9th Floor Artists Collective Featured

On Friday June 30th at 6:00 pm Rochester Art Collectors collaborated with the 9th Floor Artists Collective to highlight their space, their community, their philosophy, their goals and their accomplishments.

Members of the 9th Floor Artists Collective talked about the works of art they love from their personal art collections!

Program Details

Attendees had about thirty minutes to tour the 9th Floor Artists Collective space including all the individual artists' studios. When they did they experienced a diverse art exhibition that includes dozens of works in a variety of media created by members of 9th Floor Artists Collective.

Dan Waingarten, an active member of Rochester Art Collectors and notable local collector,  introduced Ya’qub Shabazz, Rashaad Parker and Najhay Halo who described the driving motivation behind the 9th Floor Artists Collective as well as its goals, philosophy, programs, success and more.

Members of the 9th Floor Artists Collective each presented works from their personal art collections and talked about why those works are important to them including how the works have influenced their own work and life.

About the 9th Floor Artists Collective

​The 9th Floor Artists Collective provides educational and inspirational resources for the Rochester community so that they can use their talents, hone their creative skills, and collaborate to enhance the cultural landscape of Rochester, NY. We are also an organization that expands the culture of artistic expression by combining wellness and creativity as a vehicle for finding peace and rejuvenated creativity.

In general, the 9th Floor Artists Collective serves as a hub for cross-cultural dialogue and accessibility to the visual arts by fostering the development of community-minded artists.

About The Founders

Ya’qub Shabazz was born and raised on Chicago’s South Side, Ya’qub Shabazz is a visual artist, collector, and art educator on a mission to highlight the beauty and contribution of Black American artists, both contemporary and historical.

Rashaad Parker is from Rochester, NY, and earned his Bachelor of Science degree from the State University of New York College at Brockport in Communications and Afro-African American Studies. He has presented research on African American Male Cultural Identity at the University of Maryland and the University of Buffalo Colleges to challenge the stereotypical perceptions of African American men by mainstream media.

Najhay Halo was born in Rochester, New York. He describes his work as a fusion of contemporary and abstract urban art. Predominantly, his aim as a visual artist is to spread the Gospel/Ministry of God through his work. He paints his experiences examples such as trials & errors, outcomes and achievements; Visually bringing them to light, in hope to invoke the viewers spiritually. "Everyone wants to have a impact on the world , but there's so much more we do not see, I want to articulate what's unseen to the common eye artistically" - Halo

Click here to support the 9th Floor Artists Collective or scan the QR code below.