Gerard Pastor
Gerard Pastor utilizes colored pencils to create stunning works of art inspired by the Lucumi religion, which survived the slave trade era. Often mired in secrecy and negative perceptions, the Afro-Caribbean faith serves as a creative force for Pastor who looks to inspire understanding. During his residency at BaCA, Pastor will focus his work on the study of how women participate in religion and how religion is used as a patriarchal tool to elevate men, when historically the innate power of survival has been through women.
Darcy Roberts
Darcy Roberts is mosaic artist who is inspired by color, movement, and nature. Having lived in London, England; Landau, Germany; and Barcelona, Spain, she enjoys experimenting and her art is constantly evolving. Known for her mixed media tile works featured in public spaces, she has been commissioned to create large scale mosaic murals by schools, office buildings, and The Phoenix Children’s Hospital, among others, and has exhibited at the prestigious L.A. Art Show in 2020. Having recently moved to Pompano Beach from Redondo Beach, California, Roberts is looking forward to her residency at BaCA, where she will focus on the labor-intensive process of creating mini mosaics that will be used in a future large-scale mosaic mural.
Shanna Woods
Shanna Woods is a dance artist, choreographer, and creator. She was the choreographer of the award-winning short film Brown Ballerina, and she has performed nationally and internationally with Deeply Rooted Dance Theatre, Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Theatre, Jubilation Dance Ensemble, and Olujimi Dance Theatre. Woods' extensive dance studies and performances have covered a vast variety of forms including ballet, tap, Afro-Haitian, Salsa, the ring shout dances of the Congo, Senegal, and many other styles. During her residency at BaCA, she will complete the dance work titled, Rituals, which challenges Shanna's thoughts around survival, thriving, rest and joy.
"In the past, I felt like I was always in survival mode out of fear, trying to make it through, and barely sustaining myself and my daughter. Rituals is an exploration of my desire to thrive with the intersections of joy and dream.
Rituals as an exhibit is a journey through the liberation of rest and radical joy. My desire is to create safe spaces for women to rest, reflect, and enjoy the essence of their being; to “sit down somewhere” (as our mothers, grandmothers and aunties told us to when we were restless and “doing too much”). We deserve this!" - Shanna Woods
Kim Ferguson
Kim Ferguson creates sculptural and functional ceramic pieces that reflect her philosophy of eternal optimism in the face of chaos. Her work has been described as whimsical, vibrant, and feminine, and is informed by her life as a child in Jamaica and her immigration experience in South Florida. For her residency project, Ferguson will continue to create work that encourages viewers to examine their perspective on “negative” or “chaotic” circumstances. In addition to her typical studio techniques, she plans to employ molds and glasswork techniques and further explore her sculpted figures (called Divines), and the Plant Mama (sculpted plant pot) series. One piece in particular, Shark Week will be fully realized during the residency and serve as the main 'high art' piece of the collected work.
Manzi Liu
Manzi Liu brings an international flair to her paintings having studied and practiced art in her native China, and later in France and the US. Fascinated with Asian culture, ancient mythology, and her inner world of dreams and memories, her paintings often incorporate these themes and blend styles of Surrealism and Expressionism. During her residency, Liu plans to create a large-scale project of several paintings, entitled The Sign, which will feature feminine figures with Chinese cultural elements. This project will honor Chinese women who are constrained by their culture and society’s bondage in different eras and will explore the women’s different responses to their circumstances.
Gregory Dirr
Gregory Dirr is an interdisciplinary visual artist, compulsively creating work that draws inspiration from fairy tales and the natural environment. Known for his whimsical yet classical paintings and murals, Dirr is often commissioned to create works for the public and private realms. Constantly exploring new ways to create, he is passionate about experimenting with new materials and processes. During his residency, Dirr plans to realize five large scale pieces for his passion works, which are process heavy and innovative. The theme of his planned work is centered around a visual narrative called The Big Book, a story with existential themes.
Learn more about Dirr’s The Big Book exhibition here.
Leonardo Montoya
We kick-off our Artist in Residence program at BaCA with internationally recognized painter Leonardo Montoya. Explore his studio, watch him create live, and shop his retail store, which will feature affordable prints and accessories showcasing his stunning artwork including the ultra-fab Diva Collection.
Leonardo Montoya—October Artist of the Month
Leonardo Montoya is an internationally recognized artist known for portraying the uniqueness of people so viewers can relate, accept, and embrace diversity. Empowering the characters he paints, he highlights each person’s beauty and singularity, giving a voice to those daily life warriors that are often overlooked. Born in Colombia, Montoya recently returned from the UAE where he enjoyed a residency in RAK, Emirates with the Al Qasimi Foundation. For his BaCA residency he looks to expand the size of his artworks and propel his career to a new level.
Andy Ballentine
Visual artist Andy Ballentine is known for his inquisitive approach to painting. His vibrant, figurative, and abstract works have garnered tremendous recognition, leading him to exhibit at the prestigious Art Basel Art Fair in Switzerland and the New York Art Fair. During his residency at BaCA, Ballentine will draw inspiration from his birthplace—Jamaica. For his project, he will be creating an immersive experience that explores the influence and impact of Reggae music. Using impressionist, cubist, and traditional painting styles to interpret the lyrics, Ballentine’s artwork will capture the culture and invite the viewer to continue to strive, dream, hope and love.
