Join Jevon Brown on an exploration of the work of contemporary artist Shinique Smith. Jevon Brown is the inaugural Eleanor Merritt Fellow at The Ringling and works across museum departments towards The Ringling’s strategic goals. As a textile artist himself, Brown has a deep relationship with Shinique Smith’s textile works on view in the exhibition Shinique Smith: PARADE. In this lecture, Brown will explore textile art, with an emphasis on color and materiality.

About Jevon
Jevon Brown is a Miami native. He attended Coral Reef Senior High School’s Visual and Performing Arts Program and was inspired to pursue a career in the arts. He is a 2023 BFA graduate from the Rhode Island School of Design’s Textile program. Emerging as a dynamic artist and designer. Jevon’s talent was recognized by Dwell Magazine's 24 Global Emerging Designers list in 2023. Art and Design are at the core of his being, Jevon has worked as a design intern for brands like Gucci and Converse. Now he begins as the Inaugural Eleanor Merritt Fellow. What excites him about being the first fellow at the Ringling is the power that art museums can have on young people. Visibility and engagement with community events to facilitate more connections with Ringling’s communities nearby. Jevon is an ambassador of the arts; his journey is a true manifestation of how arts organizations like the Ringling can change lives. To inspire, and lead with purpose is where he is grounded as he begins this journey as an arts leader.

About the Eleanor Merritt Fellowship
The Merritt Fellowship is named for Eleanor Merritt (1933-2019), a prolific and celebrated artist and educator who served as The Ringling’s first African American docent and board member. The fellow, working under the supervision of the museum’s Associate Director of Academic Affairs and Collections, conducts research and completes museum operation projects supporting The Ringling's Strategic Plan.