Kellogg Community College is exhibiting more than two dozen works by six distinguished African American artists through the month of November on campus in Battle Creek.
KCC’s new “Six Artists Exhibition” consists of 28 works in mediums ranging from graphite, pastel and acrylic to multimedia. The exhibit opened Oct. 26 and will run through Thursday, Dec. 3, in the Davidson Visual and Performing Arts Center’s Eleanor R. and Robert A. DeVries Gallery, on campus at 450 North Ave. in Battle Creek.
Artists featured include Tyree Broadway; Ben Edwards; Shaquona Espinoza; Al Harris, Jr.; Tommie D. Lockett, Jr.; and James C. Palmore, all of Kalamazoo.
The exhibit is free and open to the public during regular gallery hours, which are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays and 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursdays.
“Six Artists” brings together creatives whose work reflects a diverse range of styles, media and perspectives. Their subjects include portraits, wildlife and flowers as well as conceptual and abstract explorations, demonstrating the many ways artists can interpret and respond to the world around them.
In a group artist statement, the artists said their inspiration comes from many places – childhood memories, dreams, nature, everyday observations, personal experiences and imagination. Through painting, drawing, pastel, photography, mixed media and other materials, each artist transforms these experiences into a unique visual language.
The creative process is deeply personal for each artist; what connects them is their dedication to their work and their desire to communicate, inspire and connect with others.
“Six Artists” celebrates these individual voices and the connections that emerge when their work comes together. While their individual approaches may differ, together they demonstrate the energy, discipline, perseverance and imagination found in their community.
For more information about the exhibit or other KCC arts events and initiatives, contact KCC’s Arts and Communication Office at 269-965-4126.
About the Artists
Tyree Broadway has been painting since the age of 3 but enjoys many creative outlets. Broadway enjoys textures, and this can be heard in his music as a saxophonist, felt in the tactile aspects of his ceramic works and seen in his vibrant paintings and drawings.
Primarily a self-taught artist, Broadway describes his approach to creating as simply the pixelating of mediums and his ideas. He gains insights from mentors and peers and teachers, yet access to materials and audience is what allows him to showcase and share his creative thinking.
Nature is prominently featured in Broadway’s work as he continues to explore themes that interested him as a young child. In 2021 he was an ArtPrize finalist for his exhibition, “Lions, Tigers and Bear Oh My!” Broadway has been featured in galleries and group shows throughout Michigan for 23 years.
Ben Edwards, a Kalamazoo native and Fruitport High School graduate, discovered his passion for art at an early age. He found early inspiration in his friend, Tommie Lockett, as well as the paintings and drawings of his art teacher, Mr. Harris. As a self-taught artist, Edwards specializes in black and white portraits done in pencil.
Despite navigating a spinal disability and undergoing physical therapy at Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital, Edwards creates with a deep sense of perseverance and determination. After debuting his artwork at a 2025 Black Arts and Cultural Center exhibit, Edwards is proud to return for an exhibition in 2026.
As an emerging artist at the beginning of his career, Edwards is filled with hope and ambition to earn recognition in the art world, wishing that his art pieces bring joy and inspiration to everyone who views them. Through his creative journey, he aims to inspire others and bring glory to God.
Shaquona Espinoza is an artist and teacher from Kalamazoo working with acrylic. She explores themes of identity, healing, resilience and social justice through paintings, photography and printmaking.
Espinoza has exhibited work in solo and group art shows throughout Michigan and New Jersey. She traveled to Antigua, Guatemala, for an artist residency, where she presented an artist talk.
Espinoza received her Bachelor of Science in Social Work with a minor in Art from Western Michigan University. She currently works as a youth educator, teaching artist, muralist and visual artist.
Al Harris, Jr., taught art for 34 years in Kalamazoo Public Schools’ Northeastern Elementary, taught for two years at the Battle Creek Art Center and seven years at the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts, where he continues teaching today.
Harris has exhibited his art in more than 300 shows across Michigan, Illinois and Indiana, and his work is owned by patrons and establishments across the United States and in London.
Harris has won many awards for his work, but his greatest accomplishment is helping provide young art students with scholarships to take classes at the KIA, just as his mother did for him. He attended art classes at the Detroit Institute of Arts for 10 years.
Tommie D. Lockett, Jr., was born in Kalamazoo in December 1964, the first son of Tommie and Quella Lockett. He discovered his artistic talent – and his passion for it – when he was in first grade.
Art came naturally to Lockett, and by the time he entered high school he was winning art awards and competitions. He enjoys assisting other people with their creative endeavors and often offers mentoring and constructive criticism to beginners as well as advanced students.
James C. Palmore is a cofounder of the Black Arts and Cultural Center in Kalamazoo and is a Kalamazoo artist creating art that ranges from photorealism to abstract. He explores themes of identity and observation through several two-dimensional media, including drawing, painting, print and photography, as well as metal and fiberglass in three-dimensional media, and mixed medias.
Palmore has exhibited work in groups and solo shows in several states, wining several first place art awards, most recently the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts West Michigan Area Show’s People’s Choice Award; the Arts Council of Greater Kalamazoo Community Medal of Arts Award; and the Friend of NAMI Award from the National Alliance on Mental Illness.
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