Artist and writer Nikki Williams will share poetry written expressly for the artwork. Williams will also talk about growing up in Sugar Hill Harlem, her life and the influences that touch and inspire her as a Black Woman Artist. Other conversations will include Williams’ theatrical and literary influences. The Works of Black Women Artists such as Lorraine Hansberry, Ntozake Shange, Maya Angelou, Toni Morrison, Nikki Giovanni, Pearl Cleage, Octavia Butler, Gloria Naylor, and others will be discussed. 

About the Artist:

Nikki Williams has been called a “Renaissance Woman.” She is an award-winning photographer and poet with a professional career spanning thirty-five years. As a producer of arts programs, her organization, Spirit in Sunset Productions has been producing events that celebrate and supports the endeavors of Artists of Color for thirty-four years, starting with her live, weekly radio show “ArtBeat of Harlem,” broadcast from City College in 1990. Williams is also an accomplished graphic designer, playwright, author, and performance artist.

Williams has had the privilege and pleasure of being involved in a series of firsts. This year in March of 2024, Williams will have the honor of being Artist of the Month in a new online feature sponsored and curated by Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts. Williams was Ryan Health’s first Artist in Residence. She held that position for two years. Her art was on display at two of Ryan Health’s Harlem locations: Ryan Health Frederick Douglass from December 2020 until April 2021 and Ryan Adair. She was also the first artist to have a solo showing of her work inside of Blick Art Materials. A selection of her photographs celebrating the 50th anniversary of the African American Day was on display in September 2019.

Currently Williams’ work is featured alongside nine other brilliant visual artists in a group exhibition produced and sponsored by Harlem Grown. The exhibit is the last installation of a three-part set of installations that were the inaugural set of exhibitions and events held by Harlem Grown and funded by the Mellon Foundation. The installation went up in September 2023 and can currently be viewed at Marcus Garvey Park in Harlem.