Meet the artists involved
Kaylynn aka Ponchi Berrios, Piper Robbins, Halley DeAndrade, Jon Jackson, Madelyn Brooks, Scout Bach, Dominic Forniti, and Grace Forniti.
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Howdy, I am a queer artist and music historian based in Cleveland, Ohio.
“In Memory of Sweet Bailey” (acrylic, 2023) was created after learning about
the death of a lovely, spirited person, Bailey Sankari. She was so bright and full of love and laughter. When we worked in the studio together late at night, I would show her my paintings to get her artistic approval. I looked up to her. After her passing, it was difficult to paint, especially with color. But after a couple of weeks, I knew I couldn’t avoid the pain forever and knew that Bailey wouldn’t have wanted me to stop painting, that’s what we bonded over. So, this painting is all black and white acrylic. I did not want to paint anything rigid, I wanted everything to flow. The snake wrapped around the flower pedals to the glossy eye, the mouth shouting with no voice but only sight. The painting is not technically finished but I am finished with it. I painted until that
suffocating feeling let go. The natural instinct of guilt and confusion leaves my body, that’s when I knew to stop. There isn’t a day where I do not think of Bailey, our last interaction, or the notes she would leave on my workstation. Our time together was short but I do not take it for granted. I am thankful to have met such a kind soul and I hope to make her proud with what I create.
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Halley DeAndrade is a graduate of the Cleveland Institute of Art, where she studied photography and creative writing. Her artistic practice blends multiple mediums, including found images, poetry, and photography, creating a dynamic and thought-provoking body of work.
Central themes in Halley's art include her personal journey of grappling with the murder of a loved one, alongside the exploration of society’s treatment of individuals struggling with addiction. Through her work, she invites viewers to reflect on complex issues such as trauma, loss, and empathy.
This exploration is deeply personal, influenced by the unresolved murder of my grandmother, Babs, and the court system’s inhumane portrayal of her. My work invites viewers to question the narratives constructed by these certain factors, asking whether these depictions strip away her humanity. The project is a deeply personal collection, combining my grandmother’s own photography, photographs of her, her personal belongings, court documents, and my poetry. Each page is carefully curated to juxtapose these elements, creating a dialogue between the official and the intimate, which is myself. This process of assembling the book involved selecting which items held the most significance and allowing my grief and sorrow to shape the poetry that accompanied them.
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Madelyn Brooks is a photographer and videographer currently located in Lakewood, Ohio. Since the age of eight, Madelyn has had an artistic connection to the world around them, prompting a connection to visual art.
In their photography and photo transfers, they explore the profound and often painful journey of memory, particularly as it relates to the loss of my mother. Each image is a fragment of her presence, capturing fleeting moments that once felt permanent.
"As time passes, my recollections of her face grow increasingly elusive, fading like the photographs themselves. Through this work, I utilize the technique of photo transfer to blur the lines between memory and reality. The deliberate imperfections in the transfers symbolize the way grief distorts and erodes our recollections. Layers of texture and color reflect the complexity of my emotions—both the warmth of cherished memories and the sharpness of absence. This body of work is an intimate dialogue with loss, a visual manifestation of the struggle to hold on to a loved one while grappling with the inevitable fading of their image in my mind. It is a meditation on how we remember, forget, and ultimately, the ways we seek to preserve the essence of those we’ve lost."
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My name is Kaylynn “Ponchi” Berrios, I am a generational spiritual practitioner, psychic-medium, and channeler. I am currently a full time student working on two undergraduate degrees as well as my master’s in Counseling and Art Therapy.
I am an ancestral practitioner and I try to honor each and every place in which my ancestors came from. You can see this influence in my everyday art. For this project I chose to incorporate as many of my recently departed family members as possible using photos, symbols, and multiple mediums. Unfortunately coming from a big family means lots of loss, and I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to honor my loved ones through my art.
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Portrait Artist & Printmaker based in South Euclid, OH
My work is influenced heavily by music, the abstract, and my lived experience as a black creative from Cleveland. With my work, I aim to connect with as many as I can while still remaining as authentic as possible.
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Scout Bach is an African-American interdisciplinary artist whose work primarily consists of playful portrayals of figures and thrown stoneware bodies. Born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio, particularly hailed from Coventry in Cleveland Heights. They graduated from Cleveland School of the Arts (2022), alongside internships at arts organizations including, the School of the New York Times, Newbridge, The Cleveland Print Room, and Terravista Studios.
Scout’s work reflects their interest in the philosophy of self-hood. Constantly contrasting what is thought and what is real. Inner versus external identity, healing the inner child, and exploring the self. Heavily inspired by early 2000’s cartoons within their likeness and color story. As well as, Kevin Snipes and his study of otherness and human behavior. Sound and music also play a role in the inspiration behind Scout’s work. Riot Grrrl was a subcultural movement in the 1990s, which they accredit to their grit, substance, and femme-themes. Scout urges their audience to start a conversation and above all, question their surroundings.
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Grace Forniti is the Founder and Executive Creative Director of HumanHeART Studios. She began her entrepreneurial journey at the age of 20 and draws much of her inspiration for both her art and business from her childhood in Cleveland, Ohio. A singular mission drives Grace: to make Greater Cleveland a better place for all who call it home, through the power of art.
"My name is Grace Forniti. I am an artist, mother, and entrepreneur.
I make art because I simply can't help it! My pieces project all my big and small emotions, including those I do not understand.
I would describe my art style as both strategic and mindless, typically mocking the form of a face.
Faces are my go-to because the human face tells so many stories, making them the best way for me to tell mine.
I love to indulge in a variety of mediums, but usually use whatever material is present and available."
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Dominic was born and raised just outside the Cleveland area and has lived there ever since. Since co-founding Human Heart Studios a few years ago, he has developed a deeper connection with the city of Cleveland, meeting like-minded artists who have contributed to his growth as an artist. It wasn’t until his senior year of high school that he discovered a passion for writing, which led him to buy a camera shortly after. Dominic is a self-taught filmmaker and photographer, learning through studying other artists and collaborating with friends. This is his first time participating in a curated art show, and he is very grateful for Human Heart Studios and what it is becoming.
Dominic draws inspiration from many sources to influence his work. Aware of the impact art can have and the responsibility of being an artist, he strives to make the most of the resources available to him. Through his work, Dominic aims to capture the essence of human experiences and inspire positive change in the community.