STCC celebrates Black History Month with conversations with artists

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – Springfield Technical Community College will kick off Black History Month celebration in February with a “Carberry Conversations” event featuring visual artist and educator Kiayani Douglas.

Douglas on Feb. 7, 11 a.m.-11:45, will speak via Zoom with Sondra Peron, associate professor and coordinator for the Amy H. Carberry Fine Arts Gallery. Register for the event at stcc.io/douglas.

Peron will ask Douglas about her work, which includes “Fallacies of a Black Identity Enthusiast.” Douglas was the artist-in-residence at STCC in February 2020. She developed an interdisciplinary body of work called Black Identity Enthusiast, which is geared toward curating conversations rooted in race history and privilege.

“Her work was one of the last major shows we had in person at the Carberry Gallery back in February of 2020,” Peron said. “This should be a very interesting conversation. I want to talk about the impact the pandemic has had on creative people.”

Peron said Douglas’ talents as an educator and an artist come together effortlessly to build much needed conversations in brave places.

Douglas creates workshops where students of all disciplines can learn about American black history, while making connections to math, science, history and literature. Her desire to make these spaces stems from her not having them herself.

In an “artist statement,” Douglas describes what motivates her to create.

“I make art as a way to cope with the social injustices that are happening in America,” she said. “I have always been a maker of many things, but my love for portraits and the body have always shown through in all the mediums I manage. My interest in non-traditional drawing has allowed me to think about how we interact with two-dimensional pieces. My love for sculpture has allowed me the ability to expand my two-dimensional works and create forms to further express my conceptual thinking.”

Near the end of Black History Month, on Feb. 25, at 12:15 p.m., Peron will hold another “Carberry Conversation” with artist Andrae Green.

Born in Kingston, Jamaica, and now a resident of Western Massachusetts, Green is a painter whose work explores the nuances of the collective consciousness that has been shaped by time, mythology and memory.

Like Douglas, Green is no stranger to the Carberry Gallery at STCC. He featured his artwork at the gallery in 2016.

“I’m very interested to hear what’s going on in his life and in his work,” Peron said.

Carberry Conversations is a series of virtual talks throughout the academic year between Peron and several past exhibiting artists whose work has been on view at the Amy H. Carberry Fine Arts Gallery since 2013 and STCC’s very own art faculty.

Conceived in response to the ongoing pandemic, these conversations function as a space to connect working artists and photographers to STCC and the Greater Springfield community covering a wide variety of topics including, origin stories, the impact of current events on the artistic process, and the function of art and photography during times of crisis.

To find out more information and to register for the Zoom talks, visit stcc.io/carberry.

Each February, STCC joins the nation in the celebration of Black History Month, which has its origins in the early part of the 20^th century. According to the Association for the Study of African American Life and History, Black History Month features a unique theme each year. The theme for 2022 focuses on the importance of Black Health and Wellness.

About the Gallery

The Amy H. Carberry Fine Arts Gallery at Springfield Technical Community College features works by artists of local and national repute as well as STCC student work. The gallery is located in Building 28, first floor, on the Pearl Street side of the STCC campus. The gallery is supported in part by funding from the School of Liberal and Professional Studies (LAPS). Find the Amy H. Carberry Fine Arts Gallery on Facebook or follow on Twitter @STCCArtGallery.

About Springfield Technical Community College

STCC, the Commonwealth's only technical community college, continues the pioneering legacy of the Springfield Armory with comprehensive and technical education in manufacturing, STEM, healthcare, business, social services, and the liberal arts. STCC's highly regarded workforce, certificate, degree, and transfer programs are the most affordable in Springfield and provide unequalled opportunity for the vitality of Western Massachusetts. Founded in 1967, the college – a designated Hispanic Serving Institution – seeks to close achievement gaps among students who traditionally face societal barriers. STCC supports students as they transform their lives through intellectual, cultural, and economic engagement while becoming thoughtful, committed and socially responsible graduates.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Jim Danko, (413) 755-4812, jdanko@stcc.edu

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