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The Children’s Art Carnival (CAC), a cherished Harlem arts institution founded by visionary artist and educator Betty Blayton-Taylor, unveils its vibrant fall/winter 2024-2025 season dedicated to celebrating creativity and community. In line with Blayton-Taylor’s mission to enrich Harlem through accessible arts education, CAC offers programs that unite diverse families and foster cultural exchange in West Harlem. Highlights of this season’s offerings include the popular ‘Press and Pull’ printmaking series in collaboration with the esteemed EFA Robert Blackburn Printmaking Workshop.
In a powerful alliance with The Colored Girls Museum (TCGM), CAC presents ‘First Time I Ever Saw Your Face,’ an evocative portrait exhibition that is a celebration of young Black girls. This initiative, inspired by Roberta Flack’s iconic song, invites selected artists to capture Black girlhood’s beauty, resilience, and complexity through portraits of their muses. “This exhibition is an intimate celebration of Black girls’ lived experiences and stories, says, TCGM Founder Vashti DuBois. It creates a space where community members can reflect, connect, and honor the brilliance of Black girlhood.”
The commissioned artists and their young muses include:
Moses Harper with muse Cayla McTair, Age 13
Kephera Ife with muse Shiloh Lecky, Age 16
Gwendolyn Black with muse Zoe Browner, Age 16
Amber Doniere with muse Tyoné Hunley-Williams, Age 18
The exhibition opens on January 29 and will run until March 9, 2025.
CAC’s Studio Artist Workspace Program continues to be a cornerstone of its mission, offering subsidized studio space to Harlem-based artists. This program not only provides a platform for artistic expression but also fosters a unique environment for creative exchange. Current artists in residence, including Wilhelmina Grant, Dionis Ortiz, Tomo Mori, Milagros Batista, and Martha Jones, actively engage Harlem families in their artistic processes, building a more profound sense of connection and shared experience.
