The Studio Museum in Harlem
The Studio Museum in Harlem is internationally known for its catalytic role in promoting the works of artists of African descent. The Artist-in-Residence program was one of the Museum’s founding initiatives, and gives the Museum the “Studio” in its name. The program has supported more than 100 emerging artists of African and Latino descent, many of whom who have gone on to establish highly regarded careers. Alumni include Chakaia Booker, David Hammons, Kerry James Marshall, Julie Mehretu, Wangechi Mutu, Mickalene Thomas, and Kehinde Wiley. The Studio Museum serves as a bridge between artists of African descent and a broad and diverse public.
Dr. V. Joy Simmons, '74
V. Joy Simmons, MD, is a whirlwind of Stanford energy and commitment in the LA area. Deeply devoted to minority recruiting and mentoring, Joy was a founding member of the Stanford Black Alumni of Southern California and served as President from 1996 to 1999. While on the Board of Trustees from 2003 to 2008, Joy became a member of the newly formed Black Community Services Center (BCSC) Project Alumni Team. In 2009, Joy was inducted into the Multicultural Hall of Fame by the Black Community Services Center. Joy has also chaired the Advisory Board of the Haas Center, and served on the Arts Initiative Advisory Council, the SAA Board of Directors, and class reunion campaign committees.
In addition to her deep love for Stanford, Joy is an avid art collector and has served as Chair and Vice Chair for a number of arts organization boards, including Santa Monica Museum of Art, LA><ART, Friends of the California African American Museum, and Venice Arts. She is currently the Board Chair of the Mistake Room, an independent space in Los Angeles. Joy, and many images of her lovely home, are featured in AphroChic's book, Remix: Decorating with Culture, Objects and Soul. She received her BA in Human Biology in 1974 and MD from UCLA in 1978.
Naima J. Keith
Naima J. Keith is an Associate Curator at The Studio Museum in Harlem and is responsible for organizing exhibitions, publications, and coordinating all aspects of the Artists-In-Residence program. Since joining the Studio Museum in 2011, she has organized several critically acclaimed exhibitions. Her historical survey, Charles Gaines: Gridwork 1974 - 1989 (2014), traveled to the Hammer Museum in Los Angeles, CA in spring 2015 and was nominated in 2014 for a "Best Monographic Museum Show in New York" award by the International Association of Art Critics (AICA-USA).
She comes to the Studio Museum from a position as Curatorial Fellow at the Hammer Museum. She has lectured at institutions around the world, including the Zoma Contemporary Art Center, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; Goethe-Institut Washington, Washington, DC; Columbia University; The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA); and Brooklyn Museum. Her essays have been featured in many prestigious art publications. Naima has also taught at Loyola Marymount University; University of California, Los Angeles; University of California, Santa Barbara; and University of Missouri. She received a BA from Spelman College and an MA in art history from the University of California, Los Angeles.
Danielle Colding, '98
Colding was born in New York City and is principal of her own NY-based interior design and style consultation firm, danielle colding design, inc. Winner of the seventh season of HGTV Design Star in July 2012, she went on to host her own show, Shop This Room, which focused on showing homeowners how to build distinctive, personalized spaces around objects or heirlooms they already loved in their homes. Another defining moment in her career was writing the foreword for AphroChic's book, Remix: Decorating with Culture, Objects and Soul. She also serves on the board of MoCADA, The Museum of Contemporary African Diasporan Arts. Danielle graduated from Stanford University with a degree in Cultural Anthropology and a minor in African and African American Studies, then went on to earn a degree in Interior Design from FIDM, The Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in Los Angeles.
Founded in 2006 by Ms. Colding, danielle colding design has taken on residential and commercial projects, event planning, and style consultation services, focusing on a client-driven approach to creating spaces of lasting beauty and function. Her firm's work has been featured in numerous design publications in the US and abroad. Danielle’s aim is to produce highly personalized, elegant interiors using both contemporary and traditional furnishings, incorporating clean modern lines with elegant old-world detailing. These key hallmarks are paired with a unique approach to using global accessories, along with impactful color, texture and art, for an eclectic look suited to the personality of each client. An avid traveler (and lover of Paris), Danielle’s roving eye and love of different cultures inform each of her projects.
