Tarik Talk

Deonté Griffin-Quick embodies the powerful intersection of faith, arts, and cultural leadership that defines DGQ Culture. As an actor, revivalist, and nationally recognized arts administrator, he brings a unique vision for how faith-rooted strategy can transform communities and organizations. Through DGQ Culture, Deonté unites his calling and artistic expertise to help faith-rooted creatives and organizations maximize their cultural impact and fulfill their divine purpose.

His spiritual journey started early—delivering his first sermon at 12 entitled "G.O.D: God Opens Doors" (Revelation 3:8). This prophetic message foreshadowed his future work bridging spiritual wisdom with cultural innovation. Deonté accepted his call to ministry in 2017 and became a licensed minister. He currently serves at Destiny Living Ministries where he continues to develop his approach to faith-based community engagement and artistic transformation.

In the arts and cultural sector, Deonté has established himself as a changemaker at both regional and national levels. As Managing Director of External Affairs at Artist Communities Alliance, he helped shape support systems for creative communities globally. Previously, as Director of Programs and Services at New Jersey Theatre Alliance, he built lasting partnerships, led statewide initiatives, and cultivated 42 professional theatre companies.

His commitment to creating pathways for underrepresented voices led him to develop the New Jersey Arts and Culture Administrators of Color Network in 2019. This pioneering initiative demonstrates his ability to identify systemic gaps and create structures that empower others—a cornerstone of DGQ Culture's approach.

His achievements have been recognized with the inaugural Individual Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Award from the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies and the Outstanding Achievement in the Arts Award from the Union County Urban League of Young Professionals. Deonté holds a BA in Theatre with a Communications minor from Kean University and a Master's in Arts Administration from Drexel University.

Jay Golding is an Indigenous artist based in Essex County, NJ. Jay’s work focuses primarily on realistic portraits/figures, and abstracted forms/shapes in various mediums such as watercolor, gouache, acrylic, oil, pen and pencil. Golding’s pieces tell vivid imaginings that are inspired from his thoughts, environment, world culture, African heritage and nature. The artist’s main objective through his work is to inspire the viewer with each unique subject presented.

About LEONARD GABRIEL:

Leonard Gabriel's art is immersed in the essence of human emotion through body language. This exploration has been shaped by his training at the Akademie der Bildenden Künste in Kolbermoor and his residency at Mana Contemporary in New York City. His figurative approach transcends the merely representative and instead seeks to communicate emotions beyond realistic details. In his exhibitions, from the Paris Art Fair to the galleries of Madrid and San Miguel de Allende, Leonard Gabriel captivates the viewer with works that capture intimate moments.

In his most recent work, a woman immersed in reading becomes the canvas of emotion. Barely tracing the contours of her fingers, he subtly suggests a gesture that reveals more than what is seen, immersing the observer in an inner world where stillness becomes an expression of emotional depth. Leonard Gabriel blurs the boundaries between the tangible and the abstract, inviting the viewer to explore the complexity of the human experience through his brushstrokes full of meaning.

About Louise Deininger:

As an African conceptual artist, author and leadership coach, my art practice explores decolonial reclamation and ancestral memory. My art is gaining recognition for its bold materiality and critical voice. As it travels through exhibitions and conversations globally, it shapes space for African narratives, challenging colonial legacies while nurturing dialogue around identity, ecology, and cultural healing in Contemporary Art circles.

In this episode, I sit down with Tanya Weddemire, founder of the Tanya Weddemire Gallery in Brooklyn. A premier destination for contemporary art that celebrates both emerging and established artists. We talk about how her gallery serves as a vital space for creative expression and cultural connection, using thoughtful curation to weave history, identity, and artistry together across diverse mediums, from painting and sculpture to photography, fashion, and design. Tanya shares her vision for deepening the value of art and inspiring new perspectives through every exhibition.

In this episode, I sit down with Brooklyn-based visual artist Jaiquan Fayson during his Silver Art Projects Residency at the World Trade Center in NYC.

Jaiquan Fayson whose powerful oil paintings and sketches reflect empathy, resilience, and transformation. Jaiquan discovered art as a form of self-therapy and reflection while incarcerated, later breaking the cycle of recidivism to earn the Silas H. Rhodes Scholarship and a BFA in Illustration from the School of Visual Arts. His work has been featured in HBO’s O.G., the documentary Drawing Freedom, and Craig Taylor’s book New Yorkers: A City and Its People in Our Time. Now an art educator and Right of Return Fellow, Jaiquan uses his art to inspire and uplift others, continuing his journey of creativity, healing, and purpose.

In this episode, I sit down with Brooklyn-based visual artist Jaiquan Fayson during his Silver Art Projects Residency at the World Trade Center in NYC.

Jaiquan Fayson whose powerful oil paintings and sketches reflect empathy, resilience, and transformation. Jaiquan discovered art as a form of self-therapy and reflection while incarcerated, later breaking the cycle of recidivism to earn the Silas H. Rhodes Scholarship and a BFA in Illustration from the School of Visual Arts. His work has been featured in HBO’s O.G., the documentary Drawing Freedom, and Craig Taylor’s book New Yorkers: A City and Its People in Our Time. Now an art educator and Right of Return Fellow, Jaiquan uses his art to inspire and uplift others, continuing his journey of creativity, healing, and purpose.

In this episode, I sit down with Brooklyn-based visual artist Jaiquan Fayson during his Silver Art Projects Residency at the World Trade Center in NYC.

Jaiquan Fayson whose powerful oil paintings and sketches reflect empathy, resilience, and transformation. Jaiquan discovered art as a form of self-therapy and reflection while incarcerated, later breaking the cycle of recidivism to earn the Silas H. Rhodes Scholarship and a BFA in Illustration from the School of Visual Arts. His work has been featured in HBO’s O.G., the documentary Drawing Freedom, and Craig Taylor’s book New Yorkers: A City and Its People in Our Time. Now an art educator and Right of Return Fellow, Jaiquan uses his art to inspire and uplift others, continuing his journey of creativity, healing, and purpose.

In this episode, I sit down with Brooklyn-based visual artist Jaiquan Fayson during his Silver Art Projects Residency at the World Trade Center in NYC.

Jaiquan Fayson whose powerful oil paintings and sketches reflect empathy, resilience, and transformation. Jaiquan discovered art as a form of self-therapy and reflection while incarcerated, later breaking the cycle of recidivism to earn the Silas H. Rhodes Scholarship and a BFA in Illustration from the School of Visual Arts. His work has been featured in HBO’s O.G., the documentary Drawing Freedom, and Craig Taylor’s book New Yorkers: A City and Its People in Our Time. Now an art educator and Right of Return Fellow, Jaiquan uses his art to inspire and uplift others, continuing his journey of creativity, healing, and purpose.

In this episode, I sit down with Atim Annette Oton, a Nigerian-born, American and British educated curator, designer, editor, and entrepreneur who founded The Creative Side, an innovative art consultancy and creative design business based in Jersey City. With an impressive career spanning architecture, curation, publishing, and community building, Atim has led initiatives such as the African Art Curator for AMREF Health Africa ARTBALL, 54 Artists for 54 African Journeys, Bed Stuy and Harlem Arts Strolls, and the Bronx:Africa exhibition. She is also the founder and curator of Calabar Gallery and co-founder of Black Design News Network, with past roles including executive producer on the Underground Railroad Experience, Huffington Post Black Voices blogger, and Associate Chair of Product Design at Parsons School of Design. Having expanded Calabar Imports into a three-location Brooklyn retail staple, Atim continues to shape cultural conversations through projects rooted in art, community, and global perspectives