Continuing to collaborate in new ways

EKUA HOLMES

Life-long Roxbury resident Ekua Holmes distinguishes herself as an artist by creating elaborately layered collage pieces made from cut and torn papers that investigate family histories, relationship dynamics, childhood impressions and the power of hope, faith, and self-determination. Remembering her childhood in Roxbury with wonder and delight, she considers herself part of a long line of Roxbury image makers. She is the recipient of several awards for illustrating children’s literature including the Caldecott Honor and has been a two-time winner of the Coretta Scott King Award for Illustration.

In 2018, she was a Now + There Public Art Accelerator and launched her first public art initiative, the Roxbury Sunflower Project. She currently serves as Commissioner and Vice-Chair of the Boston Art Commission where she oversees the placement and maintenance of public works of art in the city. As Associate Director at the Center for Art and Community Partnerships at MassArt, Holmes manages and coordinates sparc! The ArtMobile, an art-inspiring, art-transforming vehicle retrofitted to contribute to community-based, multi-disciplinary arts programming in Mission Hill, Roxbury, and Dorchester. She earned her BFA in photography from MassArt in 1977.

(source: https://www.ekuaholmes.com/about)

LONDON PARKER-MCWHORTER

London Parker-McWhorter, born in Pasadena, CA, is a photographer, artist and researcher. He is also co-caretaker of United Neighbors of Lower Roxbury Garden.

Joined by sunflowers

Ekua Holmes first tapped London Parker-McWhorter to help with the Roxbury Sunflower Project nearly four years ago. Most recently, he assisted Holmes when she brought that project to the Museum of Fine Arts, planting sunflowers on its lawn as part of Garden for Boston. Parker-McWhorter served as project manager and liaison to the Museum’ contractors. Holmes was inspired by Parker-McWhorter’s photography, particularly his ability to capture tiny details of the natural world and chose him as mentee for this project. Honoring the past, seeding the future merges Holmes’ colorful illustrations with Parker-McWhorter’s poignant photography with the sunflower theme tying both together.

Growing community 

Believing that planting a seed is nurturing our future, Holmes and Parker-McWhorter see gardening as a way of creating and celebrating community. New this rotation is a pair of murals installed next to Breeze's at 343 Blue Hill Ave. Part of "Honoring the past, seeding the future," these murals magnify the importance of today's youth for tomorrow's future and feature members of the community. All three murals are offset by sunflowers, planted this spring in time to blossom in the fall. Part of the Roxbury Sunflower Project, these blooms represent the initiatives' six themes: radiance, resilience, beauty, deeply rooted, seeds of love, and follow the sun. While you’re visiting the “Honoring the past, seeding the future” mural, be sure to check out Holmes’s installation illustrating these themes at the nearby Freedom House (5 Crawford Street, Dorchester).