Art Hop September 2021 Stop 16: Shaquona Espinoza and Josh Ford

Shaquona Espinoza is an artist born and raised in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Art has always been a part of her life, but it wasn’t until 2018 that she started painting with acrylic paints on canvas. She would focus on the simplicity and beauty of nature and with time she decided to paint faces that brought familiarity into her life.

Knowing that her artwork/gift isn’t just for her, but for others to love and enjoy, keeps her motivated to be creative and challenge herself. She tends to create artwork that challenges her perception of reality. She wants her art to make people feel good.

Shaquona’s artwork has been showcased at Elements, the WMU Office for Sustainability, the Epic Center, the Black Arts and Cultural Center, Center for New Media at KVCC, Channel 8 News and virtually during Juneteenth- curated by Soul Artistry LLC, Kalamazoo Institute of Arts during the West Michigan Area Art Show, Public Media Network, the Kalamazoo Defenders, and virtually- curated by the Black Arts and Cultural Center.

Shaquona is a permanent vendor at BeadVenture, a nonprofit program of the Arts Council of Greater Kalamazoo.  Her artwork is available for purchase in the cooperative space she shares with other local artists and handmade vendors who support the mission of teaching youth the art and culture of crafting and the entrepreneurial skills to sell their work.

Josh Ford recently moved from Ohio to Michigan. His art style is abstract and cartoon, pieces that make you think and a statement about social issues. He uses a large variety of paint mediums.