Arté Original is an online platform dedicated to showcasing and selling Latin American fine art, connecting artists from the region with collectors worldwide. The gallery's mission is to provide a space for established Latin American artists to present their work internationally. A diverse range of artworks, including paintings from various styles such as surrealism, magic realism, geometric, and abstract expressionism, among others​.

Aliana Grace Bailey was born and raised in Northwest Washington, DC. She is a practicing artist, graphic designer, surface pattern designer, educator, and passionate advocate for radical self-love, wellness, and victim services. In 2014, she graduated from North Carolina A&T State University, where she double-majored, earning a Bachelor of Social Work and a Bachelor of Art in Visual Arts Media Design.

Wilsar is an interdisciplinary abstract visual artist, photographer, pattern designer, creative marketeer, and advocate for emotional well-being. Wilsar was born in Freetown, Sierra Leone, and at the age of ten, she survived a civil war that forced her and her family to move first to Côte d’Ivoire, West Africa, before settling in Camden, New Jersey.

Kibian Adams Greene is a South American-born painter, who has lived in the United States since the late 1980s. She attended Howard University and the Ohio State University College of Law. A self-taught artist and self-proclaimed “late bloomer”, she currently resides in Baltimore MD.

Lory Ivey Alexander is a multidisciplinary artist exploring themes of history, memory, and identity. Her work is especially inspired by the complex legacy of triracial Americans of Virginia and the Carolinas. Best known for her use of color, sculptural paintings, and lyrical writing, Lory facilitates meditations on the richness of American identity. Her work has been exhibited in the Mid-Atlantic and New England and is held in private collections across the United States.

Students from Kipp DC exhibited work at Creative Grounds DC that illustrated a strong command of basic art principles and techniques with a unique artistic voice. Their works included themes of identity, freedom, and spirituality, to name a few. The class project, inspired by Basquiat, was a large-scale installation made of recycled materials. The painstaking and time-consuming process of outlining a full-scale image of Basquiat and preparing the buttons for assembly was a true exercise in patience, creativity, and fortitude.

Kamilah House is a Bahamian-American attorney and artist, living and working in the Washington, D.C. area. Growing up as a diplomat brat, Kamilah is a true “Third Culture Kid,” blending a medley of different cultural, ethnic, political, and religious perspectives and customs that continue to inspire her work and influence her overall worldview. This experience taught her the value of seeing the inner strength in each of us, rather than alienating people based on insignificant and often largely complimentary differences.

Kristen Hayes, a fifth-generation Washingtonian, is a visual artist, graphic designer, art educator, and a member of Black Artists of DC. She holds a B.A. degree in Graphic Design from Hampton University and an M.F.A. degree from Pratt Institute in Brooklyn. In 2012, she was recognized by the White House as a “Champion of Change” for her work, Color Is Life, a collaborative painting program that promotes the re-energizing of space in academic and all other social environments through the transformative properties of color. Her personal work has been exhibited in major cities, including New York City, Chicago, Washington, DC, and Philadelphia, as well as Panama during an artist residency.

Mona El-Bayoumi is one of the most well-recognized Egyptian-American artists in the United States. Her work has been featured in galleries and institutions both in the United States as well as internationally, notably in Cairo, Paris, and Johannesburg. She has exhibited in the Washington, D.C. area at the Jerusalem Fund Gallery, the Parish Gallery, the Touchstone Gallery, the Spectrum Gallery, the Brazilian Cultural Institute, and Busboys and Poets among others.

Nara is a DC-based geospatial analyst, with a global perspective informed by a career in international humanitarian response. Compelled by the beauty found in satellite imagery used for routine technical assignments in her work, she began to explore this open-source data repository as an artistic medium. Capturing information in the form of light reflectance in spectral ranges both visible and invisible to the human eye, satellites reveal textures and patterns capable of providing value beyond the standard scientific research and military surveillance applications.

Ceramic Artist and Educator, Sarah Riley, has been playing with clay and honing her craft since 2010. A hand builder in high school, a wheel thrower in college, and current 3D Art & Design teacher at The Field School, she combines the variety of techniques she’s collected over the last decade and infuses sculpture in her graduate work. Fascinated by both function and form, her work aims to maintain elements of the process and the potential of the fresh clay in the final, fired product. She alters freshly thrown forms to resemble the flexibility and forgiveness of the material and hold the spontaneity of that present moment at the time of creation. She uses the material to reflect the curves, undulations, and complexity of the human body, and the way that the figure can be distorted and abstracted by the narrative mind.

Julia Stavreva is an artist based in Washington DC. Logically, artistry isn’t a genetically passed down passion, but her parents’ love for painting combined with her grandfather’s past as an art teacher begs reconsideration. Although she is a self-taught artist, creating art has been a long-standing staple of her identity, and will continue to be as she progresses in her artistic career. Captivated by abstract expression as well as the human form, Julia creates her works primarily with acrylic on canvas and pencil/pen on paper. Although she appreciates realism, she is especially interested in how surrealism serves as a tool for creating thought-provoking art. Julia’s art frequently features women intertwined with fictional shapes and forms in impossible environments. These enigmatic works make for fascinating combinations, leaving the spectator intrigued by the dichotomy of reality and imagination.

Gary Mullen is a Baltimore-based artist who works primarily in acrylic on canvas and cut paper. Gary holds a Bachelor’s degree in Fine Art from Morgan State University. The themes in Gary’s works include birds, cats, portraits, buildings, and still life. He tries to express his depiction of these themes with simplicity in mind. He feels that simplicity is a form of sophistication.

Gary’s style of work is called synthetic cubism. His creative process involves observing and studying the abstract aspects of what he wants to paint or illustrate. After numerous sketches and he then transfers the desired results onto canvas or paper.

Candice Tavares is a self-taught illustrator and wood artist born and raised in the suburbs of Philadelphia, PA, and currently residing in Maryland. Though not formally trained in art, Candice has been able to merge lessons she learned on Saturday mornings and in the wood shop with her father to create a style that is uniquely her own. Her work primarily centers around portraiture, highlighting the rich history and diversity of black hair and skin complexion. Candice considers her art to be a celebration of Black beauty, love, and culture.

Welcome to The Dap Project’s online exhibit where we bring our curiosity about the Black man’s nuanced gesture to you through photos and interviews. We appreciate the literal coming together of hands, and the metaphorical extension of love for the community “Dap is a Love Language” invites viewers to appreciate the familiar greeting, and consider how, just like we do, dap exists in multitudes. We engage directly with Black people who shape and are shaped by these spaces: the barber shop, art galleries, playgrounds, and on the corners.

Yerke Abuova is a Kazakh-American visual artist known for her work in oil painting, sculpture, and public art. Her creations often depict surreal environments, reflecting reality through a whimsical lens while exploring themes of memory, cultural histories, and femininity. She received her Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) from Cornell University in 2023. Abuova has been involved in various artistic endeavors, including mural projects and exhibitions that showcase her unique approach to visual storytelling​.

The Unique Learning Center is dedicated to enriching educational experiences and fostering the artistic growth of children and teens in our community. This showcase is a testament to their hard work, dedication, and boundless imagination. Our young artists have poured their hearts into their creations, each piece reflecting their unique perspectives and vibrant spirits.

This event is more than just an exhibition; it’s a celebration of community, creativity, and th potential within every young artist. 100% of the sales will go toward the ULC summer program.

Curated by Siona Peterous, the exhibit explores Black narratives of home in the D.C., Maryland, and Virginia (D.M.V.) area. This group exhibition features a range of mediums, such as paintings, photographs, audio files, furnishings, and mixed media, showcasing interpretations of what "home" means—whether it’s a physical space, a feeling, a community, or a sense of belonging.

“Home” is more than a place you live, and this group show is living proof of the rich and varied experiences of Black people in the D.M.V.

On view until 2/15/25

Featured image by @milorasart

LaShay was a deeply creative soul, whose art became a personal sanctuary, offering peace and solace in a world that often felt challenging. Though her work was never publicly displayed, her passion for creating ran deep. Each piece she crafted was a quiet expression of her innermost thoughts, feelings, and reflections on the world around her.

LaShay’s art practice, particularly the simple tools she used and her thoughtful approach, reflected her desire to calm her mind. She relied solely on ink pens, colored pencils, chalk, the backing of legal pads, and recycled boxes and paper to craft her intricate designs.

Her art was a deeply personal journey, one that brought her peace, joy, and fulfillment, even in the most difficult times. For her, the act of creating mattered more than recognition. She left this world a year ago, having never shown her work publicly.

All of her pieces are now available for purchase, with proceeds benefiting her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Please contact info@creativegroundsdc.com for additional info.