Patrons of Black Artists Committee
About The Committee
The Patrons of Black Artists is a dedicated group devoted to educating, inspiring, and cultivating patrons who help support the acquisition and exhibition of works by Black artists at the Huntsville Museum of Art. Through advocacy, fundraising, and meaningful engagement with artists and institutions, the Committee plays a vital role in strengthening the Museum’s permanent collection and ensuring a more vibrant and representative artistic legacy for North Alabama.
Click HERE to learn more.
Committee Goals
- Support the acquisition of significant works by Black artists
- Advance long-term strategies for the representation of Black artists within the Museum’s collection
- Celebrate and elevate Black artists through public programs and engagement
- Educate and inspire patrons through arts enrichment opportunities
Recent Milestones
The Patrons of Black Artists recently celebrated an important milestone with the acquisition of A Requiem for Takeoff by renowned Atlanta-based artist Fahamu Pecou. Thanks to the Committee’s leadership and generosity, the Museum was able to secure this powerful work for the permanent collection.
This acquisition not only strengthens the Museum’s holdings of contemporary art but also advances ongoing efforts to foreground Black voices within the permanent collection.
Join Us in Supporting Black Artists
Through thoughtful stewardship, fundraising, and public engagement, the Patrons of Black Artists is committed to shaping how works by Black artists are collected, represented, and celebrated at the Huntsville Museum of Art. By supporting acquisitions today, the Committee helps ensure that future generations encounter a collection that reflects a broad range of voices, perspectives, and artistic excellence.
Contributions to the Patrons of Black Artists acquisition fund help build long-term resources for acquiring works by Black artists and growing the Museum’s collection in meaningful and lasting ways. Gifts support both immediate opportunities and the continued growth of an endowment dedicated to future acquisitions.
Click HERE to help shape the future of art at HMA.
Get Involved
For more information about the Patrons of Black Artists or to learn how to become involved, please contact:
Christopher Madkour; cmadkour@hsvmuseum.
Natalie Mault Mead; nmead@hsvmuseum.org
Committee News
The Patrons of Black Artists Committee was featured on WAFF 48 news. Read the article here
Fahamu Pecou (b. 1975), A Requiem for Takeoff, from the series If Heaven Had Heights, 2023, acrylic and stardust on canvas, 54 x 49 in. Museum Purchase with funds by Patrick and LaSheena Bentley; Bobby Bradley and Charley Burruss; Sasha and Charlie Sealy; and Friends of Black Art, 2025.05 ©Fahamu Pecou.
HMA Patrons of Black Artists Committee
Co-Chairs:
Bobby Bradley and Sasha Sealy
Committee Members:
From left to right: Turner Nashe, Phylanice Nashe, Bobby Bradley, Brenda Martin, Erin Charles, Mouminatou Thiaw (Curatorial Fellow, Frist Art Museum), Teresa Foley-Batts, Tommie Batts, Sasha Sealy, Patrick Bentley, and LaSheena Bentley, pictured at Frist Art Museum, Nashville, TN.
From left to right: Brenda Martin, Jamaal Sheats (Director and Curator, Fisk University Galleries), Bobby Bradley, Patrick Bentley, LaSheena Bentley, Sasha Sealy, Erin Charles, Ina Wilson-Smith, Garrett Smith, Teresa Foley-Batts, and Tommie Batts, pictured at the Aaron Douglas murals in Cravath Hall, Fisk University, Nashville, TN.
College Night – Students Azanna and Jarrod, November 14, 2024
From left to right: Sasha Sealy, LaSheena Bentley, Patrick Bentley, Erin Charles, Bobby Bradley, LeXander Bryant (artist), Phylanice Nashe, Turner Nashe, and Brenda Martin, pictured at the exhibition “LeXander Bryant: Dirt Road Baby” at Red Arrow Gallery, Nashville, TN.
An Inspiring Conversation – Artist Dr. Fahamu Pecou and scholar, author, and curator Dr. Bridget R. Cooks, February 13, 2025
An Inspiring Conversation – Dr. Fahamu Pecou, Joy Holder, and Dr. Clement, February 13, 2025
An Inspiring Conversation – Frist Art Museum Associate Curator Michael Ewing, art historian Dr. Cherly Finley, artist Dr. Fahamu Pecou and scholar, author, and curator Dr. Bridget R. Cooks with HMA Black Art Patrons Committee member Herman Stubbs, February 13, 2025