Hellotittie x Lips Cafe 2023
December 2023
LB
LB's dedication to the fusion of art and design goes beyond aesthetics; it's a commitment to creating spaces that not only captivate the eye but also resonate with the soul, fostering an atmosphere where magic and innovation thrive. Get ready to experience design like never before - with LB, it's not just about transforming spaces; it's about creating living works of art.
November 2023
Delainy Faña
La Bruja is a visual artist in all forms. Taking all her life experiences and transmuting it into her art, she has found that this is her medium to connect with people who are reflections of her. She uses colors intentionally when words are a disservice to describe how she is feeling. She claims to continue to grow and work with her hands in any way possible. La Bruja is a prism.
October 2023
Ijenna Duruaku
Ijenna Duruaku, also known as childish_sunspot, is a 25-year-old Black non-binary Nigerian Caribbean-American college graduate, artist, creative and poet. At the age of 3, they realized their purpose as an artist and has been on their artist’s pilgrimage for over two decades. Through their work they explore their mental health in relation to the dynamics of family, as well as their places in society through colorful, engaging, and detailed lenses. Using ballpoint pen, ink, acrylic, watercolor, and a myriad of multimedia materials, Ijenna tries to make sense of these impacted emotions with an explosive sense of texture and colorful flare. Cross-hatching is executed with ballpoint pen to add sensory shade range and depth, while vibrant watercolor evokes the dimensional layers of Ijenna’s various subjects. However, these mediums also spotlight the depth in the artist’s story. To Ijenna, art is not just a hobby. It is an extension of their existence; it is a mirror to their perception of the world's revolution through time. Speaking truth to power, Ijenna continues evolve in medium use and emotional maturity. With this evolution, Ijenna works to inspire fellow Black queer individuals who feel unseen and unheard in their journey to emotional freedom and independence.
September 2023
Kiarra Elliot
Born and raised in Southern California, Kiarra Elliot, started her interest in the arts at an early age. She embraced her artist journey even more in high school while attending a performing arts high school focusing on visual arts. She continued her studies of the arts into college, and in 2013 she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Studio Arts. At the end of her college career, she found herself asking the question more and more - " Where are the representation of my people or those that look like myself and my family?" How can I create work that is both unique, empowering, and spark conversations, while also keeping our environment in mind? These very questions sparked the creation of Afrocentric Keyy; an Eco-conscious oil paint portraiture style using recycled wood as her canvas! By repurposing these wood materials, she was able to turn “trash into treasure” creating distinctive human figures and animal-infused portraits. Digging deeper into her process she found herself seeing life differently and carving out her own art genre. She has coined ‘Contemporary Afro-Realism Portraiture’. Her work mimics viewing the world through thermal night vision goggles. Through these thermal goggles, she discovered that she no longer saw the ordinary limbs, skin, hair, and eyes; but instead, she saw beyond it, and glimpsed the unseen. Kiarra saw the red and green undertones, the orange and blue shadows with teal highlights and golden streaks where the light reflected against the curvature of bone and muscle. With these details, she was able to bring focus to promote our beauty, strength, realness, and uniqueness in each painting. The goal is to generate a two-way engagement, involving visual interaction and telling of the stories of Black women. Each painting opens a space to ignite emotions and start conversations around art and the visual representation of those from the African, African American, and Afro-Caribbean diaspora. Now residing in New York City Kiarra has developed a knack for expressing herself through vibrant use of color and creativity. Afrocentric Keyy has become more than just a name and brand; it has become who she is and the mark she wants to leave on the world.
May 2023
Tanaja Brown
She is an artist. Her life is her canvas! Tanaja Monet Brown is an amazing new artist from New York. Tanaja studied Art Education and Studio Art at Delaware State University, where she received her bachelor’s degree.
A mighty flame follows a tiny spark. Tanaja’s love for art began at a very early age. She can remember being captivated by her brother’s art projects and as soon as she was able to hold a pencil, she began to imitate his work. As her passion for art grew, so did her talent and she began to use her artistic expression to create portraits, paintings and drawings.
She sees the world as a magical grouping of light and shadows. Today, Tanaja creates beautiful custom portraits for clients all across the country and teaches art to elementary students. She’s shown at art galleries in Philadelphia and maintains a successful online studio at tmbartistry.com, where clients can commission custom artwork or choose from the inspired collection of works featured on the site. Tanaja’s love for art education comes across when she facilitates private painting events for children, groups, corporate teams and general art enthusiasts. She ensures her events are lively, fun and that participants are focused and engaged the entire time. Her favorite part of the experience is when her students begin to see their artwork take shape before their eyes. Tanaja hopes to spark passion in her students as she embarks on her career in art education and, with all she’s accomplished so far, she’s sure to accomplish her goal!
March 2023
Rosa Fortys
Rosa Fortys is a New York-based artist who primarily works with watercolors and acrylics. Her paintings explore the sacred roots of modern religious traditions, the fraught place of immigrants in America, and ordinary scenes of domestic life suffused with mythological iconography. Her vibrant use of color lifts meditations on grief and displacement into the realm of the ecstatic.Forty’s background as a first-generation American and mother of three children informs her artistic outlook. She has a fine arts degree from El Paso Community College, where she became involved in the local arts community and developed an abiding interest in natural landscapes. Since returning to New York, she has shown her work in dozens of art shows throughout the Tri-state area.
February2023
Andrew Greenaway
Rosa Fortys is a New York-based artist who primarily works with watercolors and acrylics. Her paintings explore the sacred roots of modern religious traditions, the fraught place of immigrants in America, and ordinary scenes of domestic life suffused with mythological iconography. Her vibrant use of color lifts meditations on grief and displacement into the realm of the ecstatic.Forty’s background as a first-generation American and mother of three children informs her artistic outlook. She has a fine arts degree from El Paso Community College, where she became involved in the local arts community and developed an abiding interest in natural landscapes. Since returning to New York, she has shown her work in dozens of art shows throughout the Tri-state area.