Kaila Austin Artist of Color; Black/African American; Literary Arts; Portrait; Visual Arts: Mixed Media, Murals, Painting, Portrait, Visual Arts Instructor, Works on paper
Kaila Austin is a painter and mixed media artist based out of Indianapolis, Indiana. She has been a participant in Murals for Racial Justice with the Arts Council of Indianapolis and has been interviewed for several magazines emphasizing Black arts and culture across the United States. Currently, she has a painting studio located at 201 Studios, where she also works as a bookbinder and printmaker.
Austin works primarily in mixed media portraiture, focusing on the ways in which the arts can humanize Blackness after centuries of visual culture that has been subversive and noxious. Working traditionally in oil portraits, she has spent the last year expanding her work into mixed media loosen the rigidity tied to classical notions of what art is supposed to be. She primarily uses community members from around Indianapolis as the subject of her work, seeking to elevate everyday people and common people to the grandeur of historical narrative paintings.
Tasha Beckwith Artist of Color; Black/African American; Ethnic Art; Graphic Arts; Portrait; Visual Arts: Graphic Arts, Illustration, Mixed Media, Murals, Painting
Tasha Beckwith is an Indianapolis-based visual artist. She studied painting and drawing at the Herron School of Art & Design, IUPUI, but honed her skills in graphic design and digital art on her own. Her portrait-based work combines expressionism, realism, and surrealism and she cites science fiction, fantasy, and Afrocentric themes as her inspirations. Recent work includes billboards encouraging participation in the 2020 census, participation in an artistic campaign encouraging people to #MaskUpIndy, and the neighborhood history mural inside the brand-new Martindale-Brightwood branch of the Indianapolis Public Library. Beckwith works in a variety of media including digital design, oil painting, and resin.
Phyllicia Carr Artist of Color; Black/African American; Ethnic Art; Multi Arts; Portrait
Phyllicia Carr is a multidisciplinary artist from Indianapolis, IN and is known for expressing herself through visual art, graphic design, and photography. Her colorful figurative portraits are inspired from vivid dreams, dialogue, research, and deep introspective revelation. Her work encompasses realism and surrealism mixed with abstract elements while highlighting her subjects with nature. Phyllicia uses her intuition as a guide to explore and communicate the importance of empowerment, love, beauty, vulnerability, and healing for the African American community.
She received her B.A. in Communication from North Carolina A&T State University. Her work has been featured in cities across the United States in Atlanta, Indianapolis, and Los Angeles. Her recent work was exhibited at Indy’s Meet The Artist, WACO Theater Center’s Wearable Art Gala founded by Richard Lawson & Tina Knowles Lawson, and was a top 4 finalist in the Finishline x Puma sponsored shoe design competition powered by Pattern Magazine and Martk’d.
Phillip Gilkeson Graphic Arts; Portrait; Visual Arts: Ceramics, Film, Graphic Arts, Illustration, Media and Visual Communications, New Media/Technology, Painting, Photography, Portrait, Visual Arts Instructor, Works on paper
I’m a Visual Communications Student currently working towards my degree. I’m self-taught in Adobe software products (Photoshop, Illustrator, After Effects). My work has been described as having retro and synth-wave vibes, As I specialize in surrealist works. I think it is exuberating to bring something that never existed before, into this re@li_ty::..
Candice Hartsough Graphic Arts; Portrait; Visual Arts: Graphic Arts, Illustration, Mixed Media, Painting, Works on paper; Digital
Candice Hartsough is a freelance illustrator living and working in Indianapolis, Indiana. Since graduating from the Herron School of Art and Design in 2005, she has illustrated for children’s books, magazines, small and large businesses and nonprofits, designed many logos, started a children’s apparel line (Kitten & Acorn) where she runs the (one woman) art department, travelled the midwest selling prints of her work and other goodies, participated in group and solo gallery shows, made over 200 personal portraits for families across the globe, and created three children. Among other things.
James Kelly Portrait; Visual Arts: Illustration, Murals, Painting, Portrait; Bubble Artist
I have been working in Indianapolis for twenty years. Most of my work has been commissions.
I specialize in portraits. I typically work in oils. I am also Indy’s only Bubble Man! Known as BubbleJim.com. I bring bubble magic to the young and old at heart. Bubbles bring you joy and fun!
Portraiture has always been my favorite subject.
Brittany Nicole Graphic Arts; Multi Arts; Portrait; Visual Arts: Earthworks, Graphic Arts, Illustration, Mixed Media, Murals, Painting, Portrait, Works on paper
I’m an Indianapolis based self taught artist.
I create feminine forms that flow from my imagination to fit myself in many ways. To realize my dreams and thoughts onto paper. I find it meditative.
Mary Lee Pappas Literary Arts; Portrait; Visual Arts: Painting, Printmaking, Textiles
Pappas is an Indianapolis native and freelance journalist having worked as an art critic for NUVO Newsweekly and arts journalist for the IndyStar. She is an oil painter and printmaker.
Megan Reed Graphic Arts; Multi Arts; Political Artist; Portrait
Designer, illustrator and artist. Owner of Rolling Rook Studio.
Claude Smith-Kenny Performing Arts: Actor/Actress; Political Artist; Portrait; Visual Arts: Constructions/Collage, Functional and/or Decorative, Illustration, Jewelry, Mixed Media, Painting, Performance Art, Portrait, Textiles, Visual Arts Instructor, Works on paper
I am a Queer and Trans artist interested in dismantling colonialist and patriarchal ideals of fine art by exploring and blurring the boundaries of Queer Aesthetics, Fine Art, and Low Art/Craft. By intentionally making art that is accessible to people who are not wealthy art collectors, I seek to empower myself and other marginalized artists as not only the creators, but also as the consumers.
Jonathan Southern Artist of Color; Black/African American; Portrait; Visual Arts: Illustration, Mixed Media, Works on paper; Freelance Portrait Artist
Jonathan Southern is a self-taught portrait artist living in Indianapolis, Indiana. He is the owner and founder of J.South Art Studio.
Jarrod Stone Portrait
My name is Jarrod Stone (ArtbyJarrod), and I’m a local artist in Indianapolis.
I specialize in portrait art, logo design, and more. My preferred mediums are pencil, pen, color pencils, and acrylics.
Katrina Turk Portrait; Visual Arts: Graphic Arts, Illustration, Painting, Portrait, Works on paper
Katrina has a BFA in Drawing and illustration, 10 years of freelance experience, and nearly 4 years as and in-house illustrator at an e-commerce product design company.
She has completed several portraits and character illustrations and many games, toy and halloween costume designs with past and current clients.
Many of her projects are on amazon or other e-commerce platforms. These include: Dog and Puppy Playing Cards, Wolves of Mercia, Master’s Relics, The Deck of Many Things and Fates, The Deck of Many Friends and Foes, Master’s Atlas Adventures, Hnefetafl, Hauntlook Halloween Costume Design, Busy Barnyard toys for Imagination Generation, and many canvas bags for holiday and gift occasions.
Taylor Walker Multi Arts; Portrait; Visual Arts: Illustration, Mixed Media, Murals, Painting, Portrait, Works on paper; Encaustic
TayloredIllustration is a Fine Art & Illustration Studio creating hand crafted keepsakes for sentimentalists who want deeply personal art that connects. Specializing in portraits, children’s art, encaustics and greeting cards, I bring your unique story to life with stunning visuals that’ll exceeds your expectations.
Detail is the hallmark of my work. Everything I do is detailed; from delicate cat whiskers, burnt edges on a holiday card, to perfectly blended makeup…detail is what sets me apart. I thrive on taking the time to capture elements that most wouldn’t have the patience for. It’s thrilling taking something to the extreme and hearing my clients exclaim, ” I can’t believe you noticed the way Cooper’s right eye is slightly more closed!” Detail is what makes us all unique, and detail is what separates a portrait of a brunette little girl, from a portrait of YOUR brunette little girl. Detail is what makes the difference between average and stunning. I strive for stunning.
Maxine Wallace Artist of Color; Black/African American; Media; Political Artist; Portrait
Maxine Wallace is a visual storyteller based in Indianapolis. She believes that good storytelling relies not only on technical skill but creating an emotional connection with her subjects and collaborators.
Disclaimer : The Arts Council of Indianapolis provides this database and website as a service to artists, arts organizations, and consumers alike. All information contained within the database and website was provided by the artists or arts organizations. No adjudication or selection process was used to develop this site or the artists and organizations featured. While the Arts Council of Indianapolis makes every effort to present accurate and reliable information on this site, it does not endorse, approve, or certify such information, nor does it guarantee the accuracy, completeness, efficacy, timeliness, or correct sequencing of such information.
