Johnny Draco is a multidisciplinary artist whose work explores identity, memory, and rhythm through bold forms, symbolic language, and cultural storytelling. Drawing inspiration from West African patterns, architecture, and the fluid energy of urban life, his pieces often merge graphic precision with emotional depth. Joseph Graves , originally from a small town in Kansas, delves into questions of cultural representation, amplifying black voices, black cowboys within the broader cultural narrative. Through his vibrant, chaotic style, yet harmonious creations, he aims to challenge boundaries and spark meaningful conversations about identity and belonging. Graves is a graduate of the University of Colorado and the University of Denver Sturm College of Law and channels his passion for the arts as a visual arts instructor at Denver South High School.
Jazz Holmes grew up throughout the deep south, mostly in rural Black sharecropping areas that were owned by her family. She graduated with a BFA from the University of West Florida and an MFA from Colorado State University. Holmes started out as a full-time lecturer for the figurative arts at multiple universities in the Denver Metro area but has shifted to become a full-time self- employed visual artist working out of a Denver studio. Her works are centered around uplifting the Black Agricultural South and highlighting the perpetual influence it has within American culture. Angel Tirado ’s work pays respect to the commercial fishing community Kodiak, Alaska, that she is proud to be a part of. It contains subtle nods to the psychological terrain of isolation, endurance, and the quiet beauty found in marine life. This series invites viewers to consider what it means to witness and be witnessed in a world
15 The Acumen
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