onefinearts

By Ayodele Ojo

The Artfully Spaced Global Inc/Artfully Spaced Gallery, (ASG) in Los Angeles will be celebrating its fifth juried exhibition Themed “360 degree of healing II ” in March 2021,and considering the troublesome times the whole world went through or rather still going through in year 2020, the theme is apt in all ramification although it was inspired by a different reason, it is resilience in its personal interpretation in our society on a daily basis.

Sibyl Walton and Sylvia Mackey who co-founded ASG are both long time friends and residence of South-Central, Windsor Hills and View Park, Los Angeles, so when it was time to nurture their dreams of developing and celebrating art it was natural to open a gallery in the areas they grew up in and attended high school.

 These two African-American female gallerists are also alumni of Crenshaw High School in the Crenshaw District of Los Angeles, one of a very few African American female alumni of Crenshaw High School to own a contemporary art gallery in the surrounding Crenshaw area of Windsor Hills.

ASG opened its door since 2016, as a community benefitting art gallery whose purpose is to exhibit, showcase, educate and motivate artists and the public while advancing cultural and entrepreneurial artistry benefit and growth. The gallery held its first juried group exhibition in March 2017, although the ongoing pandemic has slowed down activities, but with a little bit of innovation, they have managed to stay afloat.

According to Sibyl, “The gallery contains works that raise viewers’ interests, curiosity, self-reflection, and hope for all touched by these works examining healing equity evidenced by our adoration for the artists and cultures represented.

The theme healing was voted on by our directors. We all put theme names and phrases in to vote,
Fidelis Odogwu (one of our Directors) initially turned in the phrase healing and everyone voted on it. From there I asked my brother how could we work on the theme that had the word healing in it. My brother said “let me think on it because healing is so subjective”. Another friend during a discussion mentioned 360 Degrees and it came to me that’s it!. We put the phrase together and came up with the theme title. It is ironic that my brother was actually dealing with his own power of healing that at the time I had no idea he was fighting for his life with an illness that he succumbed to this past July.

Sibyl while explaing further about the theme said, “This year 2020 we did not have the works before the theme was chosen, we never do because this round for healing ll resilience is the focus. The first one we had not seen the works yet, we were were asking for submissions that reflected the feeling of life taking people through valleys and mountains while finding our personal healing journey”

ASG’s mission is to expand the understanding of art and artists in diaspora as change makers both in the corporate settings, art communities and institutions, by building relationships with creatives, academics, senior citizenry, youth and young adults.

Sibyl is so down-to-heart, and easy to have a conversation with during our interview said “we want to create a legacy of humility with leadership by giving back to others”. ASG’s nonprofit approach brings innovative programs and a wide array of interdisciplinary perspectives and ideas to every residency, every exhibition, every workshop and every panel talk.

Application for 360 Degrees of healing II closes by November, 30. Interested artists can click here.