A Tour of Anacostia with the ARCH Advisory Committee

Outside Vivid Solutions Photographic Gallery in Anacostia


Briony Evans speaks about opportunities using the former Poetry Museum Property owned by ARCH Development Corporation



Beth Ferraro provides an overview of the Vivid Solutions Gallery and current photography exhibit.


The committee toured the Youth Green Jobs Initiative and Training Program in Anacostia.



Tour members listen to Andrea Hope as she describes the functions of the Dark Room at Vivid Solutions



Briony Evans speaks about Anacostia's creative opportunities and upcoming exhibitions at the Big Chair Coffee house.



Another vacant building waiting for a creative business to rent in Anacostia.


As a member of the ARCH Development Corporation's Advisory Committee which overseas the programmatic activities of both the Honfluer and the Vivid Solutions Galleries in Anacostia, Washington, DC, I was led with other members on a creative economy tour of Anacostia. Briony Evans, Creative Director of the Honfluer Gallery, Beth Ferraro, Creative Director of Vivid Solutions and Andrea Hope, Director of Vivid Solutions Gallery led the tour.

Most of the members of the committee brought others, overwhelmingly photographers, who documented various sites along the way. We visited vacant buildings that will be proposed for new "Pop Up" gallery opportunities for curators and artists, a youth green jobs project to train teens in Anacostia how to build and use green technology for future green jobs, the Big Chair cafe, a new coffee shop and art space, and Vivid Solutions' dark room and training facility for youth interested in learning the art of photography.

I learned so much from the visit about how ARCH Development and partners are trying to promote the area to bring in more creative opportunities and lure creative businesses to the area.

In addition, the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities' ART (202)TV Show recorded the event including interviews with those who participated on the tour.

As a member of the committee and a East of the River artist, I truly enjoyed the tour and learned so much. I am looking forward to witnessing the revitalization of this community through the arts!

Announcing the Artists Advisory Board

I have been invited to participate to aid the ARCH Development Corporation in Washington, DC to further their mission to use arts and culture as a catalyst for revitalization in the Anacostia neighborhood in Southeast DC.

The ARCH Development Corporation {or ADC} is a not for profit cultural development organization located in the Historic Sector of Anacostia in Southeast, Washington, DC.

The ADC mission is to aid in 1.) positively & inclusively revitalizing Anacostia, East of the Anacostia River, 2.) helping to create sustainable living neighborhoods within the Historic Sector and 3.) creating a home for the arts and artists, east of the Anacostia River.

My Committee will meet bi-monthly, and will provide advice, creative vision and scope of work in the following areas:
Arts Advocacy
Artist Opportunities
Marketing & Communications
Artist Housing & Workspace

I look forward to providing my input on this important committee.

An Evening At the Honfluer!

Artist James Terrell croons for the audience
Artist Wesley Clark proudly displays an art piece.

Twin Sister Sharon Burton (left) with Gallery Director Amy Cavanaugh and yours truly.


Artist James Terrell with one of his great pieces!
The young men of Life Pieces to Master Pieces created this gem!
Here I am with the debut of the Three Divas- Mixed Media art dolls!
The Ways' Men Howard W. Ways, II (my father in law)left, Kirt Ways (my brother in law) center and Howard W. Ways, III my beloved husband of 11 years and greatest supporter of me and my work, right.


Saturday evening, August 9th was a wonderful evening for my coming out exhibition at the East of the River Artist Exhibition at the Honfluer Gallery in Anacostia, Washington, DC. You would not know that we were in the deepest section of the "dangerous" southeast with what looked like a couple hundred well wishers, artists, and collectors who came out to support the show. I was very excited and pleased to be exhibiting in my first curated art exhibition for any gallery since I started publicly showing my art pieces.

Anacostia's gallery for contemporary art, Honfleur Gallery, celebrates its Second Annual East of the River Exhibition, which opened 7pm on August 9th 2008. Site specific installation, photography, painting, mixed media sculpture, collage, prints, drawings, written & spoken-word and functional craft demonstrate the broad range of the works in the show. Exhibitors range from emerging to seasoned professional artists.

I was pleased that my sister and art consultant, Sharon J. Burton was in attendance, as well as my husband Howard, my brother in law Kirt, who resides in Japan, as well as my father in law were in attendance.

My mentor and friend Francine Haskins was in attendance as well as one of my doll workshop colleagues Kim. Sharon Keyers Jackson mixed media fiber artist and member of the Prince George's County Artist Association as well as Wanda Aikens, Executive Director of the Ward 7 Arts Collaborative, of which I am a Board Member were also in attendance.

The East of the River collection depicts both a look through the artist's lens at this region, and expressions emanating from experiences living in Anacostia. Vibrant hues and energetic abstractions from painters Wesley Clark, Lance Wiggs and Stephen Terrell reflect an upbeat and positive vibe. More somber topics and probing issues, such as youth violence, racism, and gender issues are explored by Howard Fleming, Amber Robles Gordon and Gilbert Trent. Other artists reference the dichotomy of African heritage and modern American culture, reflected in digital images by Bruce McNeil, mixed media collage by Beatrice Martin, sculpture by Anne Bouie and pencil drawings by Malik Lloyd. Dominic Bracco seeks to uncover the day to day lives of youth in the area in a collection of documentary photographs. The artwork in East of the River exposes a fascinating, insightful cross section of thoughts, feelings and concerns.

Artists in East of the River include: Randall C. Holloway, Stephen James Terrell, Kerry Richardson, Kamala Subramanian, Douglas Eatmon, Martha Jackson Jarvis, Matthew Mann, Dominic Bracco, Sherry Ways, Anne Bouie, Marcia Greene, Fred Joiner, Malik Lloyd, Bruce McNeil, Lance Wiggs, Wesley Clark, Brian Martin, Amber Robles-Gordon, Beatrice Martin, Craig Vaughn, Howard Fleming, and Gilbert Trent. The exhibit was juried by Carl Cole (Ward 8 Commissioner, DC Commission for the Arts and Humanities), Kim Ward (Director, Washington Project for the Arts), Juanita Britton (Anacostia Art Gallery), Andrea Hope (ARCH) and Briony Evans (Honfleur Gallery). This exhibition was made possible through the generosity and support of the Morris and Gwendolyn Caftritz Foundation.

I was proud and excited to be included among some of the best artists in East Washington and in the region as a whole.

Honfluer Gallery Reception, Saturday, August 9, 2008 @ 7:00 pm

Greetings folks!

I posted this before but I just want to remind you of the reception taking place, Saturday, August 9th at 7:00 pm for the Honfluer Gallery East of The River Group Exhibition. Here is the info:

The Honfluer Gallery presents the Second Annual East of the River exhibition, highlighting the creative minds of Wards 7 and 8 in Washington, DC. The exibition dates are as follows:

August 9th - September 19th, 2008
Exhibition Opening Reception: August 9, 2008, 7:00 pm

The location of the gallery:

Honfleur Gallery
1241 Good Hope Road, SE
Washington, DC 20020
Phone (202) 631-6291
Website: www.honfluergallery.com

I will be exhibiting "The Three Divas" mixed media art dolls on canvas. I look forward to seeing you there Saturday evening!

My Next Exhibition: Honfluer Gallery East of The River Group Exhibition

Greetings folks! I have just been accepted into the juried Honfluer Gallery East of The River Group Exhibition. Here is the info:

The Honfluer Gallery presents the Second Annual East of the River exhibition, highlighting the creative minds of Wards 7 and 8 in Washington, DC. The exibition dates are as follows:

August 9th - September 19th, 2008
Exhibition Opening Reception: August 9, 2008, 7:00 pm

The location of the gallery:

Honfleur Gallery
1241 Good Hope Road, SE
Washington, DC 20020
Phone (202) 631-6291
Website: www.honfluergallery.com

I will be exhibiting "The Three Divas" mixed media art dolls on canvas. I look forward to seeing you there!