Native Dallas artist creating a positive impact at Babson College with “The Pursuit of Womanhood”
A dual exhibition of paintings by Babson Alums Lashonda Cooks ’10 and Jamaal Eversley ’10. The Hollister Gallery will host The Pursuit of Womanhood by LaShonda Cooks and Smells like Teen Spirit by Jamaal Eversley. Join these two alums for a lively Q&A session and talk about their art processes and how Babson prepared them for a life long journey in the art world.
LaShonda Cooks’ and Jamaal Eversley’s Art Exhibition “A Coming of Age” at Babson College: This year LaShonda and Jamaal, who both graduated from Babson College in 2010, have been invited back to have a month long art exhibition entitled “A Coming of Age”. They will introduce the art exhibition with a reception and artist talk during the kickoff of the college’s big alumnae reunion weekend. This is especially a memorable event due to the fact that Babson, being known as business and entrepreneurial college, is celebrating their two alums for becoming artists. The reception is scheduled for September 15th at 4:30pm until 7pm.
The work that LaShonda and Jamaal are producing for this exhibition has personal and deep connections that viewers across cultures and communities can easily identify with. LaShonda has found strength and solace in painting women who define and defy societal roles. She uses short, fluid strokes and layered colors to make impressionistic paintings of the people who shaped, transformed, and expanded her definition of womanhood. While Jamaal’s bold paintings are driven by the fictional characters that inhabit them, the students of Eachville High, each of whom are depicted as colorful iconic cartoon shapes. The focal character in this series, represented as an orange mask like shape with round glasses is Spencer Ward, a “nerd” in pursuit of love. Also, Jamaal received 3 grants from local art cultural councils to create his work for the exhibition. His goal is to give half of the proceeds from each painting sold during the reception and exhibition to a scholarship fund for a high school senior to use for their college needs (including tuition, books, stationery, etc.). The scholarship is one that he is personally launching and will be called The Bold and Beautiful Scholarship. The scholarship presents an opportunity for high school seniors in Massachusetts to show and develop their personal brand through creating art while competing to win resources to further their education.
Visit the artists’ web pages at jamonit.carbonmade.com and http://djshonda.wix.com/art#!archives
