Continuing the Journey: Creative Collaborations
Since my last feature with North York Arts, my creative journey has expanded in new and meaningful directions. I’m still rooted in the values I cultivated growing up in North York—culture, community, and storytelling—but now I find myself bridging digital and analog practices, exploring cultural heritage, food sovereignty, and youth empowerment in new ways and collaborations.
This year, I’ve been working on Dutch Pot in Diaspora, an anthology and workshop series that celebrates the power of food sovereignty and Black cultural storytelling through poetry and visual art. It’s a love letter to family recipes, the wisdom of elders, and the role of food in shaping identity inspired by my exhibition at DesignTO titled Nourishing Roots: Cultural Memories. I am so grateful for my collaborators Martin Gomes and Shelly Grace who have co-facilitated Pot of Poetry which created space for conversations around cultural fusion, gentrification, connecting with our senses, and food sovereignty. A limited print run of the Dutch Pot in Diaspora anthology will be available on my website for pre-order.
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Nourishing Roots - Install Shot
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Nourishing Roots - Fresh Picked Mango
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Nourishing Roots - Fried Fish on the Shore
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Nourishing Roots -Island Girl
I’ve also deepened my work as a mentor and facilitator, co-leading the Verse & Vision program with my collective Verse & Visual Expressions. Verse & Visual Expressions is a multidisciplinary collective founded by me and Shelly Grace where we explore the intersection of poetry and visual art and center the narratives of equity-deserving artists. Our vision is to create transformative artistic experiences that encourage self-expression, collaboration, and community building, while amplifying underrepresented voices within the arts sector. Rooted in spoken word poetry and visual storytelling, we challenge conventional modes of artistic production by merging written and visual art forms. Our work is deeply influenced by Afrofuturism, diasporic connections, and Black resilience. Through our creative lens, we explore themes such as identity, memory, social justice, and freedom, and engage artists in conversations around selfhood and cultural reclamation. By integrating the fluidity of mixed media visual art and the power of poetry, we produce immersive performances that push the boundaries of both disciplines. We offer mentorship and professional development, aiming to foster a community that reflects our values of collaboration, inclusion, and artistic growth. Our flagship program, Verse & Vision: Collaborative Creations, serves as a platform for equity deserving artists to develop their skills, collaborate, and showcase their work in community settings. This summer on August 28th, we will have a showcase that celebrates the collaborative works created in the cohorts so stay tuned on IG @verseandvisualexpressions to save the date!
Shot of Verse & Vision Collaborative Creations Cohort 2024 Showcase at JAYU
Art, for me, is a vehicle for connection and transformation. Whether it’s painting murals that reflect our community’s diversity or facilitating workshops that empower youth to share their narratives, I am committed to using creativity as a tool for social change. Collaboration and curation are where my spirit feels most alive (see Northbound 2024). I see myself as a catalyst and story weaver—someone who brings people, art, and ideas into active conversation. These exchanges aren’t just creative; they’re transformative. Every collaboration expands my worldview and grounds me in the power of collective imagination. I’m no longer interested in working in silos or sitting in stagnation. I’m drawn to integration—sharing resources, knowledge, and creativity to unlock alternate realities rooted in community care and social wellness. Curating and collaborating allow me to practice abundance, reflection, and possibility.
There’s a lot happening this summer and I invite you to come by all the showcases, exhibitions, and installations that will be popping up over the next few months and share what sparks interest for you! (There will be more sneak peeks shared on my social media)
If you’re interested in booking a workshop, collaborating on a project, seeking out mentorship, exchanging ideas, or anything else creative and community-centered—I’d love to connect! I’m an open book and always excited to collaborate alongside others. Reach out through Instagram @articulately_jasmine or my website www.jasminevanstone.com to begin the conversation.