BUFFALO, NY (WKBW) — A Buffalo artist has created a series of paintings as a way to process the horrific mass shootings at the Jefferson Avenue Tops Market last May. Her exhibit is titled “Caffeinated Injustices”.
“It was the targeting. It was the targeting and it was the idea that there was a community hit,” Bianca L. McGraw reflected.
Bianca L. McGraw, artist, at Tapestry Charter high school art teacher, tells me it triggered memories of another past shooting this Chicago native experienced.
“I originally attended Northern Illinois University. I worked there and attended school in '08 when we had our own campus shooting, so I always feel like there's always these multiple, mass shootings everywhere. I was like — it just feels like we're addicted to these guns,” remarked McGraw.
McGraw says after Buffalo's shooting she decided to create a series of paintings. But in an unusual way — she only paints with coffee.
“What if we use coffee to talk about — this coffee addiction juxtaposes to America's gun addiction and so I started with an outline with one of the semi-automatics to see what it looks like,” McGraw described.
McGraw tells me each of these paintings comes with a message about gun violence.
Meet Buffalo artist @BiancaMcGraw who shows @WKBW how she paints with coffee. A series of her work has helped her heal from the Tops mass shootings and it will be on display starting next Friday @WNYBookArts. pic.twitter.com/HSQbAO7ODh
— Eileen Buckley (@eileenwkbw) January 27, 2023
She points to several of the portraits that feature other local artists, including a DJ.
“As the DJ is — he's spinning thoughts and prayers and so what do these things actually mean in hindsight,” replied McGraw.
McGraw tells me she didn't know any of the Tops victims, but the trauma hits close to home.
“But I had students that knew a few of them yes, in fact, it's just like nine minutes from my house. 15 minutes from the school and it's just very triggering,” McGraw noted.
But by taking her work into public spaces, McGraw says it helps her heal among the community.
“I was just utilizing the vibes of the city for me to heal and those conversations, so everyone that interacted with me — helped me move forward,” commented McGraw.
McGraw poured some of the coffee into a pallet to demonstrate what it looks like and how she paints with it.
“I think people are a little bit more blown away about the coffee at first,” McGraw laughed.
You can check out McGraw's artwork when it goes on public display starting next Friday at WNY Book Arts Center in downtown Buffalo.
