An exhibition including 22 pieces of art that reflect the experience of the African American community will have its opening reception from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Friday, August 4 at the Historic City Hall Arts and Cultural Center. 

“The Fine Art of Naomi Fairley” features the art of Fairley, a Lake Charles native that was featured at the University of Houston’s Art Exhibit at the age of 17.

Jeanine Blaney, executive director of the Black Heritage Gallery and curator of the exhibition, said that Fairley’s pieces offer audiences insight into the experiences of African Americans, describing them as “realistic and moving.” 

“The artist has a way of relating to the inner emotions of the African American community… The Black Heritage Gallery decided to show the work of Naomi Fairley to awaken the audience’s attention to the unmentionable subjects of the African American Community.”

“If you look closely at Naomi’s artwork, you can see through the eyes of a young influential African American female artist.”

In a release from the Historic City Hall, Fairley said that with her father’s influence she was “truly pushed towards pursuing that passion.”

She is artistically energized by surroundings, she said in the release.

“This is what I say inspired me the most – analyzing how people react to things, their emotions and encounters with one another is what I focus on with my artwork. I fell in love with drawing faces in middle school and soon went more in depth with the meaning behind those faces.

“I drew in high school to create a purpose for myself and to pave my own pathway of artistry, to learn more about how the human mind works while at the same time, spark the interest of an audience through a stroke of a brush.”

She recently moved to Katy, Texas to expand her craft, experimenting with multiple mediums like color pencil, watercolor, charcoal and digital design.

The exhibition is hosted by the Black Heritage Gallery, and is open and free to the public.