The Promenade Gallery

Kendra Azari is a Seattle-born artist, mother activist, art educator, and life student. She has had a  passion for art from a young age and has dedicated her life to bringing beauty to her community. She draws inspiration from her Persian heritage, the beauty of women, spirituality, her search for inner peace and Mother Nature. She has a passion for public art and community connection.

kendraazari.com

I come from Kobe, Japan, where I was a professional musician. After I moved to Seattle in 1986, my passion for fine art flourished. I began painting and studied portraiture, landscapes, color and composition. Currently I paint imaginary landscapes as well as abstractions. I often paint from current events in the world as an inspiration. But I paint in abstract form rather than a journalistic way. My landscapes are personal "mindscapes," inspired by local hikes in the mountains surrounding Seattle and my everyday experiences here in Seattle.

kojikubota.com

Erika Bell is a musician, maker, and self-taught visual artist from Seattle, Washington. Nicknamed “eBellz” by her community, Erika’s works stretch across the performing arts where she's collaborated with some of the 'best in the biz' in hip hop, soul, gospel, and reggae music - to the visual art mediums of painting, jewelry-making, and fashion design.

Impassioned by self-discovery and things of a higher consciousness, Erika always seeks out the purpose in her work and experiences. With this same drive she operates as a teaching artist in Seattle Public Schools and the Manager of West Seattle’s Youngstown Cultural Arts Center. Erika endeavors to amplify the voices of the marginalized, elevate Blackness, and share the healing power of art.

ebellzarts.com

I was born to a Vietnamese mother and a Korean father and was later adopted by my all-American stepdad. Our family left Vietnam a few months before the fall of Saigon. As a youngster, I had the privilege of living in several different states in the U.S., as well as in other countries including Iran and Saudi Arabia, before we finally settled down in the Puget Sound area where, as an adult, I went on to study painting at the University of Washington.

Some of the subjects I keep returning to are:

- Technology and its world impact

- Making art from typically discarded things

- DIY culture

Beverly Aarons is a writer, artist, and game developer. She works across disciplines exploring the intersections of history, hidden current realities, and imagined future worlds. She specializes in making unseen perspectives visible and aims to infuse all of her creative work with a deep sense of emotionality. She’s won the Guy A. Hanks, Marvin H. Miller Screenwriting Award, Community 4Culture Fellowship, Artist Trust GAP Award, 4Culture Creative Consultancies Award, and the Seattle Office of Arts & Culture smART Ventures grant.  She’s currently producing an immersive theatrical experience about the future of human migration.

beverlyaarons.com