Open Gallery

April 22 – 25 | 10:00 am to 2:00 pm

Meet the Artists

April 24 | 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm

Artists:

• Zahirah Nur Truth
• JayPix Belmer
• Cheryl Miller
• Jay Mac

Zahirah Nur Truth, the creative force behind ZNT Arts, is a vibrant artist spreading joy through her diverse talents. She explores painting, illustration, jewelry design, and more, all with a focus on celebrating the beauty, truth, and justice found in black culture. Her mantra, “Live and Let Art,” guides her work as a teaching artist and arts education consultant. Whether she’s face-painting at community events, leading workshops for important causes, or fostering arts engagement, Zahirah is always weaving connections and building communities through her art.

Zahirah’s Website

Jaypix Belmer is a Boston-based documentary photographer whose work captures the “visual soul” of their subjects. How I Photograph – Helps Other People; H.I.P.H.O.P is an energy of Iconically presenting to you the essence and soul of a person or brand through the power of photography. Jaypix digs deep with authentic engagement in communities of color, LGBTQ communities, and other historically or currently excluded communities in the Greater Boston area which is essential to the vision that captures rich cultural realities not visible in plain sight. Being able to capture a feeling rather than a moment is a unique aesthetic evident throughout the work.

Jaypix’s Website

Cheryl Miller’s photographic practice has documented over 40 years of quotidian Black life: images of African Americans viewed through a variety of everyday positive, relatable, uplifting, & ordinary experiences. She strives to capture/create the visual simplicity of her subjects by emphasizing highlights and shadows, while studying the human condition from a visual perspective. Miller’s work has been exhibited internationally. It is in the collections of the Brooklyn Museum, Museum of the City of New York, the Schomburg Center for Black Culture and Research, in other art institutions and in private collections. Miller’s photographs have also been widely published in numerous books and articles.

Cheryl’s Website

Meet Jason “Jay Mac” MacDonald, a visionary graffiti artist from Malden, MA, whose vibrant creations have adorned city walls from Hawaii to Montreal, California to New York, and many places in between. Since bursting onto the scene in 1993, Jay Mac has mastered a spectrum of styles, from animated graffiti cartoons to strikingly lifelike portraits.

Jay Mac’s work is renowned not just on streets but also in top graffiti magazines across North America and Europe. His innovative spirit shines in collaborations with automotive giants like Porsche, Jay Mac custom painted live an electric Cayenne, and Acura, his masterpiece S Type Integra sold immediately at a dealership. Backed by iconic brands such as Montana Spray Paint, his art captures the imagination of a global audience. Beyond the spray can, Jay Mac is also a skilled master barber with 16 years of experience, styling celebrities like Lady Gaga. He founded Street Smart, a creative hub for bespoke murals, unique clothing, and more, turning everyday items into works of art.

As a person in long-term recovery from substance use, Jay Mac channels his journey into transformative work with others. He serves as the Director of Male Housing at the Process Recovery Center in Nashua, NH, and leads art therapy sessions, helping residents find healing through creativity. His passion for community enrichment is also evident in his youth outreach, where he crafts inspiring murals for spaces like the Boys and Girls Club in Chelsea, MA, focusing on prevention and positivity.

Follow Jay Mac’s inspiring journey and transformative art on Instagram (@the_backstah) and on Facebook.

Discover Jay Mac’s world, where each piece of art is a beacon of hope and renewal, painting a brighter future for communities through vibrant colors and heartfelt engagement.