Indianapolis artist Dana Powell-Smith often hears people say they see themselves in her art.
“It’s kind of funny to say that because a lot of my work involves triangle people, but people can still see personalities in the triangle people through their hair or the tilt of their head,” Dana said.
Her piece was selected from hundreds of submissions after we put out a call for culturally-inspired art in 2021 as part of our ongoing efforts to support underrepresented communities and ensure every customer sees themselves reflected on store shelves. Our team members voted on the finalists, and ultimately, our merchants chose the pieces that would be featured on products like tote bags, stationery and key rings this February in celebration of Black History Month.
She hopes to inspire viewers of her piece – which features bold “triangle people” that have become her calling card, against an abstract backdrop of names of important Black historical figures – to learn more about those who paved the way for the Black community.
Among the names listed in the piece is Georgette Seabrooke Powell, a noted Harlem Renaissance muralist and illustrator, as well as Dana’s grandmother.
“Celebrating Black History Month means looking back and being thankful for what you have and what your ancestors did to help you get here,” said Dana. “It’s a time of reflection. Some say it should be for more than a month – and it's all year for me – but at least in that month, you're very conscious of it, and you may learn a little more than you would have.”
We will also feature local artists’ work in collections celebrating Women’s History Month, Pride Month and Hispanic Heritage Month this year.
“Diversity is important. Period. Not just for Black art. But I think everyone should be represented, especially in a store like Meijer, with so many locations. It’s so important to represent the whole community because people want to see themselves in products. People feel more comfortable when they see something that resembles them or that they can recognize from their life,” Dana said.
She’s thrilled about the opportunity to bring her work to Meijer customers.
“I’m just so thankful to Meijer for the opportunity. I can’t believe I’m here, and I’m part of it,” Dana said. “I always hope that my work brings a positive image. I hope that they’ll take away a little history and really look into the names that are on there. And maybe smile when they see my triangle people with their hairstyles. I always want to make people smile with my art.”