Artist Kofi Bazzell-Smith will be on campus Jan. 22 through Feb. 2 as part of the 2023-24 McGuire Visiting Artist program. His artwork merges African American culture and stories with a Manga aesthetic to tell new stories in fresh and exciting ways. 

During his residency, Bazzell-Smith will collaborate with teachers and students across all three divisions, including Jackie Quinn's fourth and fifth grade visual art students, Seexeng Lee's eighth grade visual art students and Bill Colburn's Upper School Drawing 1 and 2 students. The two-week residency culminates in a Martha Bennett Gallery exhibit showcasing the artist’s work and student work produced during Bazzell-Smith’s time on campus.

The Blake community is invited to an opening reception in the Upper School’s Bennett Gallery on Friday, Feb. 2, 5:30-7:30pm. Visitors will have the opportunity to meet Bazzell-Smith and student artists and peruse artwork while enjoying light bites. 

This fall, Louise Fisher, who was also selected as a 2023-24 McGuire Visiting Artist, worked with Middle School industrial arts students and Upper School printmaking students. The biennial McGuire program was established in 1993 by Dr. Bill and Nadine McGuire to fund residencies with visual artists who collaborate with PK-12 students and faculty, enriching Blake’s visual arts curriculum.