By Hailey Stangebye

Photos by Trey Barkett

On Valentines Day, our documentary, “My Great Day in Harlem” returned to the Gateway Film Center as part of a special screening for nearly 200 kids from Columbus City Schools. After the film, Mayor Andrew Ginther addressed the theatre. Then, the audience engaged in a thoughtful Q&A session with the stars of the documentary.

This screening, orchestrated by the Columbus Department of Neighborhoods, was so much more than a movie. It was an opportunity for young minds to be inspired by local legends. These students spoke with relatable role models who created an honest dialogue about achieving their aspirations.

The goal was to show by example that Columbus fosters a level of creative excellence that welcomes all forms of expression.

“Art is so important because it gives us a chance to share our experiences, our walks and our journeys. It also gives us a chance to expose ourselves to things different than us. Things that maybe we wouldn’t necessarily have as much in common with,” Ginther said. “I hope that you’ve had a great morning being able to enjoy and reflect on ‘My Great Day in Harlem.’ It is art and culture and the incredible artists in our community that help make our community so special. And I hope that your opportunity to see and hear from some of the great artists in our community is a way to celebrate what makes Columbus so exceptional.”

When students were given the chance to ask questions of the artists and the film makers, hands shot up in the air. Below, are just a few of those questions and their respective answers.

Q: For Jay Swifa, what was your hardest time as a musician?

A: “That a great question. Probably around your age is when I got serious. I was lucky enough to have parents who were in the arts. My mother is a dancer and my dad is also a musician. One thing I will urge everybody here to do — I don’t know if everybody is interested in making music — but there were always people around me who made music. And I would bug everybody, like, ‘Teach me how to make beats. Teach me how to rap.’ So, this was at age 11 or age 12. I’ve had many bumps and bruises in my music career. One of my hardest times was when I was in a very popular group and we actually broke up. I had to figure out what I was trying to do with myself before I started to make music again. Once I figured out my goals and where I wanted to go in my mind and talked to people around me, it started to become more clear. It’s always good to talk to people when you go through your rough spots, your down times. Don’t be afraid to talk to anybody. I opened myself up, which let me make better music.”

Q: For Samara Tillman, when did you feel like you were going to get really serious with fashion?

A: “I was in 6th grade, and I wanted to be a part of our — we couldn’t call it a cheer team — but I called it a ‘spirit team.’ And my mother was always about presentation. Every time she went out of the house she was very well put together. So, from there, she was like, ‘If you’re going to do this, then you’re going to do it right.’ So I was like, ‘Well I’m going to go ahead and design our spirit team outfits.’ So I designed it, and she made it. It got a very good response from teachers and all that. So I was like, ‘Oh, maybe I’m on to something.’ Then, in 9th grade, I always wanted to be different. So I asked my mom to make me an outfit for my first day of high school. That got a good response. So it was really when I was 11 when I knew that I had a gift for it. I didn’t really learn the art of sewing until I got to college, and I was making outfits for my college friends — crazy, fur, feathers, denim. They wore it because they love me. So pick your friends wisely. Pick those who encourage you to keep creating.”

Q: For Tripp Fontane, what inspired you to start rapping?

A: “It wasn’t a rapper. I don’t know if you all are old enough to have heard of him, but I actually started rapping because of ‘Weird Al’ Yankovic.’ Rap is actually not what made me fall in love with music. My dad who is like 66, so I fell in love with funk music and soul music. He’s a musician also. So I always gravitated toward live instrumentation, as opposed to rap. But, at like 7, he came out with three songs in a row and they were all hits. He came out with ‘Eat It,’ ‘I’m Fat’ and ‘Amish Paradise.’ And the music that he made was a funny version of a real song. And that inspired me to pick up a pen. I was like, ‘Bro, he’s taking my favorite songs and making funnier songs from it. I feel like I can do that.’ So, at 7 years old, I started writing music because of ‘Weird Al.'”

Q: For Lori Linsey, have you ever wanted to quit dancing?

A: As a matter of fact, I did quit dancing. My story is this. I started dancing when I was about 3 or 4 years old. I started off with ballet. By the time I got to middle school I was doing more tap and jazz. And I actually overheard someone make a comment about me that was not very nice. I did not even know this person. But what I did, at a young age and without knowing, is I took that person’s opinion of me and I made it my own. That person said that I shouldn’t be on stage, that nobody wants to see me, I don’t look the part. All of these really really negative things. And I stopped dancing at that point in time. I am so grateful that I’ve come beyond that. I started dancing again, and it’s something that I absolutely love. Any other dancer can say that when you dance nothing else matters. Nothing else matters. I feel free when I dance. I feel beautiful when I dance. I feel that I am as close to God as I can be on this earth when I dance. Nothing else matters when I move. So, if you are a dancer and you love dance and you have that similar feeling, then you cannot stop. I don’t care if you’re just dancing in your bedroom in front of your mirror. Do not stop dancing.”

Q: For Percy King, what is your advice for a young creative?

A: “I think, for me, what I always tell people is to get out and explore the world around you. Expose yourself to as much as possible. Expose yourself to as many musical forms as possible. As many artistic forms as possible. As many books as possible. Because you may not like everything that you see, but you might find the one thing that you’re passionate about. Or you might combine two things and create your own lane and become passionate about that. I think one of the things that I used to be intimidated by when it came to famous musicians and artists was that these people were like gods. They were bigger than life. They had some magical talent where they just didn’t care what they did — they went into the studio at 2 or 3 in the morning because they had great work ethic. And they do, and I give them credit for it. But what I also always tell people is that, once you find something that you’re passionate about, the amount of time that you put into it doesn’t matter. You’ll go in at 2 or 3 in the morning because you want to. You don’t even have to make yourself do it. So when you look at successful people, and you look at the amount of time they put in, and you see all these books that say ‘the seven laws of success’ or ‘get rich this way,’ remember that, at the end of the day, those people found something that they were passionate about. And that’s what they did. So that’s my advice.”

Out of all of the phenomenal questions and answers, one theme remained consistent: get stared now, and get started here. With the technology and resources available in Columbus today, there’s no reason to wait to pursue your passion.

“What we really want you to know is that this is all within your grasp,” Marshall Shorts, a creative and a core member of the Harlem Renaissance team, said. “You don’t have to go to Harlem to be an artist, or to make something happen for yourself. Whatever it is that you want to do, you can do that right here. And you have the ability. These folks weren’t old when they were making this art. Some of them were close to your age. So, keep that in mind as you express how you feel. Art was just their way of expressing what was going on around them. You have the opportunity to do that with what you do as well.”

By Hailey Stangebye

Photos courtesy of Lisa M. Cliff

Lisa M. Cliff clearly remembers the first time she met the late Aminah Robinson.

It was at a gallery opening for one of Aminah’s shows. The prospect of speaking to Aminah made Lisa anxious, but she overcame her nerves and worked up the gumption to introduce herself. She said ‘hello’ to Aminah and gave her a postcard that featured some of her original artwork.

“She looked at it, and then asked me a few questions about what I do, and she said it was nice work. I didn’t want to take up too much of her time,” Lisa says. “But then, Aminah said, ‘Hey, come outside with me while I take a smoke.’”

The story still makes Lisa laugh. She was so worried about meeting her idol, but when she finally met Aminah, she found her to be so welcoming and generous that it was disarming. To this day, she can’t remember the specifics of their conversation outside the gallery — she was in too great a state of awe to recall specifics.

“What I do remember is her telling me to be myself and to do the things that brought me passion. We were outside the gallery for a while. To the point where someone came out and said, ‘Uh, Aminah, you have guests,’” Lisa laughs. “It was very cool.”

“What I do remember is her telling me to be myself and to do the things that brought me passion.”

Aminah is the inspiration for Lisa’s piece in The Gallery at the Gateway Film Center, which is called “Queen Mother, Creative Messenger, Ms. Aminah, Jewel of Columbus.” Lisa, a Columbus native and mixed-media artist, originally created the piece shortly after Aminah’s passing as part of a tribute show.

Lisa says that Aminah was a constant inspiration; she was an internationally-recognized artist who grew up just a few blocks from Lisa’s childhood home, and she made an effort to tell the story of that neighborhood — Poindexter Village.

“I thought to myself, that’s what I want to be able to do. I want to be able to remain true to myself and touch and inspire people by speaking truth to power through my work the way I have watched and admired Ms. Aminah so beautifully and effortlessly do in her wonderful life’s work,” Lisa says. “She truly was a creative mother to many.”

“I want to be able to remain true to myself and touch and inspire people by speaking truth to power through my work the way I have watched and admired Ms. Aminah so beautifully and effortlessly do in her wonderful life’s work. She truly was a creative mother to many.”

Lisa’s piece in the Gateway Gallery does just that. Her work is, at the same time, clearly inspired by Aminah, yet distinctly unique to Lisa. It was the perfect choice for a Harlem Renaissance show because it uplifts contemporary art, while paying tribute to the legends who made the cultural landscape in Columbus what it is today.

Lisa’s piece is on display at the Gateway Gallery through the end of February.

Lisa’s Work

By Hailey Stangebye

Photos courtesy of Gaye Reissland

When Gaye Reissland created art early in her career, she focused on achieving a beautiful aesthetic. Now, she strives for beauty imbued with a more meaningful message.

“I consider myself an art activist,” Gaye says. “Most of my artwork generally has something to do with social justice. Now that I’m a grandmother and on the other side of 50, I feel like I have an obligation to make a difference in the world.”

“Most of my artwork generally has something to do with social justice. Now that I’m a grandmother and on the other side of 50, I feel like I have an obligation to make a difference in the world.”

Before, Gaye says the people used to pass her work and make comments such as ‘Oh, that’s pretty.’ Now, she strives for art that makes the viewer pause and think, ‘Okay, this is beautiful. But, there’s also more to it.’

For the show in the The Gallery at the Gateway Film Center, Gaye chose a piece that she feels speaks to the essence of the Harlem Renaissance called “Wakanda Warrior Woman.” This Black Panther-inspired painting is also the perfect fit for a movie theatre setting.

“When I saw that movie, it really affected me in a positive way,” Gaye says. “At the movie premiere in Columbus, it reminded me of a time in the Harlem Renaissance where they highlighted black art and black writers. It was such a positive experience, and people were just bursting with pride. It reminded me of how they celebrated black art in the Harlem Renaissance.”

“It was such a positive experience, and people were just bursting with pride. It reminded me of how they celebrated black art in the Harlem Renaissance.”

Gaye’s painting features one of the Wakanda warriors. She was drawn to this subject because she says she often chooses to feature people who wouldn’t normally be featured.

“I feature women of color, generally. Or older people with wrinkles. I love wrinkles, not so much on myself, but in my artwork,” Gaye says. “Wrinkles are a road map that show the story of what people have been through.”

One look at “Wakanda Warrior Woman,” and it’s clear that Gaye’s work captures the strength of women of color. The piece is beautiful, yet strikingly fierce.

“I’m really excited that we’ve celebrated the Harlem Renaissance this year. It has given artists of color in the Columbus area opportunities and venues that we probably wouldn’t have access to otherwise,” Gaye says. “So It’s been a wonderful experience, and hopefully it’s just the beginning, not the end.”

Gaye’s Work

By Hailey Stangebye

Photos courtesy of Shelbi Harris-Roseboro

A central theme throughout all of the pieces selected for our Gateway Gallery is identity. We told each artist to select a piece that represents themselves in one way or another.

For Shelbi Harris-Roseboro, or Shel10, her piece called “Face of my father” was the perfect fit. She says that “Face of my father” represents who she’s become as an artist over the years. It’s also notable; “Face of my father” has been shown in more than a dozen national and local shows since its creation in 2012.

“The piece shows my style,” Shelbi says. “Pointillism, colorful choices, things like that. I think it also represents my African roots, and there’s a spiritual connection for me with this piece. It’s just an all around piece that I thought would be good to represent me.”

“I think it also represents my African roots, and there’s a spiritual connection for me with this piece. It’s just an all around piece that I thought would be good to represent me.”

Shelbi is a Columbus native — “born and raised” — who currently works as a graphic designer, mixed-media artist, teacher and gallery director. She says that the Harlem Renaissance is a unique platform for this city.

“The cool thing about the Harlem Renaissance is that everybody gets to be themselves and be celebrated for who they are,” Shelbi says. “I enjoyed the show and all the pieces in it. I know and respect all of the people in it because everyone has their own lane, their own style and their own way of going about being an artist and a creative. I’m honored to be a part of it.”

“I enjoyed the show and all the pieces in it. I know and respect all of the people in it because everyone has their own lane, their own style and their own way of going about being an artist and a creative. I’m honored to be a part of it.”

Shelbi’s work will remain on display in the Gateway Gallery through February of 2019. Prints of her piece, “Face of my father,” are available upon request. Click here to learn more.

By Hailey Stangebye

Photos courtesy of Keian Hochradel

What’s the price for each piece?

200 bucks each, said Keian.

Most of these other pieces are listing for a lot more, said our curator. Are you sure?

But Keian was positive. He priced his two pieces in the Gateway Gallery with a great deal of intention. For Keian, price is less about what the highest bidder can afford, and more about making art available to everyone.

“I’m 23 years old and, no matter how much I like a painting, I can’t afford an $800 painting,” Keian says. “I do a lot of shows with people my age, and I want them to be able to afford it no matter their financial status. Everybody deserves to have art.”

“I do a lot of shows with people my age, and I want them to be able to afford it no matter their financial status. Everybody deserves to have art.”

Keian, a Columbus-based visual artist, contributed two pieces our show at the Gateway Gallery. The first is called “We are the bees, killing us kills you.” It features a bold, colorful, abstract bee in a style reminiscent of Harlem.

To Keian, bees are a lot like artists: under-appreciated, yet fundamental to life as we know it.

“Artists have a special impact, but it’s really kind of ignored. Everything that we see in this world is through the mind of an artist,” says Keian. “Bees and artists are similar because they’re very much needed, but it’s often unknown.”

“Everything that we see in this world is through the mind of an artist. Bees and artists are similar because they’re very much needed, but it’s often unknown.”

His second piece, “Oceanic funk, a wave that doesn’t end,” also relates to the perception of artists in a community. This wave represents artistic momentum, which can only grow with the support of the community as a whole.

“A lot of people don’t realize how much support means to artists. I know a lot of people who have stopped creating just because they didn’t get the support they needed. And, when I say ‘support,’ I don’t even necessarily mean purchasing art,” Keian says. “Yeah, it’s wonderful when you purchase art. But, just coming to shows helps. Or, on social media, if you retweet or like a picture that can make an artists’ day. They’re like, ‘Wow, somebody likes what I put out into the world.’”

“Yeah, it’s wonderful when you purchase art. But, just coming to shows helps. Or, on social media, if you retweet or like a picture that can make an artists’ day. They’re like, ‘Wow, somebody likes what I put out into the world.’”

Keian, with the support of his community, continues to create art that’s accessible to all. His current medium of choice is alcohol ink, but he experiments with a wide variety of materials. To see his work in person, visit the Gateway Gallery at the Gateway Film Center.

By Hailey Stangebye

Photos courtesy of Wendy Kendrick

When asked to choose a piece for The Gallery at Gateway Film Center, Wendy Kendrick ultimately settled on “Nona.”

“Nona” is Latin for nine or ninth. It refers, specifically, to the ninth month of pregnancy. That’s significant because, for Wendy, this piece represents a time of delivery in her life. She originally created it as one of a 12-part series for an exhibit called “#[un]Defined Visible/Invisible Black Woman,” which opened in March of 2017 in Oakland, California.

Since then, that original exhibit has grown and traveled across the country. In November of 2017, the show opened right here in Columbus.

“I feel like I’m really at one of the best places I’ve been in my journey as an artist. A lot of the things that challenged me when I was young in the arts no longer challenge me. ‘Nona,’ as a piece, speaks to that deliverance. A time of delivery.”

“For me, it was a time of delivery, both in terms of my work and in terms of where I am as an artist,” Wendy says. “I feel like I’m really at one of the best places I’ve been in my journey as an artist. A lot of the things that challenged me when I was young in the arts no longer challenge me. ‘Nona,’ as a piece, speaks to that deliverance. A time of delivery.”

Wendy calls this style of artwork a “quilted portrait mask” because it’s highly influenced by the African masks that she’s studied over the course of her life.

Today, Wendy is a full-time mixed media and textile artist based in Columbus, where she’s resided for more than 25 years.

Wendy’s Work

Wendy’s work is on display through February at The Gallery at the Gateway Film Center.

By Hailey Stangebye

Photos by Marshall Shorts

When Percy King finally made it to the NFL after years of hard work, he had an epiphany: real people play in the NFL.

“Looking around, I thought, ‘The NFL always seemed larger than life. It always seemed unattainable.’ But, ultimately, it’s just football,” Percy says. “We were running the same amount of laps and running the same plays, except with so much more at stake. But, at the end of the day, it’s still the same game I’ve been playing since I was young.”

This realization didn’t demean the value of his hard work. If anything, it solidified Percy’s philosophy that young, everyday people can — and do — achieve greatness. Whether the ultimate goal is play in the NFL, run a business or impact the world, real people reach those audacious goals every day.  

Unfortunately, Percy’s football career was short-lived. Professionally, he worked in sales until about three years ago when Percy launched himself on an entirely different path. Today, he’s a full-time artist.

Building Portraits

To the unfamiliar eye, Percy’s decision to pursue art looks unexpected. In reality, fine art represents the culmination of all of his life experiences.

As a child growing up in Columbus, Percy says drawing was a form of entertainment. He would go to the Shepherd Library on the corner of 5th and Nelson to pick up books on artists like Norman Rockwell. Then, he would meticulously copy his favorite images. The more he practiced drawing, the more skilled he became.

“I became really good at drawing, but never really saw myself as an artist or wanting to pursue an art career,” Percy says. “At a young age, I wanted to join the army or be a football player like any other 10-year-old at the time.”

Percy devoted nearly all of his time to sports. After his professional football career ended, he still sketched occasionally, but it wasn’t as fruitful as before.

“The issue was my shoulders. They were so banged up from football that I had pinched nerves. I actually dislocated my shoulders in college. It left me with bursitis,” Percy says. “Any time I sat down in certain positions or made certain wrist motions, my entire arm — my nerves — would just inflame up. It was really painful. So it was just very uncomfortable to draw.”

“The issue was my shoulders. They were so banged up from football that I had pinched nerves. I actually dislocated my shoulders in college. It left me with bursitis. Any time I sat down in certain positions or made certain wrist motions, my entire arm — my nerves — would just inflame up. It was really painful. So it was just very uncomfortable to draw.”

That shoulder damage left Percy in search of another creative outlet. But he didn’t have to look far beyond his front door.

“That outlet ended up being woodwork. I bought my first house when I was 23, and the first thing I bought was a table saw because I knew that I wanted to fix up my house. I didn’t necessarily know what I was going to do with the saw, but I bought it anyway,” Percy says. “My philosophy was that if anything ever went wrong in my house or I needed to upgrade something, then I was going to do it myself.”

“My philosophy was that if anything ever went wrong in my house or I needed to upgrade something, then I was going to do it myself.”

After decades of refurbishing and upgrading homes, Percy became an expert with the tools of his trade. Years of never-ending home improvement projects take a toll, though. When Percy and his wife moved to their current home, they decided to buy a much newer house.

That meant that, for the first time in 10 years, Percy didn’t have a project.

In his newfound free time, Percy researched and experimented with making furniture. Finally, he decided he wanted to teach himself how to make inlays.

“I drew this picture of Bob Marley that I’d seen to teach myself the inlay process, and I was really mistakenly going down the wrong road,” Percy says. “I kind of knew I was doing the inlay wrong, but I had a feeling that this is something that I liked. I eventually decided that it was a piece of art.”

Percy thought that the piece was nearly complete. He was about to glue all of the components together on a flat surface, when he had a realization and thought, “What would it look like if I stacked pieces of wood in between the layers and made it three dimensional?” That was his ‘aha’ moment.

Not long after, Percy transitioned to creating these portraits full time, and he’s dubbed his process “The Shaolin Wood Technique.” For Percy, the subject of each piece is a strategic choice.

“The older I get, the more I understand what it means to celebrate your heroes,” Percy says. “I would like to see some of my heroes celebrated. That’s how I honed in on my first series, which was the legends of hip hop.”

“I would like to see some of my heroes celebrated. That’s how I honed in on my first series, which was the legends of hip hop.”

Today, Percy is one of five local artists featured in our upcoming documentary, “My Great Day in Harlem.” His work illustrates that the spirit of the Renaissance is still alive in the ways that artists create today.

“These people who were creating new music, dance, poetry and literature in the Harlem Renaissance — they’re 20-year-olds. These are young people,” Percy says. “This wasn’t a bunch of old guys sitting around pontificating over brandy. These were people who were out there having fun and, at the same time, contributing to what it means to be American.”

Percy’s Work

By Hailey Stangebye

Photos by Marshall Shorts

His father was a musician and his mother was a dancer. Jayswifa jokes that, growing up, he didn’t have a choice but to practice an artistic craft.

In his childhood home on the north side of Columbus, Jayswifa’s father always had a music studio in the basement. His father was also heavily involved in their church, where he was lead musician.

“I went to this church where pretty much every rapper in Columbus went to or came through at some point,” Jayswifa says. “I couldn’t help but be around it because we were young, like 12 or 13. That’s where I started meeting my rhyming friends and I later formed a group. I just couldn’t help but join.”

“I couldn’t help but be around it because we were young, like 12 or 13. That’s where I started meeting my rhyming friends and I later formed a group. I just couldn’t help but join.”

In high school, music transitioned from a hobby to something more for Jayswifa.

“From there, I just never looked back. I always knew it’s what I wanted to do,” Jayswifa says. “When I came to high school, I played sports but then, as I turned 14 or 16, I kind of abandoned all of the sports I was playing and went full time rapping. And making sure I had good grades, too.”

“From there, I just never looked back. I always knew it’s what I wanted to do. When I came to high school, I played sports but then, as I turned 14 or 16, I kind of abandoned all of the sports I was playing and went full time rapping. And making sure I had good grades, too.”

Jayswifa says that music was his sport and his release. After a lot of hard work, his group, Fly Union, rose to notariety. Following the release of their debut album, TGTC (The Greater Than Club), Fly Union rose to the top of the iTunes New Hip Hop chart and worked with artists such as Kendrick Lamar and Pusha T.

About two years ago, the group Fly Union (Jerreau, Iyeball and Jayswifa) decided that it was time for them to focus on their solo careers. Jayswifa assisted Jerreau in production for his debut album “Never How You Plan.” One of the songs from that album, “Really Got It,” gained national attention and was recently selected as part of the NBA 2K19 soundtrack. This year, Jayswifa released his solo project, Enigma.

“Dropping my most recent project was really just about finding myself and getting my feet back in the game.”

“Dropping my most recent project was really just about finding myself and getting my feet back in the game,” Jayswifa says. “I’ve definitely found my voice. But that took a while. I’ve been doing music for this long and never putting out a solo project, and people know me as more of a producer than a rapper. I really wanted to showcase all of my skills.”

This project is just the beginning of Jayswifa’s solo career. He says that he plans to continue honing his craft moving forward.

“I feel like everybody, honestly, does something important,” Jayswifa says. “Whether you affect one person or five people or a million people. I just feel like I have insight to add on the world today.”

Jayswifa is among five, local artists who traveled on a trip from Columbus to Harlem to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Harlem Renaissance. To commemorate that trip, we’ve created a docuseries that traces the journey of each artist. To see Jayswifa’s trip to Harlem, reserve your seat at our big screen premiere at the Gateway Film Center on November 30.

By Hailey Stangebye

Photos courtesy of the Sunami family

On November 30, “Generations of Art: The Sunami Family” will open at the Cultural Arts Center with a ceremony featuring the Columbus Symphony, the Columbus Modern Dance Company and, of course, the Sunami family.

This show represents four generations of artists all connected through bonds of heritage and love, and is being organized by local public artist John Sunami. A resident of Columbus for over forty years, John boasts an array of public art installments all over our city, from the COTA Bus headquarters to the McConnell Arts Center of Worthington.

The lineage starts, however, with John’s father, Soichi Sunami. Born in the late 1800s, Soichi emigrated from Japan to the United States and pursued a career as a photographer. Among his many accolades, Soichi was one of the founding staff members for the Museum of Modern Art in New York City.

“This is going to be one of the first major retrospectives of my grandfather’s work since he passed,” Chris, Soichi’s grandson and John’s son, says. “He was an early modernist photographer, and he was best known because he took a lot of the iconic pictures of the early modern dancers. Particularly, he worked with Martha Graham, who was one of the main innovators of modern dance. He and Martha Graham worked closely together for five years. A lot of the really famous pictures of her were ones that he took.”

“He was an early modernist photographer, and he was best known because he took a lot of the iconic pictures of the early modern dancers. Particularly, he worked with Martha Graham, who was one of the main innovators of modern dance. He and Martha Graham worked closely together for five years. A lot of the really famous pictures of her were ones that he took.”

For the opening ceremony festivities, the Columbus Modern Dance Company (with funding from the Greater Columbus Arts Council) has secured permissions to recreate an original Martha Graham piece, “Heretic,” which was photographed by Soichi.

Next in the line of artists is John, a key organizer for the show and an acclaimed public artist in Columbus.  

“My dad was one of the very early innovators of digital art,” Chris says. “I remember, back when I was a kid, he got his first Macintosh computer in 1984, which was when they came out. And he was a winner of one of their first contests for digital artists. So, he was doing digital art very early.”

The show will also showcase three artists from the next generation of Sunamis: Chris, his sister, Jennifer, and his wife, April.

Jennifer is a commercial artist based out of Seattle. Chris is a programmer at Nationwide by day, but he spends his off hours writing and composing.

“The Columbus Symphony is going to provide an ensemble. They’re going to play live accompaniment to the dance,” Chris says. “They’ll also be performing six of my own pieces. That’s very exciting for me.”

“The Columbus Symphony is going to provide an ensemble. They’re going to play live accompaniment to the dance. They’ll also be performing six of my own pieces. That’s very exciting for me.”

Last in this generation, but certainly not least, is acclaimed local artist April Sunami. Her work has been featured across the state, and, earlier this year, she produced a solo show for the Southern Ohio Museum at Portsmouth. She is also currently a featured artist and curator for Columbus’ Harlem Renaissance 100 celebration.

“This will show the range of what our family is doing,” Chris says. “But, it also shows that we’re an multiracial family, and I think it’s good for people to see that as a part of the fabric of Columbus. Sometimes, people don’t think of Columbus as a multicultural place. But it really is.”

“But, it also shows that we’re an multiracial family, and I think it’s good for people to see that as a part of the fabric of Columbus. Sometimes, people don’t think of Columbus as a multicultural place. But it really is.”

The fourth generation will be represented in the show with a piece from River Sunami, the 10-year-old son of April and Chris. River is one of the many young artists and musicians among Soichi’s 10 great-grandchildren. While it’s too soon to tell if River will follow in his family’s footsteps, Chris says that River was drawn to art from the moment he could draw.

This show opens on November 30 at 6 p.m., and the artwork will remain on display through January 5, 2019. For more information, click here.

By Hailey Stangebye

Photos courtesy of Don Coulter

Don “DonCee” Coulter remembers meeting Earvin “Magic” Johnson like it was yesterday.

Don was only 9 or 10 years old, but he knew that he loved basketball. What he didn’t know, was that his chance meeting with “Magic” Johnson would ultimately launch him toward his future career — not as a basketball player, but as an artist.

“He gave us a pep talk and he had talked about how much he wanted to be an NBA basketball player as a kid,” Don says. “I remember this story well. He said, ‘If it was snowing, I had my basketball and I had a shovel. It was raining, I had my basketball and I had my umbrella.’ And he talked about how he would be there from the morning all the way until night playing basketball.”

“I remember this story well. He said, ‘If it was snowing, I had my basketball and I had a shovel. It was raining, I had my basketball and I had my umbrella.’ And he talked about how he would be there from the morning all the way until night playing basketball.”

Armed with inspiration from such a legend, Don set out to be just like Earvin. He was so motivated that, at the start, he went out to practice basketball every day. But as the days wore on, so did his motivation. Meanwhile, Don would use his downtime to create art.

“One day it kind of dawned on me: If I want to play basketball, I always have to remember what Earvin said to motivate me. But no one ever had to motivate me to do art. This is something that comes to me naturally,” Don says. “And that’s why, at a young age, I realized this is what I really want to do. I am an artist.”

“But no one ever had to motivate me to do art. This is something that comes to me naturally. And that’s why, at a young age, I realized this is what I really want to do. I am an artist.”

Fast forward to today, and Don’s art was featured on the invitation to one of Columbus’ most famous events for the arts: the Columbus Museum of Art’s Art Celebration. Not only was his portrait of Donna and Larry James on display at the museum, it was adapted into an augmented reality work through a collaboration with Ariel Peguero.

Click here to see the augmented reality portion of this portrait.

Don has made incredible strides in the art community, but not without obstacles. One of his main challenges has always been his medium of choice: fabric.

“It’s pretty challenging trying to describe what I do and trying to get people to buy in to the concept,” Don says. “A lot of times, I would tell people, ‘What I do is I just paint with fabric.’ And they’re like, ‘What? What do you mean? Like you paint on the leather?’ And I’m like, ‘No. The leather is the paint.’ Trying to get that concept to people and galleries didn’t go over too well.”

Don’s medium of choice is fabric. He uses carefully cut pieces of things such as denim, leather and suede to produce multi-textured images that carry the depth of his subject matter and the history of his craft.

“I’ve been doing this for about 20 years. It initially started from growing up in the hip hop era. We began painting on clothing for the breakdancers and hip hop artists. From there, I began creating clothing and took a fashion design course,” Don says. “Eventually, that kind of led on to what I do today.”

“I’ve been doing this for about 20 years. It initially started from growing up in the hip hop era. We began painting on clothing for the breakdancers and hip hop artists. From there, I began creating clothing and took a fashion design course.”

Each piece that Don creates comes down to a narrative. The same is true of his portrait featuring Donna and Larry James: that image is a story of love, both between Donna and Larry, and between them and the arts.

“I think creating art is important because art tells a story. If you look back in history, a lot of times when we study other cultures, what’s the best way to really figure out what was really going on? You look to the arts,” Don says. “It’s more than just something that’s cosmetic. Art can also be therapeutic. It can also teach us. It tells a story, especially for those that feel like they may not have a voice.”

Don has found his voice through art and, just like Earvin with basketball, he continues to practice and hone his craft every day.

DonCee’s Work