North Texas Performing Arts proudly presents the next installment of their Diversity in Artistry series celebrating Pride Month in the Neiman Marcus Welcome Center. During Pride month, we spotlight a diverse group of talented artists from the LGBTQIA+ community. Pride month celebrates achievements and activism, and honors the anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising in 1969. NTPA hopes to increase awareness of LGBTQIA+ inequalities and recognizes that NTPA is an inclusive and welcoming space.
Free reception for the artists and NTPA Patrons
Sunday, June 25, 2-4 PM
The exhibit will be on display May 30-July 2, 2022.
The Neiman Marcus Welcome Center inside Willow Bend Center of the Arts is available for artists exhibits and is an initiative of NTPA’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee. For more information, please contact Curtis Gittinger at curtis.ntpa@gmail.com or JoAnn Rodriguez at luzjoann612@gmail.com.
NTPA is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to developing the character of youth through quality performing arts education and family entertainment. NTPA is committed to acknowledging diversity and promoting equity and inclusion in all programs. The NTPA Governing Board of Directors, Management Boards, and NTPA Staff strive to create art spaces that are positive, safe and inclusive regardless of one’s race, creed, gender, religion, orientation, communication differences or abilities. We encourage our families and patrons to exhibit our “10 Characters” taught at NTPA including integrity, leadership, respect, and more importantly, to love one another.
Sydney Farquer
Sydney Farquer is a 14-year-old homeschool student who has been creating art for as he long as I can remember. Sydney started pursuing digital art specifically around four years ago. Sydney’s inspiration comes from many things, primarily friends and the media. Sydney has created characters that our featured in our exhibit. Casper and Wilbur are based off of characters from a Rick Riordan book, and Hay Electra is based off the song Electric Love. Sydney’s friends encourage him to pursue my goals and keep learning and growing as an artist. Sydney also exhibited his work during NTPA-Fairview’s production of Rent in early 2022.
Ximena Margarita Barrantes
Artist Ximena Margarita Barrantes born in Nicaragua and raised in Texas. She has always known that she wanted to be an Artist and pursued it since childhood, I now consider myself a Mixed Medium Artist. Barrantes is self-taught to do multiple things such as Acrylic/Canvas, Special effects MakeupArtist, BodyPaint, Sculptor and also Cosmetologist. She has been honored to be a featured Artist painting live at events. Her work can be seen at the Dinosaur Company painting lifesize Animatronic Dinosaurs. Her motto is always “If you can think it, I can Paint it” now let’s get to creating!
Kristofferson Rodriquez (They/Them)
Kristofferson Rodriquez is an aspiring digital artist who has been creating art for the past 20 years. For pencil sketches to oil paintings, Rodriquez has created many interesting pieces to fit with every stage of his life journey to being who he is today. Over the past year and half, Rodriquez has been discovered.
Carolina Gonzalez-Rivera
Dallas based Latinx artist, Carolina Gonzalez-Rivera, has been creating her entire life. Carolina started drawing and sewing at an early age and took to acrylic paint and canvas in 2011. She has been professionally exhibiting her work since 2012 at live painting events around the DFW area. Carolina’s work is inspired by her Puerto Rican heritage, vibrant colors, personal experiences and being part of the LGBTQ community. Her work incorporates beads, precious stones, crystals, and various other materials that give life and texture to each piece. Carolina’s intentions in her pieces are to inspire other’s to express themselves freely, loudly and vibrantly; and to never apologize for being your own person. bellacarocruz@gmail.com
Dan Reyna Art
Inspired by nature, architecture, and modernism, Reyna’s abstract expressionist works are colorful, bright and upbeat. A Texas native, now residing in Oklahoma after living many years in Florida, Reyna started painting later in life and was motivated by the interplay of shapes, lines and color. His phenomenal paintings have been exhibited at Spectrum Miami Art Fair, Poverello Center’s Art with a Heart fundraiser, The Wilton Manors Art Expo (FL), and Edmond Art Walk (OK). You may have seen Reyna’s work at our Celebration of Champions this fall, where he supported North Texas Performing Arts by contributing a piece for the silent auction. Reyna and his husband, Robert, are supporters of the arts and often attend theatrical performances at North Texas Performing Arts.
Kal-El
“Not all people who want to be OUT can be. For family reasons, religious reasons and even workplace issues. It is a difficult choice for older LGBTQ+ people because how they have been treated and seen others treated in the past. Each person has to decide what works for them and they should be respected. We may not be OUT yet but we still find ways to support our community.”- Artist Kal-El
Kal-el is a self-taught artist who loves to watch and learn from other artists. Kal-el prefers to use bright colors with acrylics and larger pieces. His favorite artists are: George Rodrique (The Blue Dog Man), Keith Haring, Shag, Matt Groening, Charles Schultz, Disney, DC and Marvel comics. Kal-el really enjoys pop art, comic book art and anything that is upbeat and inspiring.
Most of his artwork is donated to charities. A major portion of his work for the last 15 years has been donated to GDMAF.org – The Greg Dollgener Memorial AIDS Fund – which provides emergency financial assistance to people with HIV/AIDS in 22 counties in North Texas.
John Crum
Entrepreneur, former paramedic, and volunteer firefighter John Crum enjoys expressing himself creatively through paintings and singing in the chorus. Living in Kansas City with family ties to North Texas Performing Arts, John is honored to showcase his art during PRIDE. John can be reached at johnpcrum1972@gmail.com.