Featured Artist

During your next Museum visit, be sure to stop by the Art Studio and enjoy the work of mixed-media painter Kayla Hooper!

Hooper’s work explores and celebrates the nuances of Black culture, drawing from her personal experiences growing up in a Black family. While acknowledging the history of systemic oppression, her art focuses on shifting perceptions by highlighting the often overlooked normalities, joy, and richness inherent in Black culture. With a supportive upbringing emphasizing positive self-image, Hooper strives to create work that shows Black youth they can be seen in beautiful and multifaceted ways, reclaiming narratives that go beyond trauma to reveal the depth and complexity of the Black experience.