My name is Mary Forrest Bell. I work at Black Belt Treasures Cultural Arts Center (BBTCAC). I have been taking art classes at BBTCAC since I was around the age of six. It’s only fitting that as I grew older, I stayed close to the organization, becoming an employee at 16 years old. My primary role is gallery associate, but I also work extensively on the BBTCAC website. I do not have a favorite thing about working here because I love everything we do. Whenever artists come in, I make it my mission to ask them about their work and try to get an understanding of their creative process. There are so many different artists that I love. Two of my favorites are Kristin Law and Melissa Munger. Melissa is not a Black Belt artist but does exceptional work as she paints live wedding portraits. My favorite coworker is Kristin Law because honestly, she’s like a mother to me. I attend church with her, we have painted murals together, we share ideas and constructively criticize each other’s work. She is truly my second “mother” and everything I know about art, I learned with her at BBTCAC.
In my spare time I paint, draw, read, and hang out with friends. My favorite animals are cats, but my dream pet is an elephant. If I could have any superpower, it would most definitely be the ability to communicate with animals. If I had to choose between spending my entire paycheck at BBT or Walmart, I would choose BBTCAC. I would love for Black Belt Treasures to have a glassblowing, metal work, or woodwork class. We have not had any of those yet, so I am most definitely interested in seeing if it’s something we could do, because I would love to attend.
I think that Black Belt Treasures was a great idea that has grown into a great organization. It allows so many small/local artists to be recognized when they probably would not have had that opportunity without BBTCAC. I think the organization is accomplishing what it set out to do, but I would love to see it become even more. I want to see BBTCAC expand and open another storefront, probably on the other side of the Black Belt. I do not think people in the surrounding communities are fully aware of BBTCAC and its mission; although, people from across the U.S. and around the world visit each week. I think the organization would benefit greatly from a larger social media presence, more articles in the newspaper and even word of mouth. We just need people to know that the organization is here, and it benefits us all. During my time at BBTCAC, I have learned everything that I know about art; but workwise, I have grown my social skills, learned customer service, and I know how to improve a website.
We asked the current staff of Black Belt Treasures Cultural Arts Center a number of questions and compiled their answers into a short bio so you can get to know them.