an integral part of everything, even if it’s not always visible.
You can connect with Lolita on her personal Instagram, @lolitasweetcakes, and stay tuned for a possible art-specific account for her work.
Thank you to these artists for sharing their work and vision with BVB! We look forward to seeing what this year has in store for you all.
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