BGWP | Magnifying Black Women + Girl Artists

BLACK GIRLS WHO PAINT (BGWP) is a community cultivating change in the global arts market. We’re on a mission to magnify the stories of Black women artists and encourage young Black girls to pursue the arts as a career path.

We are an ecosystem with 2 goals in mind - (1) to show actual Black girls who paint that the arts is a viable career path and (2) to normalize Black women in the arts as a whole. In accomplishing both, a community of successful Black women artists was formed - one that Founder Sasha-Loriene always wanted to see as a young girl. BGWP is also a platform created by a Black woman who paints and believes in increasing the visibility and investment of Black women artists through sharing our art and our stories.

Why? Because when we see ourselves, we believe in ourselves and encourage others to do the same.

- Sasha-Loriene, Founder of BGWP

Changing the Face of The Arts: What's the Issue?

Historically, Black women artists have been left out of many narratives and overlooked in both modern and contemporary arts. Far too long has the arts market been dominated by the westernized male perspective. Currently, Black women artists represent less than 4% of artists represented in prominent US galleries, museums, and art organizations.

It’s essential now more than ever that we share and archive our art and our stories so that generations after us can know that they belong in the spaces we’ve traveled and beyond. Without tangible references of diversity and representation, many important stories will continue to get lost and forever be untold.

Doing the Work: What's our vision?

BGWP provides a safe space for Black women and girls to see themselves represented in the arts - a space that didn’t exist previously - and cultivate change both on and offline.  We want to see more Black women artists navigate towards the arts, permeating spaces once dreamt of. We want to narrate our stories and see our art recognized and consumed worldwide. We also want to see more Black girls encouraged with narratives of  ‘professional artists,’ as opposed to ‘struggling artists,’ so they know that because of us, they can and indeed will. 

Getting it Done: What's our current goal?

This year, we want to celebrate Black women and girl artists by memorializing their stories into a high-quality cocktail table book - The Black Girls Who Paint Book Vol. 1! This book will be used during our next giving campaign as a gift for donations as we raise funds for 2022 programming, (BGWP Awards Fund and associated education resources for Black girl and student painters + Community Projects and opportunities for Black women artists). We are normalizing Black women in the arts by archiving their stories into tangible works that can be physically passed down from generation to generation! Funds raised will be used towards the production and publication costs of The Black Girls Who Paint Book Vol. 1, our first book that documents our unique contributions to Black Art History!

Founder's Story: Who is Sasha-Loriene?

"Growing up, I didn’t have many examples of successful artists that I related to - specifically, artists who looked like me - Black women artists. In not seeing myself in the art world during my youth, I ultimately did not pursue the arts until adulthood. I thought I couldn't, so I didn't even try. It wasn't until I came to a crossroad in my career where I could no longer wear a mask or live a life opposite of my creative beliefs and the artist I dreamt of being as a child. After years of living in inauthenticity, I finally realized - I was not the problem, the lack of equitable representation and diversity within the arts as a whole is the problem.

I am an artist, arts professional, and entrepreneur who decided to be the change I want to see and organically merged her labor of love with her passion and purpose. I created Black Girls Who Paint for the younger me and little girls just like her - so they could see a community of Black women artists and know that they can become one too one day soon.  " - Sasha-Loriene

Making a Difference: Why is your contribution important?

Your support is vital to the success of BGWP and our goal to memorialize the stories of Black women and girl artists in a high-quality fashion that they deserve - The Black Girls Who Paint Book Vol. 1! Black women and girl artists deserve for their stories to be told, celebrated, and archived. It’s important to preserve our Black Art history and the wonderful works Black women have accomplished especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Investing in BGWP is a direct investment in diversifying the arts on a local, national, and global level for a more synergized community. When you invest in Black women, you’re investing in generations of empowered artists who CAN see themselves, CAN believe in themselves, and CAN encourage others to do so, as well.

Thank you!