“The way to right wrongs is to shine the light of truth upon them.” – Ida B. Wells
In honor of Women’s Month, Moody Jones Gallery of Glenside is opening a group show, “The Light of Truth,” on March 13. The opening reception will take place Saturday, March 16 from 4:00pm to 8:00pm.
The show will be featuring Antoinette Ellis-Williams, Lydia Boddie-Rice, and Martryce Roach, visual artists who create works that incite much-needed conversations relating to black culture, layered with their experiences as black women.
Parallel to Ida B. Wells in the late 19th century, these women actively use their voices/talents to shed light and make a long-lasting impact amongst marginalized communities.
About the artists
Dr. Antoinette Ellis-Williams uses her work as a means to explore the layers of her own identity as a black woman, mother, wife, and immigrant in the context of popular culture, power, politics, religion/faith, history, music, social movements and socioeconomics. The work is a commentary on the textured lives of marginalized people.
“I am constantly searching beneath layers for hidden messages and light,” she said.
Dr. Antoinette Ellis-Williams is Professor and Chair of Women’s and Gender Studies at New Jersey City University where she has worked for over 23 years. She graduated from Seton Hall with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology, earned a Master’s of Public Administration (M.P.A.) from the University of Pittsburgh, and earned her doctorate in Public Policy from Cornell University where she graduated in 1996.
Lydia Boddie-Rice is President & Creative Principal of BodyWorks Creations and Consulting, the business backdrop for her re-emergence as a creative who strives to integrate all forms of artistic expression in every aspect of her life.
“I create one-of-a-kind mixed media collages inspired by the intersection of my imagination and images that express iconic connections with subjects that inspire and transcend. I reinvent the collage techniques and traditional, utilitarian uses of fabric to create iconic statement pieces that share testimonies for healing,” she said.
Boddie-Rice minored in psychology at Brown University with the intention to pursue a career in art therapy. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Art from Brown, a master’s degree in Agency Counseling from Rhode Island College, and K-12 art education teaching certification from Rhode Island School of Design. She has received numerous honors and awards for her professional contributions and expertise and is an avid champion for emerging artists. She is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority.
Martryce Roach, a self-taught visual artist from New Brunswick, NJ incorporates elements of music, education, geometric shapes, and environment to construct surrealistic art stories that speak to human experiences and relationships, particularly as they relate to African American culture. With a Bachelor’s Degree in Public Health and Africana Studies and a Master’s Degree in Social Work, the context for a lot of this artist’s work is shaped by her passion for helping people.
Martryce’s work has been exhibited at a number of galleries and museums around the United States of America. Her work was also sold at art fundraisers, where generous portions of those proceeds benefit efforts of providing financial assistance to talented Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) underrepresented in business and medicine.
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