In a recent conversation about Black giving, I was reminded that years ago I learned that voluntarism is the nation’s greatest natural resource. Without volunteers, so many things would come to a screeching halt! The consistent display of art from Black artists in the Pacific Northwest region would be limited at best, and completely absent at worst, if not for the efforts of a group of volunteers who operate the Onyx Fine Arts Collective and Gallery.
Stepping into spaces filled with Black art is an experience to be treasured. Gallery Onyx soothes the spirit and opens the heart, surrounding every guest with special embraces from the lens of Black artists. The teams of volunteers who make this gallery possible are a mix of elder states-people who epitomize the popular term “holding space.”
For sixteen-plus years, these creatives have given of their time and talent to assure that a professional gallery space, and exhibits showcasing the work of Black artists, would be available to the public. And while they have only occupied their current space in Pacific Place in downtown Seattle for a few years, collectively they have been hosting and presenting the work of Black artists for decades.
We’re shouting our appreciation for Gallery Onyx, all of the volunteers and artists that make up the collective, and for the decades of service these creative men and women have given to our arts community. This month, Gallery Onyx is hosting its annual fundraising campaign. If you are so inclined, we invite you to support their efforts by donating via this link!