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About Me
Artist Bio
Artist Bio
www. acquaetta.com
Artist Bio:
My work centers on transformation, memory, and the interplay between natural and constructed worlds. I am especially interested in how time, exposure, and physical processes mark matter, echoing cycles of decay and renewal.
My artistic journey began with glassblowing and has since expanded to include sculpture and painting. Drawing on African cultural imagery and travel experiences, my work seeks to tell the stories of women of African descent. I examine both their perceived and actual cultural identities, emotional complexities, challenges, and responses. Personal reflection remains central to the narratives I aim to convey.
My commitment to art was strengthened through mentorship with renowned artist Harvey Littleton at the University of Wisconsin, where I completed my MFA. Subsequently, I received an Arts International Travel Grant, which enabled me to travel throughout Benin in West Africa. I also completed residencies at Arte-Sumapaz in Columbia and at Kyoto, Japan.
My glassblowing work has received significant recognition, with pieces included in several prominent permanent collections. Notably, my pieces are held at the Corning Museum of Glass in Corning, NY; the Museum of Arts and Design in New York; the Racine Art Museum in Wisconsin; the National Afro-American Museum and Cultural Center in Wilberforce, Ohio; Bowie State University in Bowie, Maryland; and the AT&T Learning Center in Basking Ridge, New Jersey.
Artist Statement
I am drawn to the spirituality of objects, especially in African cultures, where the unseen holds as much value as the seen. What does it mean to be a color? Abstract shapes and vibrant hues shape our lives. One memory that stays with me is of a red scarf I received as a child. I wore it at a family celebration where the color red symbolized vitality and good fortune. Over time, that scarf became a token of comfort and confidence for me, a reminder of the energy and protection woven into cultural traditions. From birth, we navigate a world of color: pink for girls, blue for boys. We use colors to divide neighborhoods, signal solidarity, or unite communities in tragedy. Stories emerge from these environments about identity, love, compassion, anger, sensitivity, and being human.
Building on stories rooted in color and meaning, deconstructing my past has opened a gateway to images that resonate emotionally and encourage participants to recognize the significance of their own narratives. My creative process often begins with a search for objects that carry traces of personal or communal memory. I am guided by intuition and an awareness of each object's history, choosing materials for their resonance and connection to cultural narratives. When selecting colors, I consider both their symbolic meaning and the emotional response they evoke, aiming to create compositions that invite others to reflect on their own experiences. I find myself caught between the influences of my journey and the impact of the objects I incorporate into my art, reflecting a continuous evolution of self.
This tension is ever-present: I find myself between two forces, what I have left behind and what I have incorporated into my art, objects that once belonged to others and are always traveling. For example, in my recent mixed-media piece "Guardian of Memory," I combined a worn wooden comb inherited from my grandmother with vibrant modern textiles. The comb, scarred and smoothed by use, is anchored at the center of the work, surrounded by layers of fabric that represent new environments and shifting identities. This combination of the old and the new becomes a physical expression of my own sense of in-betweenness, carrying forward both heritage and transformation. From this arises a melancholy understanding of how much honesty and artifact go into making a self.
To deepen this exploration, I have been researching decorative and culturally and spiritually significant aspects of African imagery, aiming to enhance my understanding of its unique visual and compositional impact, 'power and display'. For example, I discovered that among the Yoruba, indigo-dyed cloth not only signifies status but also encodes stories and spiritual beliefs within its patterns, linking everyday objects to complex layers of meaning. This kind of insight has broadened my perspective on how objects can carry both personal and communal narratives, enriching the symbolism in my own artistic practice.
Ultimately, my art is a transformative approach to color, engaging with historically rich materials, carrying ethical responsibility, and exploring how artistic choices can challenge narratives and open spaces for dialogue. In my practice, I am mindful of the ethical dimensions involved when working with cultural materials. I approach objects and stories from different traditions with respect, prioritizing research, transparent sourcing, and open conversations with communities wherever possible. By reflecting on my own position and acknowledging the origins and significance of the materials I use, I strive to ensure my work promotes appreciation rather than appropriation, encouraging respectful dialogue both within and beyond the studio.
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Solo Exhibitions:
2020 Art in Embassy, Ouagadougou, Burkina, Faso, 2020-2024
2018 Northern Virginia Community College
2016 Publick Playhouse, Hyattsville, MD
2015 Arts Harmony Hall Regional Center, Fort Washington, MD
2011 DC Glassworks, Hyattsville, MD
2008 A Gathering of the Tribes, New York, NY
2007 New Door Creative, Baltimore, MD
1999 Somerset, County Arts Council, Crisfield, MD
1991 William H. Thomas Gallery, Columbus, OH
Benjamin-Marcus Gallery, Columbus, OH
1987 Cultural Arts Center, Columbus, OH
1981 Northern State College, Aberdeen, S.D.
Group Exhibitions:
2026 2026 Juried Exhibition, Rawls Museum Arts, Courtland, VA
Under the Surface: Where Contrast, Texture, and Friction Meet, Aryan Gallery, Vienna, VA
Re/Generations: Prince George’s Exhibition at the Lowe’s Building at the Capitol, Annapolis, MD
Works on Paper, 2026, Philadelphia Sketch Club, Philadelphia, PA Hill Center Galleries, 2026, Regional Exhibition, Washington, DC
2025 Confab, Washington Sculpture School, Washington, DC
“Celebration Of Being” Global Healing, International Art Education Therapy Development Academic Association, Online Exhibition, China
Mcllroy Gallery, Mattie Arts Center, Northwest Florida State College, Niceville, FL
Essence in Bloom: A Celebration of Black Legacy, Culture, and Artistic Expression, Seattle, WA
2024 We’re Twenty, Newdoor Creative, Baltimore, MD
Naturalist Gallery Abstract Collection, Online Exhibition, DC
Craft In Color, Racine Art Museum, WI
Colors: Unfolding Prismatic Perspectives, Barbagelata Contemporary Art Foundation, Online Exhibition, Barcelona, Spain
Prince George’s County Exhibition, Lowe House, Annapolis,
2023 Colorful Symphony, Online Exhibition, 2023/2024
Life In Layers, Brentwood Arts Exchange Gallery, Greenbelt, MD Vibrant Colors, Ten Moir Gallery, Online Exhibition, Honorable Mention
The Healing Power of Color In Art, Online Exhibition, Manhattan Arts International
Women of Color, Liz Long Gallery Urban Retreat Art Center, Chicago, IL
Renewal, Lowe’s Building at the Capitol, Annapolis, MD
2022
New Editions, New Door Creative, Baltimore, MD
Hope and Healing, Montpelier Art Center, Laurel, MD
Mood, Spelman College Museum of Fine Art, Atlanta, GA
Racine Art Museum Showcase: Focus on Glass, Racine, WI Racine Art Museum:
Abstraction, Racine Art Museum, WI
Hill Center Arts Galleries, Washington. DC
2021 Wausau Museum of Contemporary Art: Salon des Refuses, Wausau, WI
Finding Home 2021, Harmony Hall Arts Center, Fort Washington, MD
Biannual Regional Women in the Arts, Seton Hill University, Harlan Gallery, Greensburg, PA
MFA’s Corporate Connections 2021, National Harbor, MD United Through Arts 2021 Art of Japan Juried Exhibition Online Medford Arts
Untold Black Stories in Contemporary Art, Jacoby Arts Center, Alton, IL
Artist Statement #6, CICA Museum, Gyeonggi, South Korea
Artists to Follow in 2021, Virtual Exhibition, Michael Rose Fine Art, Providence Arts Club, New England
International Perfume Bottle Association, Virtual Competition
Rewrite Realty, Independent & Image Art Space, Virtual Exhibition, Chongqing, China
Abstract Mind, Czong Institute for Contemporary Art, Gyeonggi, South Korea
2020 42nd Annual Juried Exhibition, Monmouth Museum, Lincroft, NJ
Abstract Only, Hawaii Island Art Alliance, Wailoa Center, Hilo, HI
Symbiotic Presence, 32nd Annual Prince George’s County Juried Exhibition, Brentwood Arts Exchange, Hyattsville, MD
Cerulean Arts Gallery, 8th Annual Juried Exhibition, Philadelphia, PA
10th Annual Pinnacle National Juried Art Competition, Foster Tanner Arts Gallery, Tallahassee, FL
Into the Light, Orange County Center for Contemporary Art, Santa Ana, CA
Abstract National Exhibition, Mark Arts, Wiedermann Gallery, Wichita, KS
Reflections, Vancouver Arts Space, Vancouver. WA
WA 2020, Waterloo Arts Gallery, Cleveland, OH
Prince George’s County Exhibition, Lowe House, Annapolis, MD
Professional Experience:
Fellini Residency, Kyoto, Japan, 2024
Artist-In-Residency, Arte-Sumapaz, San Bernardo, Cundinamarca, Colombia, 2023
Guest Lecturer, Bowie State University, Bowie, MD, 2008
Guest Lecturer, Columbus, OH, 1994-1995
Arts International Travel Grant, Nigeria, Africa, 1994
Artist-In-Residence, New York Experimental Glass Workshop, New York, NY, 1993. Instructor: Beginning Glassblowing, New York Experimental Glass Workshop, New York, NY, 1993
Judge, International Porcelain Competition, Columbus, OH, 1992.
Scholarship, Master Glass Class, Pilchuck Glass School, Seattle, WA, 1991.
Visiting Artist, University of Illinois, Carbondale, IL, 1991
Lecturer, Acquaetta Williams, Cincinnati Museum, Cincinnati, OH, 1993
Publications:
Abstract Magazine, 2024
A Like Artist, Collector Art book, AI-Tiba9 Contemporary Art, Volume 2, Barcelona, Spain, 2023
Wow Art Magazine, Volume 1, Dubai, 2023
COLOURS, Issue No. 12 Special Edition, September 2022
Where Magazine, Washington D C, Preview: “Four Score” Jean Lawlor Cohen, p. 23, February, 2009
The Urban Glass Art Quarterly: No. 112, review: “Deconstructing Time: Memories,
“ Robert C. Morgan, p. 89, Fall, 2008
Perspectives: Authentic voices of African Americans, Curriculum Associates, Textbook Diverse Perceptions, Selections from the AT&T Collection, (32 ready to mail full color post cards), the AT&T Learning Center, 1997
Dialogue: Volume 17, no 1, January/February, 1994, cover photo
Collections:
Racine Art Museum, Racine, WI
Bowie State University, Permanent Collection, Bowie, MD
The White House, Permanent Collection Christmas Ornament, “She Is Safeguarding the Peace”, Washington, DC
The National Afro-American Museum and Cultural Center, Wilberforce, OH, The AT&T Learning Center, Basking Ridge, NJ
Corning Museum, Corning, NY
Museum of Arts & Design (formerly American Craft Museum ), New York, NY Sheldon M. Barnett, MD, Milwaukee, W
Education:
University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, MFA
University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, BFA
Art In Public:
Virginia Commonwealth University Outpatients Building, Richmond, VA
Prince George’s County Parks and Recreation, Greenbelt, MD
Revival Hotel, Baltimore, MD
Morris Cancer Center, Robert Wood Johnson, University Hospital, New Brunswick, NJ