Celebrating the vitality of diverse cultural and ethnic heritages in Holland, MI.
For the second year in a row, we offered a live Portraiture class with Artist and Civil Rights Activist Elizabeth Jenkins, assisted by Intern Abi Nasari, an international student from Tanzania. We hired models who are all 1st or 2nd-generation immigrants who are active leaders in our community and asked them to share about their experiences and perspectives in response to a series of questions regarding culture, identity, geography, and community engagement/belonging.
Over the course of 9 weeks, students gained confidence in rendering realistic portraits using a variety of mediums including charcoal, oil paints, pastels, and acrylics, while also learning about the personal lives of our honored guests. Elizabeth introduced students to the Loomis Method, and they drew inspiration and encouragement from the work of Alice Neel and Jordan Casteel. Modeling this semester:
Abi Nasari, Hope College Studio Art Major, International Student from Tanzania
JP Sundararajan, who came to Iowa from Bangor for College and became a citizen after moving to Holland, Head of Global Missions, Reformed Church of America
Michelle Vera Garcia, who’s family was among the first Filipino immigrants to Holland (Filipino/Hispanic American), Home Healthcare Nurse, with a career in Child and Adult Protective Services
Mar Carrillo, (Mexican American) Global Brand Manager at Amway, former Board Member and CultureWorks supporter
Jenny Arrollo-Bell, adopted from Korea, Home Healthcare Nurse whose first position as a nurse was in the ER at the start of the pandemic
Zahabia Ahmed-Usmani, (Pakistani American) Program Coordinator for the Kauffman Interfaith Institute
Odalis Medellin, (Mexican American) CultureWorks Alum and former Intern, recent Graduate from GRCC
This class was funded in part by a Mellon Foundation Community-Based Initiatives grant, in partnership with Hope College Department of Art and Art History. We’re so grateful for this support as we seek to empower diverse leadership at CultureWorks (staff, interns, and visiting artists) and develop curriculum that celebrates multicultural and multiethnic heritages.
