Black Arts Legacies: Visual Arts and Vibrancy

Two artists honor the history of Black art in Seattle while helping to reimagine the city.

Ashli Blow

Ashli Blow Jun 2, 2022

Jun 2, 2022

Republish Article

You can republish articles in print or online. Simply copy the HTML below, which includes our tracking pixel, all paragraph styles and hyperlinks, the author byline, and credit to Cascade PBS. Republishing of the photos or videos embedded in an article can occur only if the photo or video is a copyright of Cascade Public Media ("CPM") and not of a third party. Photos and videos that are a copyright of CPM are not required to appear in the republished article, but if they are used, they must be embedded where they appear in the original article and must include the attribution to the CPM photographer.

You may reprint in any medium
You may edit only for tense and timeliness
If republishing in print you can edit for length if you follow our print republishing guidelines.
You may write your own headline
Include a byline and shirttail with credit and link to Cascade PBS
Include our tracking pixel
Remove if we ask

          <article>
            <header>
              <hgroup>
                <h1>Black Arts Legacies: Visual Arts and Vibrancy</h1>
                <h2><p>Two artists honor the history of Black art in Seattle while helping to reimagine the city.</p></h2>
              </hgroup>
               <p>By <a href="/author/ashli-blow/">Ashli Blow</a></p> 
              <p><time datetime="2025-02-04T05:00:00-08:00">Jun 2, 2022</time></p>
            </header>
            <p>On Union Street in Seattle’s historically Black Central District, two buildings speak to each other through proximity, history and art. On the north side is an affordable housing development with a facade designed by Al Doggett featuring a dancer, a saxophone player and a raised fist. Across the street is an apartment complex with a color-splashed exterior created by Seattle artist Barry Johnson, who says he drew inspiration from jazz and the rich palette of painter Jacob Lawrence. Both artists are using their skills to commemorate the history of Black art in Seattle, while at the same time making a permanent mark on the evolving cityscape.</p>
          </article>

On Union Street in Seattle’s historically Black Central District, two buildings speak to each other through proximity, history and art. On the north side is an affordable housing development with a facade designed by Al Doggett featuring a dancer, a saxophone player and a raised fist. Across the street is an apartment complex with a color-splashed exterior created by Seattle artist Barry Johnson, who says he drew inspiration from jazz and the rich palette of painter Jacob Lawrence. Both artists are using their skills to commemorate the history of Black art in Seattle, while at the same time making a permanent mark on the evolving cityscape.

Our members' donations make local journalism happen.

Support once for $1

Support monthly for $7

Cascade PBS Passport
Mossback members-only newsletter
Monthly Viewer Guide

Support monthly for $25

Invitation to quarterly news and original programming video conference
Annual in-person meet-up with news & programming teams
Special event perks (reduced price or free tickets, cocktails, etc.)

Continue

By Ashli Blow

Ashli Blow is a Seattle-based freelance writer who talks with people — in places from urban watersheds to remote wildernesses — about the environment around them. She’s been working in journal