About The Artist
Tamika Bright is a mixed media artist and muralist from northern Virginia. In 2010, she moved to the Hampton Roads area to become a pre-med student at Old Dominion University. For many years, she lived in fear and uncertainty, simply following what others thought she should do. Her home environment had been very negative and restrictive. After endless exploration, she changed her focus to human services and studio art.
Learning more about human development and the physical make-up of the brain sparked something within her. Being known as a shy, timid girl, art allowed her to be who she truly was. Through art she became exceptionally odd, bold, and outrageous. She became aware of the power she had to truly express who she was and accept herself. She also discovered that art has the power to rebuild neurons within the brain. Tamika translated her negative experiences into beauty! Combining her passion for art and her new mental health discoveries, she developed EVOKENations, an art education brand.
EVOKENations is a brand that focuses on providing and producing art that invites new ways of thinking and encourages self-discovery and expression while highlighting the importance of mental health. Art can bring purpose to the lives of others just as it did for Tamika Bright. The goal of the brand is to positively impact the world by increasing interpersonal skills and self-awareness.
Website: evokenations.myportfolio.com
About the Exhibit
The Downing-Gross Cultural Arts Center and EVOKENations presents “Out of the Classroom*: Mini Masterpieces”! This exhibition will explore the artwork of children ages 3-15 that live within the Hampton Roads Area. Artworks displayed will be those created in art classes catered to youth taught by Tamika Bright during the Fall of 2020 to the Summer of 2021. These artworks will pay homage to each child’s favorite famous artist or technique.
*Every August, the Downing-Gross Cultural Arts Center hosts the “Out of the Classroom” exhibit which is exclusively comprised of works by an artist (or group of artists) who teaches. This August we are honored to feature Tamika Bright and her group of talented young artists/students.
Related Programming:
Opening Reception: The exhibition will be on display August 14-31, 2021 with an opening reception on August 14, 2021 from 2:00 - 4:00 pm, free and open to the public. RSVP is requested. Refreshments will be provided. Face masks or shields are required.
To learn more about our programming and to sign up for classes, visit www.downinggross.org/program-schedule
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