to Strange Fruit Arts Center
The mission of Strange Fruit is to connect people with African American art through innovative, unique art, and art education by local African American artists where talents are exposed to the community. In turn, artists share their gift and love of art by educating other art enthusiasts from beginners to advanced classes and pop-up events which would enrich and contribute to the economic development of the community.
Featured Artists
LaShawn McArthur
Born in Pittsburgh, PA, LaShawn moved to the Tampa Bay Area in 2015 where she was inspired to embark on a hobby second to shopping. LaShawn set up a sewing station in her laundry room and would stay up until the wee hours of the night absorbing what she could from the numerous sewing videos available on YouTube. .
Tonia Mitchell
Tonya B. Williams (b. 1963, United States) is a self-taught artist who mainly works with acrylic on canvas. By exploring abstraction, light, color and texture, Williams creates intense personal statements masterfully designed and devoid of rules. Carefully balancing harmony and chaos, her work gives the viewer a peek inside her collective memory.
Monek Harris
Monek L. Harris was born in Peoria IL, in 1966. Growing up in Peoria, she describes herself as having always possessed a naturally creative spirit for as long as she can remember. From creative hair styling as a kid to painting, leather work, woodwork, and any DIY project she could get her hands on, she was introduced to the technique of beading using semi-precious stones more than 20 years ago.
About Us
The song, ‘Strange Fruit,’ written by Abel Meeropol in 1937, and made popular through the unique voice of legendary jazz singer Billie Holiday, represents the horrific lynching of black people in the American South during the early 1900’s.
The song exposed the harsh brutality and dirty little secret of racism in America. In stark contrast to the metaphor of the song, the idea of changing the narrative of Strange Fruit was born and transformed into Strange Fruit Arts Center.
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