Creating Belonging: A Black-Hair Art Making Workshop
Join interdisciplinary artist and educator Ashley Ja’nae for an engaging and interactive workshop that celebrates Black hair stories and explores belonging, self-acceptance, and community care. Experience an empowering environment with music, thoughtful prompts, and meaningful conversation.
This intimate session is intended for Black people, particularly women and femmes, to reflect, connect, and create together in a safe and affirming environment. Let’s celebrate the beauty and cultural significance of Black hair while envisioning new possibilities for community and self-acceptance.
RSVP is required due to limited capacity.
This program was selected from Hamiltonian Artists open call, which invites artists, organizers, and cultural workers to present professional presentations in our U Street gallery space.
What to expect
- Reflection Zone: Begin with guided journaling and communal activities to explore your personal hair story and its connections to belonging. Each attendee will receive a journal with reflection questions.
- Story-Sharing Zone: Participants will engage in a facilitated discussion to share experiences, foster connection, and build a collective narrative.
- Art-Making Zone: Collaboratively contribute to a braided hair sculpture and create individual collages inspired by your reflections.
Accessibility
Masks are required for this indoor event. We strongly encourage COVID-testing prior to the event to ensure it’s accessible for all attendees. At this time, studios are only reachable by two flights of stairs; we acknowledge and apologize that this limits access for some. Please reach out to the organizer for any requests for reasonable accommodations up to three days before the event.
Getting to Hamiltonian Artists
Hamiltonian Artists is located in the U Street Corridor, less than five minutes’ walking distance from the Green Line Metro stop U Street/African-Amer Civil War Memorial/Cardozo (13th–U Street exit), adjacent to 14th Street bike lanes. Visitors can also reach our space via the 90, 92, 96, 52, 54 Metrobus lines.
Thank you to the Tour de Force Foundation and Hamiltonian Artists for supporting this event.
ABOUT THE ARTIST–ORGANIZER
Ashley Ja’nae is an interdisciplinary visual artist and educator. She creates imagery centered around belonging, care, and intimacy through people’s relationships with our hair, ourselves, and our communities. Her artistic practice explores drawing, illustration, sculpture, printmaking, mixed media, and video art. She received her BFA in Art & Design Education from Pratt Institute and studied at Moore College of Art and Design in their MFA in Socially-Engaged Studio Art program. She’s exhibited her work nationally and internationally, including at the Brooklyn Museum, Icebox Project Space, Galerie Kritiku, and the Anacostia Arts Center.