Promoting African American Artists

Strange Fruit Arts Center

Connecting Communities Through
African American Art and Education.

Welcome

to Strange Fruit Arts Center

The mission of Strange Fruit is to connect people with African American art through innovative, unique art, and art education by local African American artists where talents are exposed to the community. In turn, artists share their gift and love of art by educating other art enthusiasts from beginners to advanced classes and pop-up events which would enrich and contribute to the economic development of the community.

The inspiration behind Strange Fruit Arts Center is deeply rooted in honoring the memory of the countless Black men, women, and children who were tragically lynched and later referred to as “strange fruit” in the haunting lyrics of Billie Holiday’s iconic song. Originally written by Abel Meeropol in 1937 and brought to life by Holiday’s powerful voice, Strange Fruit shed light on the brutal reality of racial violence in the American South—a truth often silenced or ignored.

WELCOME TO NEW Artists

Denise Belfon-Grier

I am a visual artist who works with acrylic, watercolor, and mixed media, as well as a
crafter who loves bold colors and both visual and tactile textures. I create paintings, handmade greeting cards, and portraits, and I also teach and inspire others to tap into their own inner artist.

Sharon Crumley

Sharon Crumley is a self-taught mixed media artist whose work explores the beauty and complexity of human connection. With layered fabrics, woven paper, and unexpected materials, her art becomes a meditation on the invisible threads that link us-soft, tangled, resilient. Her artistic path began with childhood memories of sewing doll clothes alongside her mother.

Zoey M. Harris

Zoey M. Harris is a 16-year-old student artist with a passion for
photography, born in Minneapolis, Minnesota and raised in the South, calling both Georgia and Tennessee home. er work is inspired by the natural world – capturing animals, landscapes,
and fleeting moments that often go unnoticed.

Join us

Calling All Artists...

Are you an artist ready to make an impact? Whether you’re emerging or established, the Strange Fruit Arts Center invites you to submit your work, share your story, and become part of a powerful creative community dedicated to cultural expression, justice, and transformation.

Showcase your work on our website & exhibits
Connect with fellow creatives & curators
Gain visibility through our artist spotlight features

support us

Your support fuels the mission of the Strange Fruit Arts Center – creating space for Black artists, thinkers, and visionaries to thrive. With your contribution, we provide art education programs, community events, and platforms for emerging and established artists to share their work.

Every donation, no matter the size, brings us closer to building a world where art and activism go hand in hand.

Become a part of our creative legacy.