Hicks (left) poses with a friend in front of one of the ten-piece circular works at her titled exhibit, “When the Lights Came On: Shared Memories and the Things We Keep.” The piece is titled “Corner Store List: Dill Pickle, Snuff, Pickled Pig’s Feet and Grandma Margaret’s House.” Image Courtesy of Latonya Hicks’ Instagram.
St. Petersburg is home to the artist and educator Latonya S. Hicks, a savant in both fields of art and education. Through her leadership roles, Hicks hopes to create meaningful connections and opportunities for educators in her field, while simultaneously strengthening the art community through her executive positions.
Past President of the Florida Art Education Association (FAEA) and current Secondary Director-Elect for the National Art Education Association (NAEA); High School Chair for the AP Art and Design Development Committee & Exam Leader for the AP Art and Design exam reading for The College Board; and the Secondary Visual Art Coordinator for Pinellas County Schools — Hicks is a multipotentialite whose titles intersect with her professional passion and creative pursuits.
Having seen firsthand how transformative it is when teachers feel valued and supported, Hicks’ main goal is to create access, connection, and opportunity on all levels for her fellow educators. She actively works towards building systems that allow teachers to grow professionally, share their expertise, and have a communal space.
In her new role as NAEA’s secondary director-elect, Hicks intends to use this position to create opportunities for educators in the art community. Among both her students and fellow educators, Hicks best described herself as a “Swiss Army knife.”
“I am here to help them be their best selves, which might mean: curriculum support, organizing summer camps, field trips, coaching art teachers on classroom management, lesson plans, organization, best practices, professional development, etc.,” said Hicks.
Hicks is showing off her new art apron at Pinellas County Schools; Image Courtesy of Latonya Hicks’ Instagram.
Born in Georgia and raised in Florida, Hicks has always been in tune with her artistic self and stated that through art she was able to “make sense of the world.” During her formative years, art came to her as instinctual, but as she grew, it became more intentional and reflective.
Though many role models played a significant part in Hicks’ artistic journey, she gives thanks to her Aunty Shug not only for fostering her creativity but also for creating a safe space that allowed Hicks to be her full self.
“Over time, I’ve moved from making for expression alone to making with purpose — honoring where I come from, what I’ve lost, and what I want to preserve. My evolution has been about slowing down, trusting my voice, and understanding that my story has value,” described Hicks.
Latonya Hicks; Image Courtesy of Latonya Hicks’ Instagram.
Her inspiration stems from memory, home, and the “visual language” of her upbringing (e.g., patterns, color, objects, and the feeling of sanctuary). Hicks integrates her inspiration with education by creating space for students to take ownership of their ideas and learn about the art-making process. Instead of teaching students to follow her directions, she instructs them in proper techniques that help them learn about the art medium.
“I encourage students to see their own lives as worthy of exploration. When they realize their experiences, their families, their cultures are valid sources of inspiration, their work becomes more authentic and meaningful,” said Hicks.
Art is a process — the journey of an art piece is equally important to the finished product. Hicks doesn’t approach her artwork with a fixed outcome in mind, but allows the objects she uses in her collaborative pieces to speak to her and unfold into a new creation. Through her layered pieces, Hicks’ ultimate goal is to connect. As an art voyeur, Hick explained that watching individuals engage with her work is “one of the most meaningful parts of the process.”
“There’s a quiet vulnerability in it — hearing how someone interprets something so personal. I feel a sense of gratitude and curiosity. Sometimes what they see aligns with my intention, sometimes it doesn’t — and that’s the beauty of it,” explained Hicks.
Hicks presents three pieces from her art exhibit, “When the Lights Came On: Shared Memories and the Things We Keep.” Image Courtesy of Latonya Hicks’ Instagram.
Past exhibits featuring Hicks’ works include the Tampa Museum of Art, Morean Art Center, Dunedin Fine Art Center, Alliance for the Arts, CF Webber Gallery, and Lighthouse Art Center Gallery. Her most recent exhibit was earlier in the month at the Carrollwood Cultural Center during the Black Art Matters Tampa Bay Collective show (view the entire show online here).
When examining her work, “The Dust That Hides the Glow of a Rose,” one sees how she encapsulates the metaphorical dust that settles and accumulates over time on an individual. The title speaks to the invisible weight a person carries, “expectations, survival, inherited histories, the weight of what we’ve moved through.” Yet, through it all, the rose remains vulnerable and present, holding beauty even when layered and concealed from outside or internal forces.
