I create layered art to honor w the African diaspora texture & material to give voice to stories history has tried to silence.
You decide who will appear in Artforum Magazine, take home $25,000, and display their work at The Art of Elysium's Salon!
I create mixed-media assemblage using reclaimed wood, layered collage, and paint to explore Black womanhood, ancestry, and memory. I’m most drawn to transforming discarded materials into powerful visual narratives where history, identity, and spirit are not just preserved, but reimagined and elevated.
Where do you find inspiration?I find inspiration in the lives of Black women across generations stories carried in memory, in silence, and in survival. My work is shaped by ancestral lineage, cultural history, and the quiet power of everyday resilience, where even discarded materials hold echoes of lived experience.
What would you do with $25,000?If awarded $25,000, I would begin building a community-based artist residency, offering local artists space, mentorship, and stipends to support their practice. I believe in creating the opportunities I once needed. This support would also sustain my studio work and provide stability for my family as I continue uplifting others.
Vote for Lavett Ballard to become The People's Artist while supporting a great cause! Cast your free daily vote or make an even bigger impact when you vote by donation, supporting The Art of Elysium in their mission to use art as a catalyst to help people triumph over difficult life challenges.
Register now for your opportunity to appear in Artforum Magazine, take home $25,000, and display your artwork at The Art of Elysium's Salon.
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