Black American Artists Alliance - Richmond

02/12/2026

I had the honor and privilege to represent BAAAR for an interview about the Stories and Histories: Lifted by Legacy Exhibit at ART WORKS gallery 304 Hull Street on Channel 8NEWS this morning. The exhibit will be on view until February 21.

01/30/2026

Thanks to Photographer, Maurice Wilson, for this photograph of BAAAR members... Standing left to right - Alvin Lester, Sir James Leonzo Thornhill, Vashti Woods, Unicia Buster, Barbara Hobson, William E. Johnson, Dennis Winston, Jeff Taylor; Seated - S. Ross Browne, Yhayha A. Hargrove and P. Muzi Branch. Not shown Kyle Epps and Amiri Richardson Keys

01/24/2026

The opening of the exhibit “ Histories, and Stories: Lifted by Legacy” at ARTWORKS, was the bomb. Thank you channel 8news, Virginia State University, and of course, the artists of the Black American Artists’ Alliance of Richmond.

01/23/2026

Join us tonight January 23, 2026 at 6:00 PM for the opening reception of "History and Stories: Lifted by Legacy" at ART WORKS 304 Hull Street.

01/22/2026

01/20/2026

11/29/2025

More Pictures from the Closing Reception for "America the Beautiful?" Exhibition at Browne Studio/Gallery.

11/29/2025

America The Beautiful? Closing Reception Black American Artists Alliance of Richmond would like to thank all who supported the exhibit. Exhibiting artists: Seated - Sir James L. Thornhill, R. Vashti Woods, William E. Johnson, Unicia Buster. Standing - P. Muzi Branch, S. Ross Browne, Dr. Ram Bhagat (Drums No Guns), Guest Artists: Jeromyah Jones, Jerome Jones, Chef Chris (Culinary Artist) and Dennis Winston. Exhibiting artists Not Pictured - Kyle Epps, A. Yhayha Hargrove, Barbara Hobson, Amiri Richardson Keys, and Jeff Taylor

11/27/2025

BAAAR Exhibition Closing Reception Friday 11/28/2025
You are cordially invited to attend.

11/05/2025

This Painting by artist, Amiri Richardson Keys is on display until November 28, 2025 in the America The Beautiful? Exhibition at Browne Studio/Gallery 1100 Hull Street, Richmond VA.

Amiri Richardson Keys
The Presumption of Innocence
Oil on Canvas
40" × 36"

This painting is dedicated to the memory of George Stinney Jr., a fourteen-year-old African American boy who, in 1944, became the youngest person ever executed in the United States. He was accused of a crime he did not commit—the murder of two white girls in South Carolina—and was convicted after a trial that lasted barely a day. His story has haunted me as one of the clearest examples of how racial injustice can strip innocence away from both the individual and the collective soul of a nation.

In creating this work, I wanted to confront the enduring reality of systemic bias within the criminal justice system. Too often, young Black children are treated as threats rather than as lives full of potential. Disproportionate arrests, wrongful convictions, and harsh sentencing continue to perpetuate a cycle of inequality that denies their humanity and their right to simply be children.

Through color, texture, and fragmented imagery, I sought to show both the vulnerability and the strength of a child caught in the machinery of injustice. The Presumption of Innocence is not only a portrait of George—it is a meditation on all those who have suffered from a system that too often presumes guilt based on skin color.
— Amiri Richardson Keys

11/04/2025

This Drawing entitled "God's Grace" By William E. Johnson is now on view as part of the America the Beautiful? Exhibition at the Browne Gallery 1100 Hull Street in Richmond VA. until November 28, 2025

God’s Grace
Pencil
Drawing18" × 24"
From a young age, I often heard the elders in my community say the phrase “God’s grace.” It was their way of giving thanks—to acknowledge good health, another sunrise, or simply having what was needed to make it through the day. Over time, I came to understand that this simple expression carried generations of faith, endurance, and humility.
In God’s Grace, I pay tribute to that legacy through both image and symbol. The Adinkra motif Nyame Nti, which translates as “By God’s grace” or more literally “Because of God,” serves as the spiritual anchor of the work. The proverb associated with this symbol—Nyame nti, menwe wura, meaning “Because of God, I won’t feed on leaves (like an animal)”—speaks to divine provision and human dignity sustained through faith.
The profile of the figure is drawn in quiet reverence, surrounded by delicate forms that suggest both fragility and renewal. For me, this drawing is an offering of gratitude—a meditation on survival, trust, and the unseen hand that has guided my people through hardship and toward hope.
— William E. Johnson