TWISTED VILLAGE CUSTOMS
A COLLABORATIVE EXHIBITION:
"The Grass Is Greener"
TWISTED VILLAGE CUSTOMS
A COLLABORATIVE EXHIBITION:
"The Grass Is Greener"
ARTISTS
Destiny Santiago, a Puerto Rican, creative self-taught artist and founder of Twisted Village Customs since 2011, is passionate about the power of art. Them/they is a Massachusetts-based interdisciplinary/multidisciplinary, multimedia artist who specializes in canvas work. She has been featured in magazine publications such as AFX Race, and on stations like Masslive.
Santiago works on and off the wall, drawing attention to size and scope, activating unique qualities that emphasize connections and complexities. By integrating and expanding techniques she brings to light the importance of diversity, color and varied textures we encounter on a daily basis. Highlighting these links and legacies while cultivating critical and cross-cultural dialogue, she acknowledges the ways history and systems have impacted individuals, particularly from marginalized identities.
Recognizing there’s not enough people or spaces supporting and collecting art from artists of marginalized groups, Santiago is committed to creating more equitable and inclusive spaces, intersections and overlap for both the art and the artists. Normalizing and popularizing accessible and collaborative relationships between the art and the individual; she aims to foster an environment that welcomes diverse perspectives, connects people, and that opens doorways and depth to art where other artists can also be showcased, seen and celebrated.
Santiago is personable, flexible, fun, loving and never fails to channel that energy and enthusiasm toward creating art both in and out of the studio. An array of original works of Santiago have been displayed at the Art for the Soul Gallery in downtown Springfield at Tower Square, White Lion Brewery also located in Springfield, Hinge, the Ludlow Coffee Shop, and Klekolo World Coffee in Middletown, CT.
DESTINY SANTIAGO
(2024)
ACRYLIC/CHARCOAL
WESTERN, MA · USA
My name is Noni Kai, and I'm excited to bring my unique artistic vision to the world. As a self-taught visual artist in acrylic and mixed media, I believe that art goes beyond simply aesthetics, but can also serve as a healing tool in our lives. My artwork is designed to promote quantum healing and encourage the viewer to embrace their inner healing through meditation and visual creativity.
As a vocalist having toured the United States with The Eclectic Collective which took us to Late Night shows like Jimmy Kimmel and The Craig Ferguson Show, I know firsthand how to channel my artistic abilities into a captivating, transformative experience.
As someone who has always been interested in the intersection of art and music, I've incorporated my education in music theory into my artistic aesthetic. In my current work, I seek to continue pushing the boundaries of art while promoting wellness through self-expression.
NONI KAI
(2024)
ACRYLIC/MIXED MEDIA
AMHERST, MA · USA
ASHLEY- APOINTE RIVERA
(2024)
ACRYLIC/MIXED MEDIA
NORTHAMPTON, MA· USA
Ashley Fenix Aponte-Rivera is a talented artist born in Caguas, Puerto Rico, on April 12th, 1990. His artistic journey began as a self-taught artist with a natural gift for painting and drawing. Influenced by his uncle's love for music and his cousins' interests in pop culture characters, Ashley started illustrating what he saw and loved, including heroes from sci-fi movies, comic books, cartoons, and video games.
Growing up surrounded by the art on heavy metal albums played by his uncle, Ashley developed a unique style of painting, sketching, and drawing that is surrealistic and impressionistic. During his adolescent years in Connecticut, he honed his skills in watercolor painting, oil painting, wire, and clay sculpting.
As an adult, Ashley traveled across the US, engaging in street art and collaborating with his brother on customizing art pop figures and toys, as well as creating low-brow style paintings. Together, they founded an online shop called Kill Gorgons and showcased their work in gallery openings, local tattoo parlors, and high-end coffee shops.
In New York City, Ashley transitioned from an illustrator to a fashion designer, establishing a "Pop-Up" shop in the Wynwood Art district and the Fashion District of Miami. He also had a retailer location inside Wynwood Market Place and collaborated with interior designers as a mural artist.
After facing some challenges, Ashley relocated to Amherst, MA, where he delved into the Amherst regional school system, working as a para professional in special education. He furthered his education and became certified as an art therapist, specializing in helping students with emotional and behavioral challenges such as abuse, substance abuse, gang-related trauma, and other traumas through art therapy.
Today, Ashley continues his artistic journey as an indie-fashion designer, creating wearable art pieces influenced by his indigenous roots, ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics, and his love for pop culture, fashion, music, and anime. His work reflects a blend of diverse influences and a deep commitment to using art as a tool for healing and self-expression.
Ashley Fenix Aponte-Rivera is a talented artist born in Caguas, Puerto Rico, on April 12th, 1990. His artistic journey began as a self-taught artist with a natural gift for painting and drawing. Influenced by his uncle's love for music and his cousins' interests in pop culture characters, Ashley started illustrating what he saw and loved, including heroes from sci-fi movies, comic books, cartoons, and video games.
Growing up surrounded by the art on heavy metal albums played by his uncle, Ashley developed a unique style of painting, sketching, and drawing that is surrealistic and impressionistic. During his adolescent years in Connecticut, he honed his skills in watercolor painting, oil painting, wire, and clay sculpting.
As an adult, Ashley traveled across the US, engaging in street art and collaborating with his brother on customizing art pop figures and toys, as well as creating low-brow style paintings. Together, they founded an online shop called Kill Gorgons and showcased their work in gallery openings, local tattoo parlors, and high-end coffee shops.
In New York City, Ashley transitioned from an illustrator to a fashion designer, establishing a "Pop-Up" shop in the Wynwood Art district and the Fashion District of Miami. He also had a retailer location inside Wynwood Market Place and collaborated with interior designers as a mural artist.
After facing some challenges, Ashley relocated to Amherst, MA, where he delved into the Amherst regional school system, working as a para professional in special education. He furthered his education and became certified as an art therapist, specializing in helping students with emotional and behavioral challenges such as abuse, substance abuse, gang-related trauma, and other traumas through art therapy.
Today, Ashley continues his artistic journey as an indie-fashion designer, creating wearable art pieces influenced by his indigenous roots, ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics, and his love for pop culture, fashion, music, and anime. His work reflects a blend of diverse influences and a deep commitment to using art as a tool for healing and self-expression.
I-SHEA
(2024)
VOCALIST/PERCUSSIONIST
SPRINGFIELD, MA· USA
I-SHEA, is an eclectic ARTist (performer, producer, singer/songwriter/emcee, recording and teaching artist), aka ‘The Original Jewminican’ who comes from the source of hip hop and raised in the sauce of merengue, boleros, rumba, salsa, nyabinghi, west African rhythms and arabic records. I-SHEA has lit up the east/west coast USA, Canada, Latin America, The Caribbean, and Africa, performing at legendary venues like Daniel Sorano National Theatre of Dakar, Nuyorican Poets Cafe, The Apollo in Harlem. She has opened up for Dead Prez, Sadat X (from Brand Nubian), Sean Price, and multi grammy award winning reggae band Morgan Heritage. She has shared stages and performances with Howard Zinn, Rha Goddess, Rosario Dawson, Gloria Steinem, Jane Fonda and Eve Einsler. She is percussionist and vocalist for Pamela Means and The Reparations, The Lost Tribe of CT, Gokh bi System, The Gaslight Tinkers, Ras Denroy Morgan and The Black Eagles, Taproots, andher homegrown band REBIRTH.
Building connections and community through performance art, education, and organizing, her mission is to spread the movement of universal love and truth, to continue to inspirem and motivate individuals to seek their highest authentic selves through storytelling, music, movement/dance, theater, and poetry. I-SHEA has an undergraduate degree in Social Services from UMass Amherst, and a graduate degree in Elementary Education from AIC in Springfield, MA.
As an advocate for social justice in education, femme/women, children, youth and community empowerment, I-SHEA is dedicated to this work and truly believes in the magic of integrative arts as the umbrella that holds space for human expression and communication of the spirit, heart and mind.
KENYATTA MUZZANNI ROBLES
(2024)
PEFORMANCE
NORTHAMPTON, MA· USA
Kenyatta Muzzanni Robles (she/they) is a Brooklyn-born writer, organizer, and filmmaker. Having been a writer and participant in social movements since her youth, she lives at the intersection of arts and organizing. Her movement writing has been featured in the Hartford Courant and the Northend Agent’s, and her personal writing has been featured in Qommunity’s REVIVE poetry collection and Aislin Magazine.
In 2022, they wrote and performed original and collaborative pieces that fused audio, visual, and movement for A Little Bit of Death VII and La Sala Femme: The ReEmergence. An interdisciplinary artist, Kenyatta uses writing, sound, film, and performance to explore our existence, connection, and the universe within and around us. They are a builder and a destroyer committed to our collective struggle for freedom.
DJ TRENDS
(2024)
DJ
NORTHAMPTON, MA· USA
David Hall aka DJ Trends is a DJ on legendary New York City radio station, 107.5 WBLS. He specializes in Hip-Hop, Caribbean and African music. With a degree in marketing from the University of Massachusetts, David spent many years as a music editor and content marketer for urban digital media company, Interactive One. David is a music history and biography junky, a part-time beat maker and remixer. He also lends his Djing talents and music knowledge to Massachusetts’s Five College Dance program’s Hip-Hop dance classes. Above all, David is a partner and a father of 2 girls.
FELICIA LUNDQUIST
(2024)
PRODUCTION MANAGER
WESTERN, MA· USA
Felicia Lundquist (she/her) draws on her lifelong commitment to social change leadership to bring people together, build trust, and develop shared understanding across differences. In 2022 she joined the Think Again Training & Consulting team where she currently serves as the Training Manager. Prior to that she was the Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and an adjunct faculty member at Springfield College. She has over 20 years of experience in higher education ranging from admission to academic and student affairs. Felicia has co-created programs and initiatives such as the Hip Hop Leadership Summit, A SEAT (Social justice, Equity, Accountability, Transformation) At The Table, and numerous other academic and social support programs for first-generation students and students of color. Through her learning and teaching, Felicia has learned the power of social justice analysis, grounded in Black feminist thought, for helping people let go of internalized shame and guilt and become ready to make change. She holds a B.A. in Sociology and Spanish and an M.Ed from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. She was recently appointed to serve on the Northampton, MA "Commission to Investigate Racialized Harms Perpetrated Against Black Residents and Workers" and also serves as a co-chair of the Community Engagement Committee of the Board of Directors for the Greater Northampton Chamber of Commerce. Her overarching goal has been to build a more positive, collaborative, and supportive community by connecting organizations, councils, and community members and supporting the needs of individuals and institutions in creating a more inclusive environment in a challenging climate. She's also the author of “Give and Take, the Love and Hate Relationship: Black Identity, Plantation Politics, and Leadership” in Black Women Navigating Historically White Higher Education Institutions and the Journey Toward Liberation.
