COLUMBUS, Ohio — Columbus-based artist Wendy Kendrick was selected for the second Aminah Brenda Lynn Robinson Fellowship, one of two programs created by the Greater Columbus Arts Council (Arts Council), in partnership with the Columbus Museum of Art (CMA), to support African-American, professional visual artists and honor the legacy of the beloved Columbus artist.
In 2020, the Arts Council and Columbus Museum of Art, with support from community leaders, launched both the fellowship and a residency in Robinson’s home in the Shepard neighborhood. Both programs are made possible with the financial support of Loann Crane. Columbus artist Don “DonCee” Coulter was the first recipient of the fellowship, while Memphis, Tennessee-based artist Johnathan Payne is currently the inaugural residency recipient.
“Wendy Kendrick’s compelling, precise, consistent and visually vocal work expands upon the stories of community and the strength of women so prevalent in Aminah’s art,” said Deidre Hamlar, juror and newly appointed director of the Aminah Brenda Lynn Robinson Legacy Project at the Columbus Museum of Art. “We look forward to seeing what this fellowship adds to Wendy’s already evocative portfolio and how her time working in Aminah’s home-studio impacts her creative spirit.”
Kendrick, a Gahanna resident (43230), received a BA in visual studies at Dartmouth College, and has continued her education at Columbus College of Art & Design, Quilt Surface Design Symposium and the Center for Arts-Inspired Living. She currently serves as a lead artist with the Ohio Alliance for Arts Education’s Art in the House program. In the past she’s worked as an artist-in-residence with Art Possible Ohio and the Ohio Arts Council’s Teach Arts Ohio program. Kendrick has showcased her work extensively, including the Loann Crane Gallery at the Arts Council, Harlem Fine Arts Show, National Afro-American Museum and Cultural Center, King Arts Complex, Pittsburgh Center for the Arts, Richard M. Ross Art Museum and many more venues.
“I am so honored and humbled to be recognized and embraced by the local arts community and those individuals who played a part in my selection to receive the 2021 Aminah Brenda Lynn Robinson Fellowship,” said Kendrick. “The mere thought of being able to bring what I do into such a space of creative energy and allowing Aminah’s spirit to be infused and guide new work is a blessing beyond measure.”
The fellowship runs Sept. 1 – Nov. 30, 2021, and includes a $15,000 unrestricted award, community outreach activities (facilitated by Arts Council and CMA staff) and the opportunity for a public presentation and/or exhibition.
Jurors for the fellowship included:
- Deidre Hamlar, director of the Aminah Brenda Lynn Robinson Legacy Project, Columbus Museum of Art
- Barbara Tannenbaum, curator of photography, Cleveland Museum of Art
- Don “DonCee” Coulter, Columbus artist and inaugural Aminah Robinson Fellowship recipient
- Justine Evans, Shepard neighborhood representative
Mission of the Columbus Museum of Art: To create great experiences with great art for everyone. www.columbusmuseum.org
Mission of the Greater Columbus Arts Council: To support and advance the arts and cultural fabric of Columbus. www.gcac.org
The Greater Columbus Arts Council receives major financial support from the City of Columbus, Franklin County Commissioners and the Ohio Arts Council.
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CONTACT: Jami Goldstein
(614) 221-8492
jgoldstein@gcac.org
