202Creates kICK OFF art gallery 2024- aRTISTS

Bleu Pepper

A woman on a mission to serve, support, and restore the community as a whole, Blue has been a volunteer in the art world helping children and peers for the past 5 years and plans to expand into her own firm for the creative community. In the near future, she will be opening up an organization geared towards creative therapy for veterans with PTSD, artists in need of an outlet, and children who need an innovative way of expressing themselves. Bleu is not only a poet but she is also a painter that has been painting for 7+ years.

Her artwork has been showcased at the Anacostia Arts Center, comedy shows, a museum, jazz night shows, and various art events in the DMV, and she has led numerous sip and paint sessions. She has been on and off the poetry scene for about 3 years now and this is the second year she has been consistent. Art has now become a passion. Bleu now co-hosts her own open mic to provide another safe space where artists in the DMV area can come and just be. 

Tiara Slater

Is a versatile digital artist and graphic designer who founded Queen Designs, LLC, and rapidly established her reputation by collaborating with a variety of businesses, including government agencies and emerging artists.

Recognized by notable publications like Fashion GXD and Essence magazines, as well as honored by the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Army, her portfolio reflects both professional skill and creative vision. 

Currently, Tiara is focusing on promoting self-love, healing and cultural acceptance to women in the black community through her illustrative platform, Black is Gold, which adorns various products from canvas art to beauty accessories.

Born and raised in Washington, D.C., Keyonna graduated from St. John’s College High School in 2006 and started her collegiate career as a student of Psychology at North Carolina State University in Raleigh, N.C. In search of a more challenging path, she transferred to Philip Merrill’s College of Journalism at the University of Maryland, College Park where she received her Bachelors of Arts in Broadcast Journalism with a concentration in Education. She obtained her Master’s in Science Management with a specialization in Public Relations in December 2019. “KayMJaye” is a multi-faceted artist and the executive director of the Congress Heights Arts and Cultural Center.

Known as PZay, is a DC native artist whose work spans across DC, New York, and China. Influenced by education, African art, culture, and nostalgia, he has collaborated with renowned institutions. In addition to creating art, Aladejobi is dedicated to teaching, using his craft to give back to the community.

Aladejobi’s art reflects the duality of his cultural upbringing. Born and raised in Washington, DC, with Nigerian heritage, he merges American and Nigerian influences to depict his past, present, and future. His unique artistic voice is evident in his use of graphic design, fabrication, and fine arts techniques, which convey the intersection of these cultures.

Central to his work is Kole, a building language he developed to craft sculptures that preserve cultural heritage. Drawing from African art and his DC environment, Kole serves as a visual language that evolves with time. Aladejobi introduces play as a new art form within Kole, using it to foster creativity, community, and collaboration. Through playful interaction, Kole encourages participants to explore identity and culture in an innovative and accessible way.

With a BFA in fine arts from VSU and an MID in industrial design from RISD, Aladejobi continues to push the boundaries of art, engaging communities and inspiring new ways of thinking about cultural expression.

DERRICKA MCCRAY

As a Producer of photography and Creative Director, Derricka McCray is responsible for the photographic heart of a production—Whether it’s videography or photography. She first started taking pictures in the year of 2019 to turn them into digital cartoons. Shortly after, she received several opportunities to be published in magazines and newspapers, some including metro weekly, national geographic, and the advocate. Cray Graphics has had the opportunity to cover broccoli city festival, Something in the water, Capital Pride Parade and concert 2022, 2023, and 2024,  DC Funk Parade, DC music Summit, DC T-Con Convention, The Cherry Blossom Parade, DC Fashion Week, DC Swim week, NY Fashion Week, DMV Summer Jam and many many more events. Since starting Cray Graphics in 2019, Derricka has developed an eye for composition, telling a story through a shot, understanding camera and lighting techniques and how using them can affect emotions. 

Demont Peekaso Pinder, a curator of culture, constructs large artworks using pieces of clothing to create beautiful portrait compositions of people that have influenced his life.  Many of his portraits represent his culture and heritage and pay tribute to both the past and present.

CARY MICHAEL is an interdisciplinary and mixed media artist from Mobile, Alabama, and is now based in Washington D.C. He earned his BS in Fine Arts from Florida A&M University and MA in Design Management from Savannah College of Art and Design. While at Florida A&M, Cary served as Founder and President of the FAMU Fine Arts Society while working as a graphic artist for Tallahassee’s Brogan Museum. 

In 2018, Cary founded Artbae (“Art Before Anything Else”) – an award-winning arts education, advocacy and events organization based in Washington D.C. Artbae facilitates “sip and paint” events, group and intimate paint parties, art therapy events and unique art buying opportunities for professionals, residents and visitors in the Washington D.C. and greater DMV area. 

In 2020, Artbae was named Emerging Creative Winner in Washington D.C.’s 35th Annual Mayor’s Arts Awards by DC Mayor Muriel Bowser. Since then, Cary and Artbae have been recipients of numerous grants and awards, including the Prince George’s Arts and Humanities Council (PGAHC) Artist Fellowship grant, National Black Arts Project Relief Fund grant, and the D.C. Commission on the Arts & Humanities (DCCAH) Fellowship grant, as well as DCCAH’s Projects, Event and Festival Grant. Cary became the winner of GAIN Power’s Powerful IDEA award for Transformational Talent and Leaders (artist category)in 2022, and recently became the recipient of the Creative Spirit Award at Creative Suitland’s inaugural Cultural Arts Gala in 2023.

In addition to his work with Artbae, Cary Michael serves as Design Examiner for the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, Studio Artist at the Creative Saints Loft in Hyattsville, MD and Welcome Team Ministry volunteer at Zion Church in Landover, MD. In recent years, he has served as both mentor and creative facilitator for Best Kids, Inc., a Washington D.C.-based non-profit committed to empowering foster youth in the D.C. area, as well as the YMCA and Big Brothers Big Sisters of America.

Cary Michael’s artwork has been featured in the 2016 BET Awards, Harlem Fine Arts Show, the African American Civil War Museum and various other exhibits, including permanent collections, throughout the Washington D.C. metro area, New York, New Jersey, Alabama and Florida. Cary enjoys planning events and exhibitions that inspire courage – and is passionate about promoting equity and sustainable living, improving overall quality of life for all through effective use of creativity in all endeavors.

Brian Bailey, a self-taught multifaceted artist, embarked on his creative journey at an early age. His professional endeavors led him to serve as a creative lead at a renowned national park, where he excelled in crafting unique brand experiences and brought two captivating restaurants to life. Fairly new to the medium of painting, Brian has been able to find his unique abstract style and create a community of freedom in artists in the area, and become this breath of fresh air in the DC art scene/culture.

In 2023, Brian was honored with the Mayor's Arts Award for Excellence in Arts Education, recognizing his outstanding contributions to the community's creative growth. His art transcends mere visuals, weaving hidden narratives with ethereal perspectives, inviting viewers into a world of deeper meaning. Through his ongoing exploration of artistic passions, Brian Bailey not only nurtures his own creative spirit but also inspires the community to embrace distinctive self-expression in every aspect of their lives. Presently, Brian Bailey calls the vibrant surroundings of Washington, D.C. home, where he continues to be a driving force for art and expression within the community.