ARTIST STATEMENT

My work is a visual exploration of Sankofa, a concept deeply rooted in the African diaspora that calls us to look back in order to move forward. Using heavy body acrylics, I create textured, layered compositions that embody the depth and resilience of cultural memory.

With a background in psychology and history, I am drawn to the ways identity, memory, and collective consciousness shape our understanding of self and community. My art reflects this inquiry, merging historical narratives with personal storytelling to honor ancestral wisdom and reclaim lost connections.
For years, I paused my artistic journey to start a family, immersing myself in the transformative experience of motherhood. Now, as I return to my practice as a full-time artist and educator, I approach my work with renewed purpose—seeking to bridge past and present, self and society, knowledge and intuition.
Through bold colors, rich textures, and dynamic movement, I invite viewers into a dialogue about history, heritage, and healing. Each brushstroke is an act of remembering, a celebration of roots, and a statement of resilience. My work serves as both an offering and an inquiry—how do we honor the past while forging new futures?

LaKeisha J. Smith-Martin is a multidisciplinary visual and performing artist and a well-known art educator in the Southwest Georgia region. With dual degrees in History, Psychology, and Art, LaKeisha brings a unique interdisciplinary approach to her work, blending historical research, psychological inquiry, and creative expression. Currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Art Education, she is focused on using art as a tool for healing, empowerment, and cultural dialogue.

ARTIST BIOGRAPHY

LaKeisha’s current artistic practice revolves around her Sankofa-inspired projects, which celebrate cultural heritage and foster community dialogue. Her work encourages self-reflection and invites viewers to explore the power of reclaiming ancestral wisdom. As an educator, LaKeisha is deeply passionate about mentoring young artists, promoting the transformative power of art, and encouraging students to use creative expression as a means of connection, healing, and personal growth.
Her quote, “I am an Artist. Creation is my skill. With Imagination and Dedication I won’t have to travel. I can build my destination,” speaks to who LaKeisha is as an artist—a small-town dreamer with big aspirations for her community. For LaKeisha, art is not just creation but innovation—an opportunity to learn, teach, believe, and inspire.

ARTIST STATEMENT

In 2018, I developed a piece titled Strength, Determination, Peace. It was a symbol of the start of a new journey after graduating college. Little did I know, I’d need these words for the rest of my life. Strength is needed for all the things life throws at you. Determination is needed to be successful. Finding peace in everyday life is a part of that success.

The elephants are a representation of spiritual guidance, leading me with good orderly direction. They also represent strength, determination, and peace. I choose to walk in their path and live with these words in my heart.

ARTIST BIOGRAPHY

Born and raised in Albany, Georgia, Aniessa fell in love with art at a very young age. She would sit and watch her mother draw little doodles in books at home, so she started doing the same things. Soon those doodles turned into drawings, and with every school she attended, her peers knew her as the artist.

Aniessa realized art was her passion at twelve years old. Her mother signed her up for orchestra in school. At the time, children could not participate in both music and art classes. A choice had to be made; however, her love grew for the violin. But at home, she still created beautiful artwork and often brought it to school to show the art instructor.

No one forced her to keep making art. It was something she was determined to do. It was the only skill she had patience for. That is when you know something is your calling.

Aniessa continued with art in college, attending Albany State University, graduating top of her class as the 2017-2018 Art Student of the Year. Today she’s teaching art to young students in hopes of following her footsteps. She wishes to grow her art beyond measures so the world can see what she’s capable of.

ARTIST STATEMENT

Photography, for me, is a way to tell stories that might otherwise go unheard. I am drawn to the moments in between—the quiet glances, the laughter, the stillness—that reveal something true about who we are. My work explores themes of identity, connection, and the shared experiences that shape us. Inspired by art history and my love for creative community spaces, I aim to create images that invite reflection and spark conversation. Each photograph is an opportunity to capture a fleeting moment and preserve it as part of a larger, ongoing narrative.

In honor of Women’s History Month, this black-and-white photographic series is a tribute to the resilience, strength, and grace of women across all stages of life. From infancy to old age, each profile captures a moment—a story—woven into the collective experience of womanhood. These images depict women working and playing, engaged in everyday rituals and passions: housework, boxing, creating art, embracing pregnancy, applying makeup, dancing, and caring for animals. Each act, whether of labor, leisure, or love, speaks to the multifaceted nature of womanhood.
At the heart of this series is a charcoal drawing of Mother Mary, inspired by Michelangelo’s Pietà, a timeless symbol of compassion, sacrifice, and quiet strength. In black and white, her sorrow and devotion become universal, bridging past and present. Like Mary, the women in these portraits carry burdens, create beauty, and nurture life. Their stories echo hers—acts of endurance, tenderness, joy, and faith.

The choice of black and white is intentional. Stripped of color, the images focus on form, light, and shadow—the contrasts that define both art and existence. In these monochrome profiles, there is a quiet power, an intimacy that honors the depth of each woman’s journey.

Through this work, I seek to remind us that Mary is not just a figure of the past. She is present in the women who work, who fight, who create, who love, who rest, and who play. She exists in the strength of mothers, daughters, and grandmothers, in every moment of struggle, joy, and grace. This series is a reflection of them—of us.

ARTIST BIOGRAPHY

I am a photographer based in Albany, Georgia, with a deep love for capturing the beauty of everyday life. With a background in art history and a passion for storytelling, my work focuses on the people, places, and moments that make up the rich tapestry of Southern culture. Whether through documentary or portrait photography, I strive to highlight authenticity, emotion, and the quiet details that often go unnoticed. In addition to my creative work, I am dedicated to fostering artistic expression and community engagement through my leadership role at the Albany Museum of Art. I am blessed to be supported by my wonderful family, my incredible husband, and our two beautiful girls.

ARTIST STATEMENT

My work gives visual context to perception. A piece of our human experience is the ability to create context and correlations between two dissimilar ideas. In particular, my current body of work explores the commonalities identity and relationship have with flora and color. More recently, the work I have created centers the idea of “people of color” as a way to separate skin tone from the vibrancy of our human experience.

History has been written attempting to capture and make something fleeting permanent. Life, in all its forms, is transient. Paintings, handwritten notes, photographs, and videos were created to document the idea that our lives are important, if only to one observer. In paint, I feature faces from the African diaspora, saturated color, and visual metaphors. I take inspiration from relationships, which I believe are the root of our existence. Questioning and experimenting with the quality of those relationships with ourselves and others visually begins a conversation. Taking cues from surrealism and magical realism artists, I explore ideas such as love, beauty, strength, and existence itself using personal and cultural symbols.

Flowers, in particular, have a similar quality in their necessity to life, beauty, and transience while maintaining a relationship to every other living thing in some capacity. The symbolic meaning given to individual species and colors assists in building the narrative each painting conveys. My work will continue to explore perception, identity, and sentience in a personal context while advocating uncomfortable conversations.

ARTIST BIOGRAPHY

Camyljah Rose is a Georgian gardener and artist with work focusing on shared human experiences and relating those with flowers. She graduated from Albany State University with a concentration on Fine Art in 2017 and Georgia College and State University with a Master’s in Secondary Education with an Arts Education concentration. Giddens enjoys sharing her education and experience with children as a Visual Arts Teacher.

As a mother and gardener, Camyljah enjoys creating beautiful experiences with her family and friends. Art for her serves to record evidence of our shared experiences.