Salon: A Conversation Between Two Contemporary Art collectors
Date:
Thursday, June 29, 2023
6pm—7:30pm
Location:
Blaffer Art Museum
FREE and open to the public
Salon: A conversation between two contemporary art collectors, Merian Sherrod and Michelle Barnes
The Blaffer invites arts appreciators and those interested in learning about the practice of collecting artworks to join us at the Blaffer Art Museum for a Salon led by Merian Sherrod, art appreciator, collector and supporter, in conversation with Michelle Barnes, Co-founder and Executive Director of the Community Artists’ Collective. Viewers will learn about the current exhibition, Christopher Myers: of all creatures that can feel and think.
Conversation and refreshments provided!
About the Collectors
Merian Sherrod
Merrian Sherrod is an art appreciator, collector supporter. She refers to herself as an “art groupie“ because she loves hanging out with artists and surveying new exhibitions and trends. Sherrod started “Amaris Simone the Art of Living” in 2004 as an Art Salon endeavor to encourage others to support artists by collecting their works. The Salon is part of Sherrod’s current endeavor aims to bring the practices of collecting artwork to new audiences and emerging collectors. Additionally, Sherrod is publishing the works of six artists into the production of and Edition serigraphic prints under the guidance of Master Printmaker Patrick Masterson.
Sherrod began collecting fine art prints under the tutelage of the Millennium Art Salon [please add short description, including location]. Expanded her knowledge at the David C. Driskell Center’s Collectors School (University of Maryland at College Park), James E. Porter Colloquium (Howard University, Washington, D.C.) annual art conference and Philadelphia ‘s Brandywine Workshop.
Michelle Barnes
A long-time resident of Third Ward, Houston, artist and educator Michelle Barnes co-founded the Community Artists’ Collective and serves its executive director
Barnes grew up in the Third Ward and graduated from University of Houston. After college, Barnes worked in education, first at Sharpstown High School, then at The Kinkaid School. For 30 years, Barnes volunteered as an art instructor at Shape Community Center, working predominantly with youth programming. In 1983, Barnes collaborated with the Ensemble Theatre on a novel concept to open the Barnes-Blackman Galleries in the lobby of the theater.
In 2019 and 2020, Barnes served on the artist advisory and planning group of the Fifth Ward Community Redevelopment Corporation master plan to establish the Lyons Avenue Cultural Arts District and sees the plan as a model for “historic communities which value their unsung heroes/heroines.”
As an artist, educator, and administrator, Barnes’s mission is to “empower the underserved.” Her work supports African-American artists, especially families, women, and children. Art was a part of her own family and upbringing.[3] At the Houston Fine Art Fair Barnes was awarded an Illumination Award for Achievement in Arts Education in 2015[13] and in 2019, she was honored by the Houston Arts Alliance for Community Work.