Artist's Bio & CV

Marcella Hayes Muhammad

Artist Biography: 

Marcella Hayes Muhammad is an award winning published international fine artist, and more recently, author. She is recognized for her elegant style, intricate detail and vibrant colors. Her work reflects the current events, history, emotions, and beauty she experiences around her in everyday life. To convey her message, Marcella maintains her flexibility of expression through the use of realism, and abstraction.

Marcella Hayes Muhammad is the daughter of Tuskegee Airman and career Air Force officer, Col. Harold C. Hayes.  She was fortunate to live in Japan, France, Germany and many parts of the United States.  She had the rare opportunity to learn about and experience other cultures at a young age.  Aware of the importance of culture, she recalls listening to her father and other original Tuskegee Airmen talk about their struggles and triumphs.  This instilled in her a pride of her culture and a positive outlook as reflected in her paintings.

Marcella credits her mother, Ruth Hayes, a graduate of the Art Institute of Chicago, for shaping her views of culture, people and especially artistic expression by exposing her to the many art museums available during their travels and always encouraging her artistic endeavors.

Marcella earned her BFA with honors from the California State University at San Bernardino.  She also studied at the California College of Art and Design at Oakland and the University of California at Riverside.  Her formal training and extensive experience gives her an extraordinary command of style and media few artists possess. After a very successful career as a teacher, Marcella retired. In 1995, She and her husband moved to the Atlanta, Georgia area and it is here that she started her own art business and creates her works full time.

Marcella’s work has been collected by an international audience. She is active in local and national art organizations. Marcella has participated in many art fairs and conferences where she has served as a guest-speaker and conducted master-classes and workshops. Marcella keeps current with invitational, Museum and gallery shows. She is an author of a fictional novel inspired by quilt art published under the title, A Quilt Of Dreams and another biographical book about her signature style of Plastic Space™ abstract under the title, A Journey Through Plastic Space™. Both books are available on Amazon.com.

Artist Statement:

“The rhythm of light as it falls over and around forms seduces the eye to travel on a path of discovery. This is my signature style of PLASTIC SPACE ABSTRACT. I prefer using my favorite medium of oils on canvas to blend color, and depth into a simulated three dimensional collection of forms on a two dimensional surface. I use cloth, brushes and my fingers to move the oils on a preferred smooth canvas surface to obtain the effects I want to achieve. More recently I have added texture to some canvases by applying an undercoating of texture paste and gesso before I begin painting.

I purposely portray objects that are mildly abstracted to bring the viewer more quickly into the composition. I want the viewer to recognize parts of the painting and in so doing bring about the intrigue of discovery as the eye is brought around and through the composition. To achieve this, I first render the idea with a sketch in pencil working out the abstraction of objects, balance, and composition until I am satisfied with the look. Then I transfer the sketch to a canvas where I begin to add color into the composition.

My favorite choice of colors is chromatic hues (a warm palette) and I work in layers. I begin with the natural white canvas instead of the European traditional method of applying a thin base color which allows my colors to really pop. I then fill areas of skin tone and wood tones. In the second and third layers I work with a full palette, where I perfect color and detail. The last layer is done using the negative space to tie the total composition together. At the end, I work the balance and transition of the various levels through shading to achieve a pleasant feel for the eye and create a continuous directional motion within the composition. It is so rewarding to see a viewer’s eyes travel over the piece and return for a second and even a third time.

Each piece of my work is usually narrative driven, often telling a story of African American culture, history, traditions and sometimes current events. Plastic Space abstract is my most challenging, creative, and enjoyable form of art.”

 

Curriculum Vitae (CV)

PUBLISHED BY:

  • Fine Arts by Todd, Atlanta, GA
  • Paloma Editions, San Diego, CA
  • Carole Joy Creations, Inc., Brookfield, CT
  • African American Expressions™, Sacramento, CA

LICENSED BY:

  • SunsOut, Inc., Eco Friendly Jigsaw Puzzle, Costa Mesa, CA
  • Joel Rothman Music Catalogs, London, England
  • Carole Joy Creations, Inc., Brookfield, CT
  • African American Expressions™, Sacramento, CA
  • Montgomery Wallcoverings Co., Alexandria, VA
  • SoapArt by Lasting Impressions, Boca Raton, FL

 MOST CURRENT JURIED SHOWS:

  • Alabama State University Museum; “Give us The Ballot- African Americans Right to Vote”; Juried Exhibition, Montgomery Alabama – February 2 –August 16, 2020
  • Karamu Gallery Shrine of the Black Madonna; “Different Strokes”; Juried Exhibition, Atlanta, Georgia; February 1, 2020-March 30, 2020 *(cancelled mid show due to CIVID-19 pandemic)
  • Haugabrooks On Auburn; “AAFTA Outsider Perspectives 2020” Member Juried Exhibition; Atlanta, GA – February 6 – April 30, 2020 *(cancelled mid show due to Corona Virus pandemic)
  • Art Station Contemporary Arts Center; “Plastic Space the Jazz of Art” Solo Exhibition; Stone Mountain, Georgia - January 18, 2020 – March 17, 2020 Extended to March 22, 2020 *(cancelled mid show due to CIVID-19 pandemic)
  • Karamu Gallery Shrine of the Black Madonna; Grand Opening Juried Exhibition; Atlanta, Georgia; December 5, 2019-January 30, 2020
  • Art Station Contemporary Arts Center; Member Juried Exhibition & Competition; Stone Mountain, Georgia – March 30-May 21, 2019; Honorary Mention Award:
  • The National Center for the Study of Civil Rights and African-American Culture at Alabama State University “1619-2019: Hope, History, and Struggle for African American Freedom Art Exhibition; February 24, 2019 – December 10, 2019: Montgomery, Alabama
  • NAAHBCU "Changes In Perspectives in Contemporary Art" October 26- January 2019; North Carolina A&T State University Greensborough, North Carolina - To travel to Atlanta, Georgia APEX Museum 2019
  • Light Space & Time Online Art Gallery; “Abstracts Art Exhibition” March 2018 Special Recognition Category Award
  •  Art Station Contemporary Arts Center; Member Juried Exhibition & Competition; Stone Mountain, Georgia – January 20, 2018-February 28, 2018; Honorary Mention Award
  •  Southwest Fulton Arts Center Juried Exhibition, “BOYCOTT”; Atlanta, GA- January 13- February 24, 2017
  •  AAFTA Juried Holiday Exhibition, Hammonds House Museum, Atlanta, GA – November 22- January 15, 2017
  • Southwest Fulton Arts Center Juried Exhibition, “BOYCOTT”; Atlanta, GA- January 13- February 24, 2017
  • Art Station Contemporary Arts Center; Member Juried Exhibition & Competition Prospectus Stone Mountain, Georgia – December 3, 2016-January 23, 2017
  • AAFTA Juried Holiday Exhibition, Hammonds House Museum, Atlanta, GA – November 22- January 15, 2017
  •  NAAHBCU 16thAnnual Juried art Exhibition, “Into The New Millennium” Fayetteville State University, North Carolina – November 4- 19, 2016
  • National Association of Artists from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (NAAHBCU)
  • “Afrofuturism Rising: Black Art Across the Spectrum” Fort Valley State University, Georgia- October 8-December 31, 2015
  •  National Center for the Study of Civil Rights and the African-American Culture Exhibit at Alabama State University “Black Women During the Reconstruction Period II” Montgomery, Alabama – January 1, 2014
  • Tubman African-American Museum; “Afrofuturism Rising: Black across the Spectrum” Macon, GA – October 8, 2015
  • National Center for the Study of Civil Rights and the African-American Culture Exhibit at Alabama State University; “Voters Rights Retrospective”” Montgomery, Alabama - March –June 2015
  • Southwest Fulton Arts Center; “Small Works #5 Exhibition” –Atlanta, GA- November 21- January 9, 2015
  • Southern University Gallery; “The Importance of the Arts to HBCU’s in this New Millennium” Juried exhibition of NAAHBCU members; Baton Rouge, Louisiana- September 5-30, 2014
  • SouthwestFultonArtsCenter; “Onyxcon 6” Atlanta, Georgia- August15-Sept.12, 2014
  • Art StationContemporaryArtsCenter; “AAFTA In The Station”; Stone Mountain, Georgia-April 5-27, 2014
  • Art StationContemporaryArtsCenter; “Holiday Juried Member Exhibition”; Stone Mountain. Georgia- January-March, 2014
  • AtlantaState Capitol, “Art Of Georgia Exhibition”; Atlanta, Georgia- August 2013- extended to July 31, 2014
  • HamptonUniversityMuseum, “Black Women During the Reconstruction Period” Hampton, Virginia – June 10- August 10, 2013

OTHER SHOWS:

  • NAAHBCU Group Travel Exhibition; Invitational; Durbar Hall Art Center, Ernakulam India January 12-19, 2020 / extended due to COVID-19 to be determined.
  • Karamu Gallery; Invitational “Grand Opening” / Shrine of the Black Madonna; Atlanta, GA December 5, 2019- February 28, 2020
  • Atlanta City Hall; Invitational “Inaugural artist / Mayor’s Gallery Exhibition” Solo Showing, Atlanta, GA April -May 31, 2018:
  • Atlanta-Fulton County Central Library Gallery Exhibit; “5th Congressional District Adult Exhibition”, Atlanta, GA April 2018:
  • Scarborough Art Gallery; Invitational “Off The Wall Exhibition 2017” One Woman Show; Tucker, Georgia October 7-28, 2017:
  • Atlanta-Fulton County Central Library Gallery Exhibit; “The Colors of My Mind”; Atlanta, Georgia-January 31-February 26, 2016
  • Snellville City Hall; “Black History Month” Invitational Position; Snellville, Georgia- January 8- March 5, 2015
  • Clothesline Art Gallery; “Plastic Space: The Jazz of Art” Invitational solo exhibition and book signing; Stone Mountain, Georgia July 4 – 26, 2014
  • National Center for the Study of Civil Rights and African-American Culture Exhibit at Alabama State University, “Black Women During The Reconstruction Period” Invitational Position; Montgomery Alabama- January-May 31, 2014
  • Atlanta-Fulton County Central Library Gallery Exhibit; “Together The Many Are As One”; Atlanta, Georgia-January 26-February 28, 2014

AWARDS:

  • Jubilee Cultural Arts Alliance2004 Honorable Mention Award of Cobb County, Atlanta, GA
  • Heritage Arts Festival 2004 Palette Award for Best In Realism, Gallery At South Dekalb, Decatur, GA
  • The Mall at Stonecrest  Lithonia Fine Arts Expo; 2003Second Place Award
  • Academy of Fine Arts, Inc. 2003 "Southern Roots" Distinguished Alabama Artist Award, Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, Birmingham, Alabama
  • African Americans For The Arts; "Holidays Aglow" Juried Exhibition, Atlanta, GA – First Place Award 2001; 2007
  • African Americans For The Arts; "Holidays Aglow" Juried Exhibition, Atlanta, GA- Best of Show Award 2008

COMISSIONED WORK:

  • “Cleopatra VII” - commissioned by the ApexMuseum, Atlanta, , for the video presentation, “The Journey,” in the African American Panoramic Experience which also featured several other pieces of work by Marcella.
  • “Changing the Face of Creativity” - commissioned by The Atlanta Women’s Fund, Atlanta, GA, to design the cover art work for the annual fund raising campaign, “Changing the Face of Creativity”
  • Portraiture - commissioned by various celebrities and private clients to do personal and family portraits.
  • Graphic Design - commissioned by numerous organizations including the NCNW, The Sportsmen Athletic Club of San Bernardino, Urban League, Links, Inc. and others to design covers for programs, and fund raising events.

SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS:

  • WATB AM 1420 Radio; Broadcast interview to explain about Plastic Space.
  • National Center for the Study of Civil Rights and African-American Culture Exhibit at Alabama State University, “Black Women During The Reconstruction Period” Introduction to the exhibition speaker.
  • African Americans For The Arts, "Printmaking 101"; “Art Licensing”
  • De Anza California History Center, Cupertino, CA, “The Art of Marcella Hayes Muhammad”
  • University of California at Riverside, “A Week Of Women in Art”
  • FoothillCollege, Los Altos, CA, “Conversation with the Artist”
  • Channel 12, Atlanta, GA, “Perspectives in Poetry”
  • Fine Arts by Todd Cascade Gallery, AtlantaGA, “Meet the Artists”

VOLUNTEER WORK:

  • Create A Canvas / Acrylic painting instructor for beginning painters/ Lithonia, GA
  • The NationalCenter for the Study of Civil Rights and African American Culture at the University of Alabama / Donation of artwork for their permanent collection / MontgomeryAlabama
  • Annual Mayor’s Masked Ball / UNCF Silent Auction; AtlantaGA
  • Hammonds House Galleries / Silent Auction Fundraiser; AtlantaGA
  • Sickle Cell Awareness / Auction, AtlantaGA
  • Girl’s Inc. Fundraiser / Auction Atlanta GA
  • Lou Walker Senior Center/Oil Painting Instructor/ South DeKalb GA
  • NCNW invitation designs; Riverside, CA, Decatur, GA
  • Served as board member for the South DeKalb Arts Center; Decatur, GA
  • Served as board member for African Americans for the Arts; Atlanta, GA
  • Served as membership chair for African Americans for the Arts; Atlanta, GA
  • Demonstrating artist for the Heritage Arts Festival Underground Atlanta, GA
  • Volunteer workshops and presentations for organizations CA, GA
  • Voluntary exhibit and demonstration at AtlantaCity Hall for Cannan Kids organization
  • United Negro College Fund silent auction fundraiser; donation of artwork; Atlanta, GA
  • Atlanta Hawks foundation fundraiser; donation of artwork

ORGANIZATIONS:

  • Fifth Congressional District of Georgia High School Art Competition Committee and juror / since 2007 to current
  • HammondsHouseMuseum / Atlanta, GA / since 2000
  • The National Alliance of Artists from Historically BlackColleges and Universities /since 2010
  • Decatur Arts Alliance /since 2009
  • African Americans for the Arts / since 1999; Board Member 2000-2002; 2015
  • National Association of Women Artists, Inc. /since 2007
  • South DeKalb Arts Center, Inc.: Board Member /2002- 2004

AUTHOR:  Self-published, available on amazon.com

  • A Quilt Of Dreams / A Supernatural Novel by M. H. Muhammad (224 pages)
  • A Journey Through Plastic Space™/ Full Color PlateIllustrations of art workbyMarcella Hayes Muhammad (61 pages)

EDUCATION:

  • BFA with honors; University of California at San Bernardino