Sibyls Shrine

Sibyls Shrine is a new artist residency program for Black women, womxn, trans women, and femmes who are mothers and identify as artists, creatives, and/or activists in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. For these womxn, the challenges of parenting in combination with systemic racism and sexism often make the barriers to entry into the art world insurmountable. The Sibyls Shrine residency program uplifts Black creative mothers with opportunities for skill-sharing, self-care, safe space, and financial support in an effort to further develop their craft and presence in the art world. WEBSITE IN BIO

BECAUSE OF BLACK WOMEN!!! Since I’ve started doing this work for black women including myself - working on a survival guide film honoring the ways black women have held it down. Deep in research and raising money I’m really starting to understand and the enormity the severe depths in which black women are disregarded. Maybe it’s because black women refuse to ask? Maybe because we are (historically and presently and future-ly😏) TAKING CARE OF EVERYONE ELSE. I don’t know. I’m seeing the way we fight for everyone else and THE MURDERERS WHO KILLED BREONNA TAYLOR STILL HAVE MOT BEEN ARRESTED. I’m raising money and support for black mothers and ITS SO MUCH HARDER THAN I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE. Even asking black women but that’s because they are so stretched as it is. It’s a conundrum for me. Anyways I’m not even sure how but EVERYBODY DO BETTER FOR BLACK WOMEN!!!

Presented by Kelly Strayhorn Theater (KST), Jasmine Hearn’s Memory Fleet: Stay in the Circle — Opening this Friday & Saturday, April 24 - 25 at KST — is presented In conjunction with, ‘Practices of Holding’ , curated by Jessica Gaynelle Moss, in partnership with Sibyls Shrine. ‘Practices of Holding’ features Elizabeth Burden, Tiara L. Burtin, Lisa Brown, Dail Chambers, Lish Danielle, Cheré D. Gordon, Olivia Guterson, sarah huny young, Miracle Jones, Melike Vivastine Konur, Sasha-Loriene McClain, Zllen McCollum, Victoria Ramlalsingh-Hinton and Anqwenique.  Similarly to the work of Sibyls Shrine, Memory Fleet “names the work/rest and past/future of Black people who mother and mentor”. We hope you’ll join us at Kelly Strayhorn Theatre this weekend. Image 1 description: Jessica Gaynelle Moss (front-facing) hugging/holding Jasmine Hearn. Photo Credit: Beth Barbis. Image 2-4: Practices of Holding Opening Reception. Photo Credit: Chad Isaiah

⚽ #mommies @naomibdaygirl @jesseplane @alishabwormsley Pittsburgh, 2022

Please join us in welcoming our 2026 Visiting Artist Tsedaye Makonnen! Over the course of this year, Tsedaye will return four times to experiment, research, and make new work with some of our organizational partners. This week, she is at The Pittsburgh Glass Center for a week long flameworking intensive. We're honored to hold space for her vision. This is just the beginning. #sibylsshrine

Last Wednesday’s gallery opening for Practices of Holding was incredibly tender and moving. It was beautiful to witness the range of emotions, from joyful smiles to moments of deep reflection. We want to give a heartfelt congratulations to all the artists from @sibylsshrine ! 👏🏽 Photographer Chad Isaiah @chadisaiahphoto took many stunning photos of the community coming together. We compiled an album and want to share more with you! Visit the link in bio for the full album. 🔗 📷️ -- About Practices of Holding: What does it mean to hold those who held us? How have they been passed down in gesture, imagery, word? Practices of Holding, curated by Jessica Gaynelle Moss, weaves together portraits of ancestral and living matriarchs, written reflections and precious objects shared by 15 members of Sibyls Shrine - a national network, residency program and collective of over 150 Black artists who m/other. On display through Sunday, June 14, 2026 at KST's Gallery (5941 Penn Ave.) -- Practices of Holding features Elizabeth Burden, Tiara L. Burtin, Lisa Brown, Dail Chambers, Lish Danielle, Cheré D. Gordon, Olivia Guterson, sarah huny young, Miracle Jones, Melike Vivastine Konur, Sasha-Loriene McClain, Zllen McCollum, Victoria Ramlalsingh-Hinton, Anqwenique Wingfield-Kinsel and is curated by Jessica Gaynelle Moss, in partnership with Sibyls Shrine, presented by Kelly Strayhorn Theater, and in conjunction with Jasmine Hearn’s Memory Fleet: Stay in the Circle. #blackartists #motherhood #pittsburgh #sibylsshrine #matriarch

Its install day! See ya’ll tomorrow in the KST Lobby Gallery for “Practices of Holding” curated by Jessica Gaynelle Moss of @sibylsshrine

💐What does it mean to hold those who held us? Practices of Holding honors our ancestral and living matriarchs by the ways they hold us. Comprised of portraits, written reflections, memory work and communal altar-building, this constellation of narratives creates a collective portrait, still with deep reverence for each matriarch. This exhibition shares work by members of Sibyls Shrine, a national network, residency program and collective of Black artists who m/other. Participating artists include Elizabeth Burden, Tiara L. Burtin, Lisa Brown, Dail Chambers, Lish Danielle, Cheré D. Gordon, Olivia Guterson, sarah huny young, Miracle Jones, Melike Vivastine Konur, Sasha-Loriene McClain, Zllen McCollum, Victoria Ramlalsingh-Hinton and Anqwenique Wingfield-Kinsel. The lead exhibition image ‘Lor-Lor’ was submitted by Sasha Loriene. Sasha joined Sibyls Shrine in July of 2025. She submitted a portrait of her mother, writing: “She was my best friend, confidant, and unwavering support system who loved me unconditionally without judgment or critique. Her greatest gift as matriarch was sustaining a lineage of praying women, passing forward generational blessings that transcend material wealth.” Ashe. Practices of Holding is curated by Jessica Gaynelle Moss, in partnership with Sibyls Shrine, presented by Kelly Strayhorn Theater, and in conjunction with Jasmine Hearn’s Memory Fleet: Stay in the Circle. Wednesday February 4th, 2026 | 6:00-8:00pm EST | Kelly Strayhorn Theater | 5941 Penn Ave. Pittsburgh PA

❤️ A special video from the upcoming exhibition Practices of Holding's curator Jessica Gaynelle Moss jesseplane! What does it mean to hold those who held us? How have they been passed down in gesture, imagery, word? Practices of Holding, curated by Jessica Gaynelle Moss, weaves together portraits of ancestral and living matriarchs, written reflections and precious objects shared by 15 members of Sibyls Shrine - a national network, residency program and collective of over 150 Black artists who m/other. Winter/Spring 2026 Opening Reception: Wednesday, February 4 | 6:00pm - 8:00pm at KST's Gallery (5941 Penn Ave.) On display through Sunday, June 14, 2026 Link in bio. -- Practices of Holding features Elizabeth Burden, Tiara L. Burtin, Lisa Brown, Dail Chambers, Lish Danielle, Cheré D. Gordon, Olivia Guterson, sarah huny young, Miracle Jones, Melike Vivastine Konur, Sasha-Loriene McClain, Zllen McCollum, Victoria Ramlalsingh-Hinton, Anqwenique Wingfield-Kinsel and is curated by Jessica Gaynelle Moss, in partnership with Sibyls Shrine, presented by Kelly Strayhorn Theater, and in conjunction with Jasmine Hearn’s Memory Fleet: Stay in the Circle. #blackartist #blackart #motherhood #matriarch #love #pittsburghart #galleryopening

Thank you to @artistcommunitiesorg for organizing the most beautiful 4 days of generative iteration, reflection and research in Santa Fe. And congratulations on 35 years of doing this work 💐💐💐 Alisha and Jessica, Our Creative Director and Managing Director & Curator, attended this year’s artist residency focused conference (its first in 6 years). We loved seeing SO many friends and colleagues across the field and having by the opportunity to make new ones 🥳 Thank you to Lisa, to the ACA staff and team, to all our hosts, to Toccarra of @santafeartinstitute , to all our Pittsburgh homies who also pulled up, and to everyone who had a hand in organizing this event— Thank you.

🌟 Artist Spotlight: @amberdoestudio 🌟 Meet the incredible Amber Doe, a multidisciplinary fiber and performance artist whose work is deeply informed by family, critical thought, and place! Amber's lifelong love affair with fabric began with a beautiful legacy: her grandmother instilled this passion by saving her fashion design work from when she was just six years old! Born and raised in Philadelphia, PA, Amber honed her skills at Sarah Lawrence College in New York before relocating to Tulsa, AZ to care for her daughter/niece, Ruby. Her powerful, large-scale installations are deeply informed by her research, drawing inspiration from Black feminism and scholars like Saidiya Hartman and Alexis Pauline Gumbs. This is Amber's second residency with the Sybils Shrine collective in Pittsburgh, and her two experiences highlight the balance between life and craft: 💫First Residency: While bringing her niece/daughter, Ruby, her favorite part was watching Ruby enjoy the city—a contrast to their life in Tucson, AZ. 💫Second Residency: Coming alone allowed her to intensely focus on her craft, learning new skills like dressing the loom and even some metalwork. In both experiences, she found profound connection simply walking the unique hills and streets of Pittsburgh. Looking ahead, Amber is focused on the next cycle of an artist's life: working on applications for paid residencies, grants, and other forms of income to sustain her practice; including recently being awarded the @mocatucson Night Bloom Grant w/ the @warholfoundation 🎉 Her final words of wisdom for neighboring artists of Sybils Shrine? To focus on "enjoying who I'm with, where I'm at, what I'm doing, [and] staying present." ✨ 🔥 What is one small thing you can do right now to "stay present" in your own creative journey? Share your moment below! #AmberDoe #Sybilsshrine #PittsburghArt #FiberArt #PerformanceArt #BlackFeminism #SaidiyaHartman #AlexisPaulineGumbs #ArtistAdvice #ArtistResidency #CreativeJourney #WovenStories