BUFFALO, N.Y. — We are celebrating Black History Month through Buffalo's vibrant art scene and one of the local artists at the center of it all.
Julia Bottoms is sharing her passion through art that honors Black icons.
"We're at the Freedom Wall. Basically, it's an amazing public piece of art that really kind of talks about the history of not only national Black figures, but also local figures, which is something that I think really makes it special for Buffalo," Bottoms said.
2 On Your side caught up with Bottoms at the corner of Michigan and East Ferry, where she helped create the Freedom Wall in 2017.
"I think for Black History Month, it's especially significant, because we think of the really big names like Rosa Parks and Doctor King, which are on the wall. But it's important also to honor the local legends as well, like Arthur Eve and Miss Eva Doyle, and just all of the amazing people that have helped to contribute to Buffalo," Bottoms said.
Bottoms has contributed immensely to Buffalo's public art scene with murals across the city.
"Museums are wonderful, of course, but I think there should always be a part of it that's available to everybody, and for people to kind of walk in and feel at home," Bottoms said.
"I think that's a reservation a lot of times for people that can be intimidated by the idea of walking into a space that's traditional, and you kind of miss out in that sense, so I think public art is a great kind of branch to help people get excited about art, and even when it's in communities kind of claim it for yourself."
Her next big splash will be made at a museum, the Buffalo AKG, next month.
"I feel really fortunate there's been so many organizations that have really just stepped into my corner and said, 'We trust you, we support you, we believe in your vision.' Even with an exhibition that is opening next month on the 8th at the Buffalo AKG, you know, they really trusted me, and Tiffany Gaines, and Jillian Hanesworth, who are my co-creators on this, to just be able to really do our own thing," Bottoms said.
She is also working on a new sculpture to honor Shirley Chisholm's legacy.
"It's going to end up going right at her final resting place in Forest Lawn. What's been amazing about that is just having ventured into sculpture, that was really my first time doing a sculpture of that scale, and to just be trusted and to, you know, really do all this research of Shirley and get to know, you know, what her, not only what her contribution was, but how she has this connection to Buffalo I think really helped me connect with the work itself and I'm really excited to have it move into that next phase," Bottoms said.
And while Bottoms says a lot of attention is paid to the figures and icons on this wall, she says Black history is something that should be celebrated year-round.
"I want to remind the community that Black history is American history, and it's part of all of our shared stories, so my big encouragement to educators, and just to the community in general, is to really reframe the idea of Black history and take it out of just a single month," Bottoms said.
"Think about who are these figures, even if you only cover one a month with your kids, it's really important to acknowledge that shared history, and I'm actually working on a children's book that eventually I'm hoping I can provide for free to a lot of places to kind of work on that and go month by month and say, you know, even if it's just one figure, it's part of our shared story."