Nina Simone
1933–2003
Classically trained pianist and singer who poured brilliance, rage, and power into music that demanded to be heard.
TBD
Eunice Waymon wanted to be the first Black woman classical concert pianist in America. She auditioned for the Curtis Institute. She was rejected and believed, for the rest of her life, that it was because she was Black. So she played nightclubs instead, changing her name so her minister mother wouldn't find out. Night after night, she sat down at the piano and told the truth so precisely audiences didn't know whether to weep or rise. "Mississippi Goddam" came out of her in an hour after the Birmingham bombing - not grief, fire. "Feeling Good" was not a love song. It was a declaration. She never separated the music from the movements she fought for. That refusal is what made her both dangerous and unforgettable. Once her voice was in you, it stayed.
The Artist
Tina and Ken Reisterer
Ceramic, Painting
This husband and wife team are both graduates of the American Academy of Art in Chicago. They made their way west to Manitou Springs, Colorado, where they both created a livelihood by painting and loving the inspiration of the west while raising a family. Ken is the clay creator and Tina is the artist behind the figures, shapes and colors adorning their ceramic work. Her mythical people symbolize humanity, our relationship to one another. This includes love, friendship, health and vitality and what it means to be alive and connecting. Private collectors nationwide and throughout Europe own Ken and Tina’s work. In 2010 they were invited to be a part of the Stations Exhibit at Genesis Art in Paris, France and had a two-person show at Artists on Santa Fe in Denver in 2014. In 2015 they exhibited at the Sangre De Cristo Art Center in Pueblo, Colorado. Ken and Tina were awarded Best in Show at the Colorado State Fair juried Fine Art Exhibit in 2013, 2016 and 2018. Ken and Tina are currently represented in Manitou Springs and Salida, Colorado, Kansas City, Key West, Florida and Palm Springs, California.
