Beloved Community Portraits of Honor Opening Reception

Studio 116 is excited to present Beloved Community: Portraits of Honor with paintings and sculpture by Irish American artist Evie Lennon that highlight her African American heroes, both public and personal, in the ongoing movement for Civil Rights.

Inspiration for Beloved Community arose as public conversations intensified around Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and the faces of the people Lennon deeply admired kept entering her mind. The exhibit honors a variety of Lennon’s heroes, many of them former colleagues from a career as an art educator in predominantly African American schools in Kansas City and as a hospital chaplain in Atlanta. Lennon’s perspective was profoundly shaped by the resilience and dedication of her fellow educators as well as by students, their families, and healthcare professionals.

Lennon’s work has been exhibited widely, including in venues in Kansas City, Atlanta, Minneapolis, and Tulsa. She is the author and illustrator of the art journaling guide “Drawing Comfort for Chronic Conditions” and has created murals for public and private spaces including St. Luke’s Hospital in Kansas City and in numerous locations in Atlanta.