Putting the Spotlight on Black Artists
Whataburger is celebrating and amplifying Black artists commissioned to create inspirational Whataburger art pieces within the Whataburger Museum of Art (WMOA), a virtual collection of artwork by the fans and for the fans. Check out these gifted artists highlighting their unique Whataburger perspective on Instagram @thewmoa.
Samuel Dunson
The Arts have played a major role in Samuel’s life. As a youth in Dayton, Ohio, he was surrounded by creativity. His venture into Fine Art began with an Art Professor at Tennessee State University unexpectedly encouraging him to take a drawing class. Upon receiving a BS in Studio Art in 1992, Samuel searched and found gallery representation in Nashville, Tennessee, after college. In 1998 he was accepted into the Savannah College of Art and Design under a Presidential Fellowship award. After receiving an MFA in painting, he accepted an offer to teach at his alma mater, Tennessee State University. Presently, his work tends to deal with comprehending the many changes that occur throughout life. Samuel’s paintings, sculptures and videos have become a coping mechanism which allows him to express his feelings and emotions within artistic means. Though his aim is to tell his own personal story, his work tends to be universal in its comprehension. In this, he continues to challenge himself as a creative artist.
Michael Kendrix Temple
Michael Kendrix Temple aka “Madd Kyng” is an emerging talent based in Houston, Texas. Madd Kyng has been painting since 2012 and received his degree in 2015 from San Diego State University. He works with a variety of mediums on an array of different canvases from animal skins to fabrics to reversible canvas, even painting on people for some projects. If you name it, he’s probably worked with it. He’s inspired by pop culture and classical Art History. He strives to blend classical skill with his wild imagination to captivate the mind’s eye. Presently, Madd Kyng is actively making art and concentrating on his original character, Gensho, which means “phenomenon” in Japanese. Derived from symbols relating to power and protection, Madd Kyng infuses this character with his perceived duty as an artist: “To reflect the times, but more importantly, to make a positive change in this world.
Shae Anthony
Illustrator and maker Shae Anthony is a little obsessed with all things colorful. Born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia meant street art and graffiti were early inspirations for what would become her passion for illustrating women of color. Drawn to bold hues and abstract shapes, she uses the two to tell the visual stories of the women in her life with a little 90's pattern inspiration sprinkled in.
Niki Dionne
Niki Dionne of Actual Footage of Me is an Illustrator and Fiber Artist based in Dallas TX. Through various mediums including fiber, oil pastels, and digital illustration, Niki explores how self-perceived identity shapes how black women view themselves. As an artist who has struggled with her identity, every piece she creates has a part of her and the work invites viewers to find bits of themselves in the faceless women.
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