By Hailey Stangebye

The Short North Mural Series met — then exceeded — our highest expectations.

Over the course of the Harlem Renaissance campaign, we’ve commission 12 local, black artists to create stunning murals across the Short North. From the hyper-realistic styles of artists such as Terry Norman and Edmund Boateng, to the illustrative masterpieces of Bryant Anthony and Annie Chrissy Burley, this project continues to provide a platform for these artists to showcase their talent.

Within this collection of muralists, there’s one incredibly talented man with deep roots in the Short North: Malcolm J.

Malcolm J. is renowned throughout the neighborhood for his renderings of Short North landmarks. Today, he’s a beloved, friendly face. But Columbus didn’t readily open its arms to Malcolm J. when he arrived in 2005.

Malcolm J. is renowned throughout the neighborhood for his renderings of Short North landmarks.

When he first moved to Columbus from Cleveland, Malcolm J. was homeless. He took refuge in homeless shelters and began to explore the Short North.

That’s how he became engrained in the Short North arts scene. Initially, he created more politically-charged art. Over time, though, he transitioned to the types of cityscape drawings that brought him local prestige.

Today, scores of business and homes throughout Columbus boast original pieces by Malcolm J. His mural, Goodale Fountain, is a breathtaking landscape of Goodale Park that can be found at 15 E. Second Ave. The mural will remain up for at least 18 months. 

In March of this year, Malcolm J. was hospitalized after a violent attack. He had helped a bartender remove a belligerent man from a Short North bar, but the enraged man returned later brandishing a broken beer bottle.

The man struck Malcolm J. in the right eye with the bottle, impairing his sight. Despite the trauma, he plans to continue creating art. According to an interview with Columbus Underground, Malcolm J. will explore other creative avenues such as molding with clay.

We are beyond grateful that we could include Malcolm J.’s work in this mural series. Not only is he an incredibly talented artist, he’s also an inspiration. His work communicates a zest for life and art and culture that is unique to his outlook on the world.

We are beyond grateful that we could include Malcolm J.’s work in this mural series. Not only is he an incredibly talented artist, he’s also an inspiration. His work communicates a zest for life and art and culture that is unique to his outlook on the world.

Though the trajectory of his future may seem foggy in this moment, one thing will remain consistent: The love from his Columbus community. Keep creating Malcolm J. We love and support you.

Malcolm J is a part of the Short North Mural Series.

By Hailey Stangebye

Photos courtesy of Richard Duarte Brown

A young woman looked down at her son drawing and told him, “Don’t be an artist, you can’t make a living like that.” It wasn’t spoken with malice. If anything, she spoke out of love. She knew how hard it could be to survive in the arts, and she wanted the best life for him.

But Richard Duarte Brown was unphased.

That’s because Duarte knows that wherever he works — be it as a janitor or as professional painter — he is an artist. Pursuing any other path is unthinkable.

“At 6 years old, I found an encyclopedia with Picasso’s ‘Blue’ period work,” Duarte says. “I think, for me, visual language is the way I respond to life. I read so much into images and visual language and I understood that as my way of communicating and answering questions.”

“At 6 years old, I found an encyclopedia with Picasso’s ‘Blue’ period work. I think, for me, visual language is the way I respond to life. I read so much into images and visual language and I understood that as my way of communicating and answering questions.“

As a child, Duarte was resourceful. He used the materials in his environment to make art — things like shoe polish and chicken bones. At the time, he didn’t even realize that he was creating mixed-medium work. He just knew that he could create with everything in his surroundings.

At the age of 13, he came to Columbus to pursue art so he could “get rich and buy happiness.” Though he was young, he was an independent kid that was essentially on his own.

“I wanted to help my mom and my family,” Duarte says. “It was a noble dream. And it’s still part of a dream. That family has just expanded to the kids that I work with. Not in a cliche way, though. When I make art, it’s the same as when you have a family meal or when you set a table. It’s an experience. The relationship goes far beyond that thing and it carries you through your life.”

“I wanted to help my mom and my family. It was a noble dream. And it’s still part of a dream. That family has just expanded to the kids that I work with. Not in a cliche way, though. When I make art, it’s the same as when you have a family meal or when you set a table. It’s an experience. The relationship goes far beyond that thing and it carries you through your life.“

Today, Duarte is a master artist with the Transit Arts program, where he teaches visual arts to students across Columbus.

“We provide opportunities for kids to have professional experiences with the arts,” Duarte says. “It builds these relationships and helps people discover a natural talent, like you would in your family. Except that you won’t hear me saying, ‘Don’t be an artist. You’ll never make money.’”

“We provide opportunities for kids to have professional experiences with the arts. It builds these relationships and helps people discover a natural talent, like you would in your family. Except that you won’t hear me saying, ‘Don’t be an artist. You’ll never make money.’“

Instead, Duarte provides his mentees with the connections and the resources to make a seemingly impossible dream become a reality.

One of the challenges Duarte faced trying to establish himself in Columbus at a young age was finding a group of people to act as that support system. He also had to learn, on his own, how to mediate the inevitable periods or rejection that are inherent as an artist.

“The constant rejection of grants and proposals, that’s a challenge. You can’t put yourself in a place of ‘failure’ when your work is just not accepted or you’re not fit for a project or a curated show,” Duarte says. “That’s a challenge. Knowing how to market yourself, even as an artist of color to a market that looks for things that sell the right way.”

“The constant rejection of grants and proposals, that’s a challenge. You can’t put yourself in a place of ‘failure’ when your work is just not accepted or you’re not fit for a project or a curated show. That’s a challenge. Knowing how to market yourself, even as an artist of color to a market that looks for things that sell the right way.“

Despite facing this adversity, Duarte continues to create art and to help the young people in his community pursue art. That’s because — despite what some people might say — there are opportunities to be an artist right here at home.

“You don’t literally have to go to New York to be an artist at this stage of the game. New York will come to us. Or other cities will come see what’s going on in Columbus,” Duarte says. “There’s a lot of people doing really good things here. They have a dream, and I want to see that expand even more.”

Duarte is a part of the Short North Mural Series. His piece, Fleaux Child, is at 1359 N. High Street.

Duarte’s Work

The August Gallery Hop was magic.

The warm, summer breeze carried the rhythmic rise and fall of spoken word down the streets of the Short North. Poetry and music rose in the air before finally settling in the hearts and minds of those who listened. There was a vibrancy and energy in the atmosphere, the likes of which the Short North has rarely seen.

Some people joined in the bustle. They followed their maps and strolled from one end of the neighborhood to the other, taking in every experience that the night had to offer. Others came to see specific installations in support of their friends and family. And others stopped in front of one mural or one piece of art and paused, luxuriating in a rare state of peace and stillness. Regardless of how each and every individual participated that night, every person experienced something delightfully unexpected.

Regardless of how each and every individual participated that night, every person experienced something delightfully unexpected.

They might have discovered a new artist with whom they identified, they may have met a new friend, or they may have learned something about themselves and their role in the community.

The artists involved ranged from well-established Columbus icons to up-and-coming creatives just starting to leave their footprints on the Columbus arts scene. Other artists boasted national acclaim and accolades from cities such as San Francisco, Los Angeles and New York, but they had yet to receive much recognition in their hometown — or even their home state of Ohio. 

That was the case for Bryant Anthony, or, as most people know him, Bee1ne. Bryant hails from the east side of Cleveland where he says, “The streets were my gallery.”

When he arrived in Columbus to attend the Columbus College of Art and Design, the city didn’t welcome his style. Galleries turned him down, saying his art was too “street” or too “urban.” It wasn’t until Bryant rose to fame in Miami and Los Angeles that Columbus began to warm up to his form of expression.

Now Bryant has a mural, “Spread More Love,” in the city that first turned him down. Nothing could be more indicative of Bryant’s character. He turned a harsh environment into an opportunity to spread love and inclusion.

He turned a harsh environment into an opportunity to spread love and inclusion.

Bryant’s mural, along with others, served as a source of inspiration for the live performances that brought the streets to life. Poets including Wali, Judazya, Tripp Fontane and Vye performed in front of his mural.

On the other side of the Short North, Mason Pryor, Richard Pryor’s son, made an appearance in front of Terry Norman’s mural of Richard Pryor. At Antoinette Savage’s mural, The Exodusters, dancers brought her work to life.

Through dance, music, art and spoken word, the community came together to celebrate and support our local, African American artists. It was an event like no other and an unforgettable experience.

Likeness of Richard Pryor recreated with permission granted by Jennifer Lee Pryor and Indigo, Inc.

Meet the Muralists

Annie Chrissy Burley | Anime Omission (Composite) | 1020 N. High St.

Annie Chrissy Burley is an animator and visual artist. This piece shows a figure named “Anyia,” and her characteristics are based off of a character called Ayanami Rei from the animated series “Neon Genesis Evangelion.” Annie sees Ayanami Rei as a cultural opposite compared to the common representation of a character that looks like Anyia. She’s breaking down the “Big Black Woman” archetype to show a more nuanced picture.

Antoinette Savage | The Exodusters | 921 N. High St.

Antoinette Savage creates dolls that tell the stories of her ancestors: “I strongly believe that, as African Americans, we are our ancestors’ answered prayers. Prayer knows no time or space. So a prayer that was prayed 400 years ago, I’m living right now. But they’re not here to see it. For me, it has been very important that I tell our stories and I tell them with dignity.”

April Sunami | Dviza, 2017 | 772 N. High St.

April Sunami is an artist that strives to impact culture through creating art. This mural, along with her other works, depicts an African, female figure in an active position of power: “It’s just a way of celebrating a history that a lot of people don’t know about. As a person who studied history, I always felt that African history was excluded from the picture.”

Bee1ne | Spread More Love | 1033 N. High St.

Bee1ne, or Bryant Anthony, is a Cleveland-based artists who came to Columbus to attend CCAD. His mural is a part of his current campaign, Spread More Love. In his experience, Bee1ne has learned that people need to show and receive more love in this day and age. His artwork reflects that goal.

Cameron Granger | Urn, Or Another Way To Say I Love You (video still), 2017 | 777 N. Wall St.

Cameron Granger is a filmmaker that came to Columbus to attend CCAD. He has since found a community in this space. His mural is a video still from his film Urn, Or Another Way To Say I Love You. It’s about the distance between “I” and “you” that his love tries to cover.

Debbie Jackson | Bogolan Queen | 790 N. High St.

Debbie Jackson creates African-inspired art jewelry. Her work is currently featured in the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African History and Culture in Washington, D.C. She literally wrote the book on her medium of choice, Polymer Clay Jewelry. She says: “Africa speaks through my art.”

Edmund Boateng | BREAKING LOOSE | 1288 N. High St.

Edmund Boateng is a visual artist and photographer originally from Ghana. “I’m inspired by nature. My explanation of nature is everything that God has created, including humans,” Edmund says. This mural, BREAKING LOOSE, is a self-portrait that illustrates Edmund fighting against his reserved nature.

Malcolm J | Goodale Park | 15 E. Second Ave.

Malcolm J is a Columbus icon. He has gained local acclaim for his images of the Short North. This piece, Goodale Park, shows a view of the fountain in Goodale Park.

Marshall Shorts | I, Too, Sing Columbus | 858 N. High St.

Marshall Shorts is a local branding creative and the man who designed our Harlem Renaissance logo. He wants this campaign to not only celebrate the Harlem Renaissance, but to also ask questions: “Where are we 100 years later? Are we still facing some of the challenges that black folk had during that time period? Are artists still facing the same challenges 100 years later?”

Omar Shaheed | Lady in the Window, 2018, two angles shown | 642 N. High St.

Omar Shaheed is a sculptor who works primarily in limestone. When he first came to Columbus, he says that the arts scene — especially for African Americans — was limiting. Lately, he’s starting to see a shift: “I didn’t really feel comfortable in Columbus from an artist’s perspective because art wasn’t focused on as it is today. I think it was pretty bland. I used to sit and talk with other artists who were here and most of them saw the same thing I saw. For us, for African American artists, to be in the Short North, that’s totally different.”

Richard Duarte Brown | Fleaux Child | 1359 N. High St.

Richard Duarte Brown originally hails from Atlantic City New Jersey. Since then, though, he has become a beloved Columbus artist that works to inspire our local youth. He is an art educator and his mural, Fleaux Child, depicts Louis Othello Berry (a local poet, dancer and Transit Arts alum) performing live.

Terry Norman | Richard Pryor. Medium: Charcoal | 685 N. High St.

Terry Norman is an artist whose charcoal portraits are the stuff of legend. This mural or Richard Pryor is often mistook for a photograph. Make no mistake, Terry drew this piece using charcoal. He is a Columbus native and a self-taught artist.

Likeness of Richard Pryor recreated with permission granted by Jennifer Lee Pryor and Indigo, Inc.

By Hailey Stangebye

Photos courtesy of Marshall Shorts

Marshall Shorts is among the Columbus movers and shakers.

He likens this city to an open canvas — it’s a place where dedicated individuals can create tangible impacts on the community.

“Part of me feels like I can add a stroke on that canvas and become a part of building this city,” Marshall says. “Other cities might have more opportunity or, in some cases, more resources and people, but I think Columbus is exciting because it doesn’t always have that. You can get next to people and connect with people a lot easier. That’s unique.”

“Part of me feels like I can add a stroke on that canvas and become a part of building this city. Other cities might have more opportunity or, in some cases, more resources and people, but I think Columbus is exciting because it doesn’t always have that. You can get next to people and connect with people a lot easier. That’s unique.” 

Marshall is a branding creative and one of the masterminds behind Creative Control Fest, but he’s also a local artist who has dedicated countless hours to help develop the Harlem Renaissance campaign in Columbus. He even designed the Harlem Renaissance logo.

“It’s not so much the acknowledgement or the celebration of the Harlem Renaissance. I think that part tends to get romanticized. But I think, more than anything, it provides an opportunity to educate and create a platform to have a real talk about what was successful about the Harlem Renaissance and what wasn’t so successful, so that we don’t repeat the same mistakes,” Marshall says. “Where are we 100 years later? Are we still facing some of the challenges that black folk had during that time period? Are artists still facing the same challenges 100 years later?”

“Where are we 100 years later? Are we still facing some of the challenges that black folk had during that time period? Are artists still facing the same challenges 100 years later?“

According to Marshall, the campaign in Columbus parallels the historical Harlem Renaissance in more ways than one.

On one hand, there’s been more positive exposure for black artists that have done and continue to do phenomenal work in their communities.

“The works created during the Harlem Renaissance were also in reaction to one of the most violent and tumultuous times against black folk in this country — across the country. While we recognize the art that was created and we celebrate that, that art came from a place of struggle and a place of discrimination and racism and violence and a lot of things.

“I think, for us today, when we see Black Lives Matter and other social movements, the response that happens as a result through art has parallels. Black Lives Matter is in response to vigilante and state violence, amongst other things,” Marshall says.

“The works created during the Harlem Renaissance were also in reaction to one of the most violent and tumultuous times against black folk in this country — across the country. While we recognize the art that was created and we celebrate that, that art came from a place of struggle and a place of discrimination and racism and violence and a lot of things.”

While the reality of this day and age can be disheartening, Marshall remains hopeful and says that he’s already begun to see some of the impacts of the campaign. The Harlem Renaissance Experience at the August Gallery Hop is an example of that.

“On the local level, I’m hoping that black artists feel empowered and that they have a platform to keep creating,” Marshall says. “I know there has been a conversation in Columbus for a long time around access to galleries and buyers and things like that in the Short North.”

This most recent hop opened doors for local, African American artists through galleries. It also added another physical layer to the Short North through the Temporary Mural Series — one, of which, was created by Marshall.

The momentum is here.

“My biggest concern is that, when this campaign ends, that it just ends,” Marshall says. “I want it to be sustainable. I want it to last beyond just the Harlem Renaissance campaign. I want this to be a part of the fabric of this city.”

Marshall says that this kind of organic, intentional sustainability is possible. But it often comes down to a dedicated few. As he mentioned before, Columbus is a place where individual effort counts.

“If you haven’t been involved in the campaign, make something,” Marshall says. “Get involved in some kind of way. If not with the Harlem Renaissance campaign, do something or create something or connect with folks. Continue to build this community outside of the campaign.”

“If you haven’t been involved in the campaign, make something. Get involved in some kind of way. If not with the Harlem Renaissance campaign, do something or create something or connect with folks. Continue to build this community outside of the campaign.“

Marshall is a part of the Short North Mural Series. You can find his mural, I, Too, Am Columbus, at 858 N. High Street.

Marshall’s Work

By Hailey Stangebye

Photos courtesy of Edmund Boateng

Edmund Boateng sees inspiration for art in all of his surroundings.

He could be sitting at dinner with his family when, suddenly, an image outside the window will catch his eye. His brain, captivated by the idea, immediately buzzes with the thought of incorporating that image in his art.

“I’m inspired by nature. My explanation of nature is everything that God has created, including humans,” Edmund says. “In the creative arts, when you say ‘nature’ people just think about plants and animals and stuff like that. I don’t know if everybody thinks the same, but I feel like we don’t include humans. I’m inspired by humans, by people.”

“I’m inspired by nature. My explanation of nature is everything that God has created, including humans. In the creative arts, when you say ‘nature’ people just think about plants and animals and stuff like that. I don’t know if everybody thinks the same, but I feel like we don’t include humans. I’m inspired by humans, by people.” 

When he sits down to draw, Edmund is completely focused. His goal is always to create hyper-realistic representations of his subject. Surprisingly, Edmund has never had any formal training in the visual arts.

But, growing up in Ghana, he was always surrounded by creativity.

“My dad is a shoemaker. He does almost everything in leather, he makes shoes, wallets and belts. Artistry runs in the family,” Edmund says. “I have two uncles: One is a painter and one is an architect… We used to all live in the same house. So, growing up, I used to pick up pencils and watercolors. For as long as I could hold a pencil, I remember drawing.”

When he got to high school, everyone assumed that Edmund would study visual arts. But he surprised them saying, “If I’m able to draw, why would I go to school to learn something that I already know?”

“If I’m able to draw, why would I go to school to learn something that I already know?“

Instead, he pursued general arts, which is where he learned to write scripts for films.

Somewhere along this journey, Edmund stopped drawing seriously. He focused his energy on filmmaking and script writing. That changed when he met Ashton, who is now his wife.

“I started drawing again because my wife now — at the time, we were just talking — she liked art. While we were talking, I mentioned that I draw sometimes and she wanted to see something that I produced,” Edmund says. “So I did a sketch of the inside of my window and shared it with her and she was like, ‘This is really good, you should continue drawing.’”

Ashton continues to encourage Edmund to pursue visual arts. When they arrived in Columbus last year, they started going to Gallery Hop every month. That’s how Edmund fell in love with Sharon Weiss Gallery.

Sharon took an interest in Edmund and asked him to participate in an exhibition featuring self-portraits.

“That self-portrait went really well. It sold in the first 15 minutes of the reception. People were loving it,” Edmund says. “Sharon told me that she only asked me to be a part of it because she believed that I’m a good artist and she saw a future in me. She wanted me to be a part of it, and I was really honored.”

“That self-portrait went really well. It sold in the first 15 minutes of the reception. People were loving it. Sharon told me that she only asked me to be a part of it because she believed that I’m a good artist and she saw a future in me. She wanted me to be a part of it, and I was really honored.“

That piece — which sold in 15 minutes — is a drawing of Edmund holding a camera and a pencil to his face. It demonstrates his dual nature as a photographer and visual artist.  

After such a successful debut, Edmund decided to try a new kind of self-portrait that reveals more of his personality. This second portrait, “BREAKING LOOSE,” is now a mural that can be found at 1288 N. High Street.

“BREAKING LOOSE” illustrates Edmund’s reserved nature and his struggles to break through that shyness and stereotypes through art.

“I’m always reserved and shy. Art is the only thing that I can talk about — boldly talk about — and know what I’m talking about. It gives me joy just to talk or think about it,” Edmund says. “I love to create.”

Edmund is a part of the Short North Mural Series and his work is currently on display at Sharon Weiss Gallery through August 26.

Edmund’s Work