2024 Project
In 2024, Public Health Informatics Institute and TILA Studios partnered on a transformative art acquisition initiative aimed at promoting emerging women artists. Notable projects included Diedre Patterson’s 20ft vinyl installation for sweetgreen in Seattle, and Ellex Swavoni’s fabrication of awards for the prestigious CROWN Awards in Los Angeles. Additionally, TILA Studios collaborated with the Atlanta Beltline Business Solutions Office to launch an artist accelerator program, empowering 15 artists with skills for public art projects through a 9-week curriculum focused on professional development, positioning artists for future success.
Public Health Informatics Institute Art acquisition
Public Health Informatics Institute and TILA Studios, a visual arts incubator, have partnered to develop exposure for emerging women artists through an art acquisition initiative. TILA Studios’ curatorial approach was to focus on the department’s people- centered approach, serving as translators, architects and transmitters.
The key color displayed throughout the artwork is green which implies new beginnings, growth, vibrant health, and other ideas connected with life, rebirth, and renewal. The selected artists: Erin Kendrick, Mia Anika, Jaleeca Yancy, Vessna Scheff and Sobia Ahmad.
Crown Awards
Ellex Swavoni was selected to fabricate 6 awards for the fourth annual CROWN Awards hosted in Los Angeles in June 2024. The fourth annual CROWN Awards highlighted the extraordinary strength, grace, and perseverance of notable Black women and girls, whether at the forefront or behind the scenes of change, whose talents and leadership help advance the legacy of Black beauty and brilliance.
2024 Award Recipients:
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Entertainment Award: UZO ADUBA, Emmy Award-winning Actress, Producer and Activist
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Legacy Award: SUPERVISOR HOLLY J. MITCHELL, LA County Supervisor & CROWN Champion
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Vanguard Award: LATOSHA BROWN Activist, Visionary, Institution Builder & Creative
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Business Award: EUNIQUE JONES GIBSON, Founder and CEO of Culture Brands, and The Happy Hues Company
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Young Crown Award: GRACEYN “GRACIE” HOLLINGSWORTH, Voice of "Gracie's Corner"
Beltline Business Ventures Artists edition Pilot program
The Atlanta Beltline Business Solutions Office teamed up with TILA Studios to launch the City’s first artist accelerator program aimed at equipping area artists with the skills needed to land sculptural public art projects around the globe.
The pilot, which served as an extension of the Beltline’s existing Business Ventures program, took 15 artists from across disciplines on a 9-week journey where they learned how to sharpen the tools needed to live from their craft, including developing portfolios, conducting project research, and navigating contract negotiations.
2024 Facilitators:
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Alex Francombe, Public Art Program Manager, Fulton County
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Ellex Swavoni, Artist, Sculptor
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Autumn Breon, Artist
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Sammetria Goodson, Managing Attorney, Goodson Law Firm
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Tony Loadholt, Owner & Operator, 11th Hour Scene Shop & Studio
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Oshun Layne, Executive Director, Dashboard
Sweetgreen Seattle x south lake Union
TILA Studios selected Diedre Patterson to design a 20ft vinyl installation for the launch of sweetgreen in Seattle at South Lake Union. Beyond the installation, Deirdre also painted a mural on columns outside the installation that drew inspiration from the shapes and colors of her design titled “Urban Jungle.”
Urban Jungle is a mural that deconstructs Seattle’s natural beauty into a modern tapestry, inspired by local resources, the color palette mirrors the Sound and Lake Union in blues, sockeye salmon reds, state flower rhododendron in pinks, and indigenous art in geometric shapes, while greens draw from the Western Hemlock.
This mural captures the city’s essence by merging its urban vitality with the splendor of its surroundings.
2023 Project
2023 launched with an exciting partnership with private equity firm, Domain Capital, for their inaugural Art Acquisition Program. We welcomed Women's History with a curatorial partnership with BET Her to design the original award sculpture for the return of the BET Her awards. We continue to expand our sweetgreen partnership nationally working in major markets such as D.C., Chicago and launch of a new market, Seattle.
Domain capital Art acquisition Program
TILA Studios sourced original artworks across various mediums and subject matter with a goal to amplify Domain’s robust portfolio and brand values. TILA Studios' curatorial direction was to select works that inspire Domain Capital's employees to dream, ascend to higher heights, and be in touch with their inner child in forms of play and nostalgiaThe Art Acquisition Program served as a platform to amplify artists and provide a platform to showcase new works outside of the traditional gallery model. Outcome 6 acquired works and distributed $15K to emerging Artist artists.
TILA x bet her awarDS
Sculptor, Designer and 2019 Garden Fellow, Ellex Swavoni was selected to design the official award for the BET Her Awards from scratch. We created a sculpture in the legacy of the BET Awards by translating the iconic shooting star to a figure that stands in HER power, embodying womanhood, elegance and the inherent beauty of blackness.
The 2023 award show took place on March 5 in Atlanta, GA with resounding success and 5 star-studded award recipients went home with their Swavoni original sculpture. The award recipients were: Marsai Martin, Mc Lyte, Sam Jay, Kym Whitley, Thasunda Brown Duckett, and Kandi Burruss.
TILA xSG ONe loudoun
Adrienne Gaither is a visual artist known for her abstract paintings that explore a variety of topics including race, familial ties, emotional health, and the politics of geometric abstraction. Her piece, Untitled 26 (The Harvest of Abundance) was created Sweetgreen One Loudoun!Adrienne drew inspiration for the painting from the beauty of nature while capturing the feeling of abundance, joy, and vitality that comes from connecting with real food and nature.She shared,“The geometric shapes and vibrant colors represent the joyful energy of the natural world, and remind us of the importance of taking care of our bodies and the environment.”
TILA x Sg naperville
Jade Williams is a multidisciplinary artist that does extensive research on a subject to hone in on visual interpretations for her artwork. Her piece, ‘Her Strength Lies in Her Roots’ debuted yesterday at Sweetgreen Naperville in Illinois!
Jade drew inspiration for the piece from the Sweetgreen formula and the etymology of the ingredients (such as quinoa, tomatoes and beets) that can be seen in the color choices.
She shared, “I wanted the piece to highlight the strength that comes from knowing your origins, and how that knowledge can be an aspect of wellness.”
TILA x EXCeLERATE HER AWARDS
PMM Agency founder Kim Blackwell selected TILA Studios to curate and create the 2023 Excelerate Her Awards. TILA Studios worked selected multidisciplinary artist, Alicia Renée Ball has designed the award for the 2023 Excelerate Her Awards (@excelerateher).
The sculpture is titled "Ring of Excellence, which illuminated -"Infinite, Limitless Potential, a Continuum of Dynamic Magnitude.
The awards honored powerful C-Suite women who illuminate grace while managing a high level of responsibility with dignity and care.
This year the award was presented to former Atlanta mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, former White House Political Director Minyon Moore, and sports commentator Maria Taylor.
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TILA x Crown Awards at EssenceFest
TILA had the pleasure of working with Ellex Swavoni to conceptualize and redesign the CROWN Award for 2023 Essence Fest which was created after the CROWN Act was passed in 2019. The award was inspired by the CROWN Act icon - a black girl unapologetically and proudly wearing her crown.
The CROWN Act was created in 2019 by Dove and the CROWN Coalition, in partnership with then State Senator Holly J. Mitchell of California, to ensure protection against discrimination based on race-based hairstyles by extending statutory protection to hair texture and protective styles such as braids, locs, twists, and knots in the workplace and public schools.
VISA ART Empowerment project
In partnership with Visa Inc., TILA Studios selected 6 Artists nationwide to create three to four original card art for Visa's Empowerment Card. Created to support and elevate creators, the Empowerment Card aims to source art by creators from United States communities of color and LGBTQIA+ community.
The card art was inspired by the theme: “Feeling at home wherever you are”. Home is the intangible feeling you get in a location, a sense of peace, joy from loved ones or an environment where everyone knows they are welcomed. Home is a feeling. Home is not just where you live but everywhere you go. Home is everywhere your card is. It’s the piece that you take with you, a small reminder of safety and security. At VISA, home is yours and whenever and wherever you go.
2022 Project
2022 Kicked off with a partnership with the Creative Collective NYC's premiere creative conference, CultureCon. TILA Studios and ComfiArt produced a stunning gallery exhibition. TILA Studios continued is curatorial projects with sweetgreen opening three additional stores, sg West Midtown, sg Perimeter and sg Woodbury, our very first New York store.
TILA x CULTURECON ATL
TILA Studios was selected as one of the featured vendors at CultureCon powered by The Creative Collective and HBOMax. TILA Studios alongside ComfiArt curated a booth sponsored by CashApp and Square that was patronized by thousands of conference goers who were creatives across the country looking to amplify their work and connect with brands. From celebrities, to local entrepreneurs, creatives and organizers, TILA Studios presented 12 dynamic black women visual artists hailing from New York all the way to Florida.
sg West midtown
TILA Studios has curated its 4th store with sweetgreen, landing a new store in the heart of West Midtown. We took a different curatorial approach with the work and focused intentionally on the area’s rich industrial history before the new developments. We tapped Ash, known for her enamel paintings on mirror, to create a piece inspired by Atlanta’s architecture. Her piece “Gateway” is an open invitation for you to transport yourself through portals in an effort to create a moment of pause & reflection.
sg Perimeter
Neka King, local Atlanta artist originally tapped for 14th & Peachtree sg store, extends her talents to sg Perimeter, a new store that will grace her 4 original designs. The four posters displayed are one design from Neka's original 16 poster series that covers more than 20 feet of wall space at 14th & Peachtree. Her piece featured at sg Perimeter tells the story of Atlanta's agricultural history and discusses the cyclical patterns of nature and how our hands play an important part in the cultivation of food from land to table.
Sg Woodbury New York
TILA expands its curatorial practice to New York and will be working with sweetgreen on producing original artwork for an upcoming store in Long Island. The featured artist is surface designer, textile and mixed media artist, Aliyah Salmon. Aliyah Salmon will create 4 original large scale collages at 30in x 40inch which will be inspired by her practice & process and nostalgic elements she incorporates in every piece.
2021 Project
In 2021 TILA Studios served as the Atlanta Curatorial Partner to help launch the flagship store of sweetgreen. TILA Studios curated three restaurants at Ponce City Market, 14th & Peachtree and Lenox Square Mall. TILA Studios also partnered with investment fund, Impact America to host a digital residency at the intersection of art & technology.
sg Ponce City Market
Artist, Honey Pierre, was commissioned to create a 14ft textile installation for the flagship sg location at Ponce City Market. The piece was an ode to the seasonality of Atlanta and it’s ever changing weather patterns.
sg 14th & peachtree
Local muralist, illustrator and artist, Neka King, designed 4 unique posters with 4 distinct colorways -- totaling 16 posters that cover an entire wall from floor to ceiling. Each poster, each design, each color tells a story of seasonality and how food has the power to sustain, nourish and bring us together.
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SG X
LENOX SQUARE
TILA Studios commissioned four original pieces with the powerhouse art director, artist and the most colorful and fashionista, Michelle Norris. The artwork created specifically for sweetgreen was inspired by the seasons in Georgia and the foods that are integral to each. Michelle finds inspiration from the natural world: specifically fruits, vegetables, and flowers so this was a perfect pairing. The foods that she explored for this have so much natural vibrancy that she wanted to build off of those with organic and geometric shapes.
Impact America Digital residency Program
In collaboration with Impact America Fund, we have invited black women artists to interrogate systemic inequities and to open up our imaginations to the radical possibilities of a more just future through storytelling, performance, and visual showcase.
2021 Spring Digital Resident was Shefon Taylor - pictured above is "The Other Side" Collage on Photo Album Board.
Learn more about the Digital Residency
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2020 Project
In 2020, we witnessed a global pandemic impact the world in ways we couldn't have imagined. As a country, we experienced heightened social and political unrest to the unlawful murders of unarmed black men and women. 2020 was a pivotal year for Georgia, as the state was at the epicenter of a critical election seaon. Our projects reflect the social, economic and political climate of the time.
Black Futures Matter
The Black Futures Matter Arts and Activism action was organized by community organizers in Sumter, Glynn, Houston, and Fulton Counties in the cities of Americus, Brunswick, Perry, and Atlanta. The goal: to increase awareness and using art to move the Black Lives Matter conversation forward by naming concrete demands to end long standing oppression, violence, and institutionalized racism. The project began July 2nd, and will continued until September 2020 with collaborating artists. Demands included: “End Black Murder, End Citizen’s Arrest, End Redlining, End The industrial Prison System, and many more.”
Signs of Solidarity
In response to the injustices against the black community and in memory of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, Rayshard Brooks and many more before them, "In this together" aims to raise funds for the Atlanta Solidarity Fund whose mission is to support people in Atlanta who have been arrested for taking action against social injustice. TILA Studios joined forces with the Living Walls project, "Signs of Solidarity" to bring "In This Together"; an extension of the “Signs of Solidarity” project. We worked Erica Chisolm and Aaron Trimar, to create a "Sign of Solidarity". These signs encouraged our community to stand together against hate and the marginalization of Black Americans.
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Count every vote
The Coalition of GA/ATL orgs joined forces to hold election officials accountable which included SURJ Atlanta in partnership with New Georgia Project, Fair Fight, Black Voters Matter, Working Families Party, Common Cause, Progress Georgia, and All Voting is Local. TILA Studios created a public mural that asks to ‘Count Every Vote; Every Vote Matters," that served accountability wall for Georgia election officials and a commitment wall to the people of Georgia that their voices counted during the November 3rd election.
Bolster & bloom
BOLSTER & BLOOM was a one-day pop up market experience held on Saturday, July 25, 2020 that provided Black Women Artists with pre-made curated gift bags of wellness items, feminine hygiene products and art supplies based on their mediums and disciplines. The market was also open for additional shopping of free produce, books and additional art supplies. Thank you to Goodr Co, Squam Arts, The Village Market, Love Ground Candles, Divine Arte, P. Sherrod Co. the 40+ Donors who made the market possible.
WHAT PEOPLE SAY
Alona Cajuste, Artist
My first print has sold thanks to the amazing team at TILA Studios. Tiffany & Aisha, you ladies are absolutely phenomenal. I can't wait to work with you ladies again!
Becca Lester, Client
You always show up in the biggest ways. Grateful to have a partner like you who I get to grow with! Thrilled to be expanding the TILA partnership even bigger to new cities!
Yaa Kwayana, Artist
Thank you Tiffany for everything! You've helped to instill a level of confidence in me that I didn't know existed. I couldn't be more grateful for allow us to cross and merge paths!