The Art Marketplace For Art Lovers, By Art Lovers.
Bidgala is a fine art marketplace, catering to homeowners and design professionals. We connect art lovers directly with student and emerging artists who sell their original art at lower prices. Our mission is to make art accessible by empowering artists one sale, one connection and one story at a time.
Artworks are shipped directly from the artists’ studio to your home. Each purchase is in support of independent artists and their craft.
Knowing who’s artwork is hanging in your home and connecting with them on a personal level makes every purchase more meaningful. Purchase confidently by connecting with artists through Bidgala DMs or by reading artist stories in their profiles.
"Bidgala’s art advisors help make the experience of shopping for art easy and enjoyable. Whether you’re looking for a specific piece or want to discover some of our emerging artists, we will walk you through the simple process. "
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The LGBTQIA+ is a beautiful and diverse community of people of all genders and sexualities. Despite this diversity, the contributions and creations from people of colour are often overlooked. This article seeks to provide these artists with a well-deserved spotlight.
A quick note on the terminology used in this text: until recently the term queer was used in a derogatory manner against members of the LGBTQIA+ community to mark them as “odd” or “different”. Though the word has a rough history, it has been reclaimed by members of the community and is used as a marker of pride. Today, many members of the LGBTQIA+ community use queer as an umbrella term to encompass everyone who identifies as a member of the community. So, all uses of the term in this article are attributed to artists who use and identify with the word queer.
With that note in mind, here are five LGBTQIA+ contemporary artists of colour making a splash in the art world:
Clifford Prince King
Clifford is an American artist based in New York and Los Angeles. As a queer black man, his photography portrays his experiences and documents his intimate relationships with other men. His images are deeply personal, intrinsically beautiful, and offer viewers an emotional view of his life. Clifford’s works have appeared in prominent publications like Vogue, the New York Times, and the Wall Street Journal.
You can find Clifford on Instagram or on his website.
Yas Petit Poulet
Yas Petit Poulet is a queer Canadian artist of Lebanese-Belgian descent living in Tiohtià:ke (Montreal). Their work explores queerness through the focal point of science. Primarily a digital artist, this contemporary artist created their “Queer Chemistry” project (pictured above) as a means to inspire confidence in one’s identity by taking a chemical element from the periodic table of elements and ascribing it to specific sexual orientations and genders.
You can find Yas Petit Poulet on Instagram, their website, Twitter, and Facebook.
Connie Fleming
Connie is a Jamaican-born American artist who rose to prominence in the 1990’s Brooklyn nightlife scene. She is a transgender black woman and considered the first black openly transgender model. Aside from modelling, she is also known as a showgirl, and a contemporary artist working in the medium of illustrative art. Her illustrations explore themes of race, queerness, and fashion. Her exhibition Ink was featured at Montreal’s Never Apart gallery in 2021, a non-profit that celebrates LGBTQ2S and black excellence.
You can find Connie on Instagram and on her Twitter.
Jonathan Lyndon Chase
Jonathan is an American artist based in Philadelphia. They are a nonbinary black painter whose works explore themes of sexuality, specifically of black queer people. Their paintings use extremely vivid colours and bold shapes, reminiscent of abstract artists like Picasso. They had a solo exhibit from January to March 2023 at the Sadie Coles art gallery in London, England, and a group exhibit at the Baltimore Museum of Art in Maryland.
You can find Jonathan on Instagram or on their website.
Michèle Pearson Clarke
Michèle is a Trinidadian-born Canadian artist based in Toronto who is known for her incredible photography and filmmaking talents. From 2019 to 2022, she served as the photo laureate for the city of Toronto. Michèle is a black and queer artist whose work has been exhibited and screened at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia, and the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago, among many others. Her work delves into themes of masculinity and the black lesbian perspective. She is also an assistant professor in the Photography department at the Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly known as Ryerson University).
You can find Michèle on Instagram or on her website.
Who are your favourite LGBTQIA+ artists of colour? Did we list them here? If not, let us know in the comments. We love discovering new art!
Created on: June 7, 2023, 2:34 a.m.
All the festivals listed here are free except Muskoka Arts & Crafts Show.
The New Art Festival is a free to attend outdoor art exhibit that features artwork from nearly 200 visual artists. The exhibition features paintings, photographs, jewelry, and more.
Place: Ottawa's Central Park, Ottawa ON
Event: June 10 & 11 2023
Signatures Beaches Arts and Crafts Show
In the heart of Toronto's Beach neighbourhood, the Signatures Beaches Arts and Crafts Show is a handcrafted outdoor market that showcases the creations of over 150 independent artists, artisans, and designers. For two days only, attendees may interact with the creators in person and have hands-on experience with their amazing creations.
Place: Kew Gardens, 2075 Queen Street East, Toronto
Event: June 10 & 11 2023
Toronto Outdoor Art Fair is an outdoor/online art exhibition that has been showcasing the visual artwork of modern contemporary artists and makers since it was created in 1961. These creators include painters, photographers, sculptors, ceramicists, textile artists, and jewellery makers. The Fair features a variety of activities for visitors, including talks, tours, digital studio visits, curated exhibitions, kid-friendly workshops, live painting, dance, music, art installations, and culinary experiences.
Place: Nathan Phillips Square, Toronto ON
Event: July 7-9 2023
MiniComi Vancouver is a one day art market event that supports regional artists and creators. The artwork is influenced by popular media and comprises comics and prints, accessories, clothing, toys, and on-site commissions.
Place: 115 Victory Ship Way, North Vancouver
Event: July 8 2023
Muskoka Arts & Crafts Show Summer Show
The Muskoka Arts & Crafts Show Summer Show is a three-day outdoor art fair featuring talented artists' work. The price of admission for the full three days will cost $7 in cash, for one day is $10. It is also free for 12 and under. You can also download a passport, which offers benefits including full three-day access, a schedule of the summer show, a list of food vendors, and more.
Place: Annie Williams Park, Bracebridge ON
Event: July 14-16 2023
Created on: May 31, 2023, 1:29 p.m.
You might have heard the name 'Bob Ross' if you are an art enthusiast. Robert Norman Ross was a television show host, an art instructor, and one of America's most famous painters, with more than 1000 landscape paintings.
Although the American artist was most well-known in the 1980s and 1990s, many people still find inspiration in him and still adore him. His charitable and gentle character attracted recognition on a global scale. Both his behaviour and work have demonstrated this. Streaming services, such as Netflix and Youtube have allowed for a resurgence in his popularity by introducing him to an entire new generation. He became so popular that there is now Bob Ross merchandise available.
He stood out from the other artists with his distinctive, calming voice and words of inspiration. Bob Ross is credited with coining the famous adage, "We don't make mistakes, only happy little accidents." There was a kindness to him that made people particularly fond of him.
His works were donated to PBS, a public non-profit that produces educational art television programming. The American artist was well known for his love of wildlife and for caring for and keeping small animals as pets. Additionally, Ross also served in the military for twenty years and was not paid for any of his television shows.
His videos and working methods were intended to demonstrate to people that art is simple to learn and that everyone can do it. He had a unique way of looking at art education. It also fueled individuals with ambition by demonstrating that painting is a skill that can be acquired without going to school. His goal was to educate an audience of art lovers rather than to paint for galleries, lucrative businesses, or museums.
Almost all of Bob Ross’s art pieces, as seen in his videos, were completed fast and without difficulty. His viewers not only watched him for his talented skills but also because there was a certain satisfaction to watching his brushes glide on the oil paints, accompanied by his loving demeanour. His contributions to the art community will forever live on.
Today, Bob’s original paintings sell for an estimated $8,000 to $10,000, according to Bob Ross Inc. Art Enthusiasts can see some of Bob Ross’s authentic art online and displayed at the Bob Ross Art Workshop & Gallery, in New Smyrna Beach, Florida.
“You can do anything here – the only prerequisite is that it makes you happy.” -Bob Ross
Created on: May 24, 2023, 4:49 a.m.
