The Dear Black Girl Project is an exhibition and community conversation affirming the experiences of brown and black women. It is an alluring visual collaboration of embroidered quotes, shared narratives, images, African textiles & found objects curated in a space designed to facilitate healthy conversations around being a black woman in the world. It affords viewers with diverse opportunities to witness the journey. This exhibition is intended to share wisdom, serve as a space of healing, and most importantly honor black women and their processes. My artistic processes vary and are determined by my instinctual responses to what matters to me in every season. "Stay tuned for the gem at the end of the video!"

Views of a Curated Space - Dear Black Girl

Installation Day - Dear Black Girl - The installation took a week to install before the reception day.

Wall details - Each embroidered quote took about 2-5 hours or more depending on the length of the quote. The frames, objects and many of the fabric are recycled and have been donated to the project by many of the women along with the narratives that have been collected by each black women. Red, Green, Blue Peacock Pattern framed in vintage frame. far right. Narrative by Mrs. Shirley Elder Parker. In honor of my mother.

The women were asked to wear African Fabrics on the day of the reception as a way to become a part of the installation. I often refer to the women as "My Tribe" to create unity with the women that have participated and all that are witnessing. My intension is for the black women to become a part of the work when they enter. The African fabric and quotes serve as an abstract portrait and or representation of a body of black women. The intension is for the women to feel bold, beautiful and know that they are meant to stand out in this world.

Embroidery Detail - Each narrative was from a black women. The narratives were initially received from women that I knew but as I spoke about the projects significance many other black women were initiating their participation. It became very evident to me that the women had plenty to share.

Although there were others at the reception during the opening day it was important to document all of the black women that had shown up in a beautiful way. Here are just some of the women and girls that were captured on that day.

Before the Dear Black Girl project was installed in the final form in the fall of 2022 a sample installation in the summer of 2022 had to be installed in my studio. It became a way for me to problem solve and process how the pieces would come together. The intension for Dear Black Girl is to continue curating spaces. Each space will be curated differently each time while growing the narratives as I continue the embroidery. There will be other ways that I include narratives as the space grows. This is a work in progress.

Embroidered Quote on Recycled Frame with African Textiles 39x24 Narrative by Mrs. Tonette Harris. Baltimore native.

Community Mosaic Address for Transom Window. Size 45x24 All homeowners assist in the overall creative process.

Transom Mosaic Design - Size 45x24, All homeowners assist in the overall creative process with subjects and colors.

Homeowners are a big part of the design process in these commissioned works in community.

Local businesses often times commission me to add mosaics to their exteriors. This is a grassroots bread shop in the Harwood.

Mosaic Address Community Project - Flag Design Size: 6x23 Mediums: Recycled frame, and colored glass

Wilmington Delaware Montessori School 20x20 feet. Please refer to the link, Tamara Payne Mica Digications website for more on community engagement projects.

https://mica.digication.com/tamarapayne/Welcome/published

Exterior Barclay Community School Community Mural. Please refer to the link, Tamara Payne Mica Digications website for more on community engagement projects. https://mica.digication.com/tamarapayne/Welcome/published

Students at the Barclay School assisted in designing Gutter Monsters to bring attention to the community in keeping gutters cleaned. As a Community artist their are always different initiatives that I facilitate to address community needs.

Organized paid programming throughout the years has been successful in allowing youth and adults to participate in various mosaic workshops. There have been organized workshops held at the 29th Street Community Center and on specific community events such as Baltimore City's “National Night Out,” against crime. Popup workshops are just as successful, giving youth creative activities throughout the summer and fall. I do the grant writing for all community based projects while have other organizations partner as a 501c3. Over the years I have established beautiful relationships with many of Baltimore's organizations.

There were hundreds of people that worked throughout the summer of 2011 to complete the school mural. This was the reveal day with community partners, neighbors, teachers and students. MOSAIC - Baltimore - PressReaderhttps://www.pressreader.com › usa › baltimore-sun-sunday Please refer to the link, Tamara Payne Mica Digications website for more on community engagement projects. https://mica.digication.com/tamarapayne/Welcome/published

The mural was a combination of colored glass and ceramic tile. While I managed and facilitated over 20+ mosaic workshops in 2 months in the summer of 2011 there was another artist that facilitated the ceramic tile workshops with the youth at the Barclay School during their summer camp experience. The Barclay School Unveils Mural | North Baltimore, MD Patchhttps://patch.com › maryland › the-barclay-school-unve... Sep 22, 2011 — The community pieced the mural together under the guidance of mixed media artist Tamara Payne. The mural, which was built around the ...

Barclay 26th Street Community Center workshop with youth and adults

Barclay 26th Street Community Center Community Sign Reveal Day

Barclay School youth at the 26th Street Community Center working on a neighborhood community kiosk sign

The Motzi Bread Bakery Installation was a commissioned project from the owners of the neighborhood staple that makes fresh pastries, bread and so much more. The owners Russell and Mya wanted commissioned butterflies and a personalized mosaic that is consistent throughout the Harwood . They also desired a wheat themed commission for the inside of the Bakery.

Portrait of Miss Ida - There is always a reoccurring theme throughout my work and that is black women. This portrait is one panel of several that are part of a community installation curated while working throughout my residency in Collington Square in East Baltimore City. Miss Ida was a leader in East Baltimore. She told stories of her childhood living in the south. As a young girl I was always interested in the history of others. Stories told of those that came before me has always interested me. This portrait was accompanied by Miss Ida's life's story through which were documented in audio. Miss Ida said, "Women in the south are much stronger."

Dimensions:  28x23. Mediums: Mosaic colored glass on a recycled window.

Throughout my work over the years I have always been inspired by extraordinary black women. Josephine Baker has truly inspired my earlier paintings. 

In my personal work I have always loved telling story's, collecting recycled objects, and photos that relate to the challenges of our families troubled history through Christianity.

This 20x 30 assembly of images on a recycled window shows generations of the family's Christian tradition that was practiced from generation to generation. It shows my mom as a small girl, my great great grandmother and my grandmother as a small child.

This 24 X 36 self portrait entitled Journey was inspired by the artist Frida Kahlo. Created with colored glass the colors in the self portrait represent the many seasons of growth, personal struggles and the overcoming of many obstacles in her life. 

Materials: Colored Glass on Recycled Window

In this exhibition it was important for the women to be seen as an extension to the installation. "The Black women are the art." The procession of Black women began at the Motor House and marched into the Sheila & Richard Riggs Gallery across the street. The intension was to film the women while people in the Baltimore streets became audience members as well. https://bmorenews.com/video/dear-black-girl-letters-to-my-sisters/ https://bmorenews.com/news/tamara-paynes-dear-black-girl-letters-to-my-sisters/?fbclid=IwAR1VvtFItyicngLsyYwEtcB-MXDM1gieJgNzbiA4Srm9EYdvzBKMz4kFepg

Dear Black Girl Part 2 is an evolved curated space that speaks to the black women's inner child. It eludes that inside of each black women there still live that little Black girl. Inspired by Dr. LaShay Harvey's essay An Ode to Sensuality during Black Girlhood. “A lot of the “bad” and “good” habits, preferences, joy, and pleasure that we experience in our Black womanhood are directly connected to experiences from our Black girlhood.”

Tamara explores the idea of “Home.” The collaboration affords women the opportunity to share their journey through their own narratives. The collaboration of embroidered quotes, images, African textiles, audio, video & found objects are combined to explore Black and brown womanhood through poetry, music, fashion, and dance. In this installation unlike the first it included photos of family and other personal memories of Black girlhood.

The collaboration of embroidered quotes, images, African textiles, audio, video & found objects are combined to explore Black and brown womanhood through poetry, music, fashion, and dance. In this installation unlike the first it included photos of family (her mom as a little girl) and other personal memories of Black girlhood.

Gem Baltimore Artist Talk -The safe space is curated so that Black women and girls can have a safe space to have conversations about their personal journey's. Gem Baltimore is an empowerment group for young Black Girls in Baltimore City.

The installation is designed around the performance piece for the women. The dress form in the front holds the skirt that is worn by Tamara Payne during the performance. Many of the women during the performance were able to wear Yelestitches original designs. The skirt is a collaboration between Nigerian Fashion designer, Yelestitches and Tamara Payne. The skirt is created from the first installation of Dear Black Girl.

Details of Dear Black Girl Part 2 - There are several pieces that are in both installations. The objects are altered a bit to continue to intrigue the viewers eve more with materials used. This details included African braided hair.

The crowd in the Gallery Space was should to shoulder. All participants that were inside of the space and outside in the audience were truly engaged during the performance.

Performances by Black women evoked so much emotion. As one women said, "We had church!" The performances of spoken word and dance along with fashion truly allowed others to see the light and value in all Black women. https://www.instagram.com/reel/CvPv7e2PBuZ/?igshid=NjIwNzIyMDk2Mg==

Performance Skirt made from recycled fabrics from the first installation. This was a collaboration between Nigerian Designer, Yelestitches and Tamara Payne

Short Documentary Film - Soon after the curated spaces, narratives and conversations began taking place in each installation it became quite clear that the documentation of these gathers with black women and other witnesses needed to be a part of the process. The documentary's become a part of the continued installations and performances so that others could witness the connections among black women, "MyTribe!"

Motor House Performance - Dear Black Girl Merges Visual Arts and Fashion

Through this performance of a Black Girls Country the black women were able to be the opening act for Nigerian Fashion Designer, YeleStitches who honors her African culture through vibrant African textiles with her collection of African apparel. These events become opportunities for the women to gather, showcase their gifts, network, and be able to see ourselves reflected in our goals and dreams. 

Dear Black Girl Performance & Empowerment - A big part of the experience and installation for black women is to create an experience for the Black women that were a part of the performances. Photoshoots were done to heighten the needed self care part of the experience and day. This photo shoot was taken before the summer exhibition in July of 2023.

Dear Black Girl Photoshoot - Self Portrait - Photoshoots were provided by Motor House Photographer Jazzystudios, a resident artist for each performance. Collaborations with many artists and documentation is essential for each performance.

Motor House Performance - Dear Black Girl Merges Visual Arts and Fashion

Through this performance of a Black Girls Country the black women were able to be the opening act for Nigerian Fashion Designer, YeleStitches who honors her African culture through vibrant African textiles with her collection of African apparel. 

These events become opportunities for the women to gather, showcase their gifts, network for other opportunities, and be able to see ourselves reflected in their goals and dreams. 

Collaborations with dancers and poets were a part of the Motor House experience for the installations and performance.

Motor House Performance and Photo shoot - Dear Black Girl Merges Visual Arts and Fashion. These events become opportunities for the women to gather, showcase their gifts, network, and be able to see ourselves reflected in our goals and dreams. 

Collaborations with other women and artists dancers was essential. Having all Black women and girls was very important. 

These events become opportunities for the women to gather, showcase their gifts, network for other opportunities, and be able to see ourselves reflected in their goals and dreams. 

Motor House Performance - Dear Black Girl Merges Visual Arts and Fashion

Artist and influencer Aya, is one of the many young Baltimore community of Black women creatives. Many of the ideas and happenings of Dear Black Girl is influenced by other artists as women in community.

Through this performance of a Black Girls Country the black women were able to be the opening act for Nigerian Fashion Designer, YeleStitches who honors her African culture through vibrant African textiles with her collection of African apparel.

These events become opportunities for the women to gather, showcase their gifts, network for other opportunities, and be able to see ourselves reflected in their goals and dreams. 

During the entire process of Dear Black Girl there are always other artists that become collaborators in this process. This skirt full of recycled African textiles was a collaboration between Tamara Payne and Nigerian designer Yele Stitches. This skirt was created for the performance piece for the summer exhibition of 2023, All women were asked to wear African inspired textiles for the exhibition. They become a greater part of the entire curated exhibition.

Motor House Performance - Dear Black Girl Merges Visual Arts and Fashion

For each performance the women are documented in individual and group photos. This is a part of the process to empower the Black women. All Black and brown women are welcome to take part in the performance. All people are welcome to witness these performances.

These events become opportunities for the women to gather, showcase their gifts, network for other opportunities, and be able to see ourselves reflected in their goals and dreams.