Black Joy Exhibit at The Bellevue Arts Museum June 21-July 21 2025, Curated by Elevate PR
Photos from the Opening Reception, Featuring artist from Cultivate the Collective; From left to right, Jes Lilly, Fancy Vargas, Charde' Brown, Yolanda Gallery, Jessie Lipscomb, & Ty Design and guests
I’m thrilled to share that I was honored to be selected for my second art museum exhibition at the Bellevue Arts Museum, which ran from June 21 to July 19, 2025. Curated by Fancy Vargas of Elevate PR, The Black Joy Exhibition invited the community to celebrate the brilliance, beauty, and intimate stories of Black artists from King County. This powerful show sought to challenge harmful stereotypes by centering the tenderness, depth, and joy that are too often overlooked in mainstream portrayals of the Black experience.
For this exhibit, I opened up in a way I never have before—lifting the veil to share deeply personal pieces that hold so much of my heart. I created three paintings for a special installation space called the Vinyl Lounge, where sound becomes story and Black joy plays on repeat. Designed by Fancy Vargas, the space invited visitors to pause—to slow down and immerse themselves in the soundtrack of our lives. From the crackle of a vinyl needle to the soulful voices of Marvin, Aretha, and Stevie, every detail set the tone for something nostalgic, tender, and healing.
At the center of this sonic sanctuary were my three paintings—each one a love letter to the men in my life across three generations.
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Blues for Miles honors my father, captured mid-song with his guitar, lost in his rhythm.
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Small Wheels, Big Bond portrays my husband and son on the living room floor, toy cars lined up between them—a quiet but powerful moment of connection.
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One Lesson at a Time shows my husband as a young boy, learning to ride a bike under his father’s guidance—a tribute to the patience, trust, and love passed down through generations.
These pieces are rooted in legacy, love, and the everyday joy that often goes unseen. They are reminders that Black fatherhood is soft, nurturing, and sacred—and that the most meaningful moments in life often unfold in silence, in play, in the in-between.
Visitors were invited to sit, listen, and reflect. Scattered across the carpet were tiny Hot Wheels cars—simple, playful invitations to connect with one another and relive those small, shared joys. In that space, joy wasn’t just a concept—it was something to be felt, remembered, and passed on.
To everyone who visited, supported, and shared in this experience with us at Elevate PR and Cultivate the Collective—thank you. Your continued love and encouragement means the world to me.
If you missed the chance to see the exhibition in person, don’t worry. Below, you can explore my paintings and read more about the stories and inspiration behind each one.
Let’s dive in.
Blues For Miles by Jes Lilly | 36" x 48" | Mixed media on Canvas {Acrylic, oil, gold leaf, mother-of-pearl (nacre)} | 2025
Blues for Miles is a heartfelt tribute to my father, Jimmy Lee, who passed away in 2021. Featured in the Black Joy Exhibition at the Bellevue Arts Museum from June 21 to July 19, 2025, this mixed media portrait honors his joyful, charismatic spirit.
Set against an abstract, vibrant yellow background with golden splatters that evoke celebration and warmth, my father is depicted seated with his beloved guitar. A golden halo, adorned with hand-painted roses and accented with mother-of-pearl (nacre), shines above his head, lending a sense of reverence and and divine presence.
My father had an unwavering love for the blues, and some of my fondest memories are of him playing music that filled our home with soul. He was also a passionate traveler and a gifted storyteller, always ready with a joke or a laugh to lift the room. His humor was quick, his smile infectious, and his presence unforgettable.
In this portrait, I depict him as I remember him best: wearing his favorite hat, at ease, radiating warmth, and the rhythm of a life well lived.
Small Wheels, Big Bond by Jes Lilly | 36" x 48" | Mixed media on Canvas {Acrylic, oil, gold leaf} | 2025
Small Wheels, Big Bond is a tender and intimate portrait of my husband and son, captured in a quiet moment of pure connection. They’re stretched out on the floor, completely immersed in the imaginative world of toy cars.
But this painting is about more than play. It’s a window into the quiet rituals that shape our relationships—the small, shared moments that build trust, joy, and lasting bonds. Layered in acrylic and oil, and accented with delicate touches of gold leaf, the piece glows with warmth and reverence, honoring the sacredness of presence between parent and child.
This work celebrates the beauty of quality time and the soft magic found in everyday life. It’s about love, legacy, and the profound impact of simple joys passed lovingly from one generation to the next
One Lesson at a Time by Jes Lilly | 36" x 48" | Mixed media on Canvas {Acrylic, oil, gold leaf} | 2025
One Lesson at a Time, this painting captures a tender, formative moment between father and son. It features my husband as a young boy, joyful and determined, learning to ride a bike under the steady, guiding hand of his father. The scene radiates with warmth and vulnerability, rendered in oil and acrylic paints that bring depth and texture to the motion and emotion of the moment.
Touches of gold leaf illuminate this moment in time, symbolizing the quiet strength and sacred nature of this rite of passage. The metallic glints catch the light like memory itself—flickering, precious, eternal.
This piece speaks to more than just a childhood milestone. It embodies trust, patience, and the enduring bond between parent and child. It reflects growth not just of the boy learning to balance, but of the father, and of the future generations that follow. As the artist—and as a wife and mother—you take the role of witness to this intergenerational exchange, honoring the quiet beauty of legacy unfolding one lesson at a time.