Spotlighting Black Creatives

Written by Mary McCue Bell

Black Alchemy has been an annual staple to Matchbook Marketing since our inception as an organization; it is an event to promote black artists and creatives in the Columbia community by giving them a platform for their art. The goal of this annual event is to have the audience feel immersed with the creators through an in-person venue with live performances, as well as question and answer segments with each artist.

The event is to lift up black creatives as well as enhance appreciation for the arts. Salinas designed the event as a space of expression for themselves, their art and their goals.

A creative member of Black Alchemy, Kelsi Southard, chose graphic design for her showcase.

“[Graphic design] is a creative outlet for me where I can help a brand send a visual message in their advertising, while also creating art that I’m proud of,” Southard stated. “Graphic design allows me to work with just enough direction so that I don’t get lost in all the possibilities and [it gives me] just enough creative freedom so that I can enjoy the process.”

Southard chose 3 different advertisement series to showcase, which were all made for Frank Corridori’s Creative Portfolio and Strategic Design and Visuals II classes: Twix, Vespa, and Blue Microphones. She sought to share her talent as well as design them as if they were real advertisements that would represent those brands.

“I aimed to execute designs that would really grab the attention of the viewer in hopes that the ‘wow’ factor would translate to how the consumer feels about the brand,” Southard reflected. “My goals are to show off my best work and learn something from the other talented black creatives that will be there.”

Along with presenting her own artwork for Black Alchemy, Southard also volunteered at the venue.

“I volunteered as well as showcasing because Black Alchemy is such a unique and exciting opportunity for black creatives, and I wanted to be a part of making it as successful as possible,'' Southard said. “Black Alchemy is a step in the right direction towards presenting opportunities for black creatives, and I’m super grateful for the people that have put in the work to make it happen.”

Another creative to highlight is Kaitlyn Hill, who is showcasing two acrylic paintings. Hill made the pieces as a means of exploring other styles to find the fun in painting again.

“These works are extremely emotional to me, and they are about how I ground myself when experiencing anxiety,” Hill explains. “Making art reconnects me to my own spirit, and ultimately these pieces are important to me because they represent me coming back to myself through my art practice. My goals are to make at least one person feel something when they look at my work, whatever that feeling may be.”