"Brenda Singletary: We Hold These Truths..." Free Artist Talk & Reception
20 North Gallery to host Artist Talk with Brenda Singletary
Free event to share stories behind works featured in “We Hold These Truths…”
Toledo, OH—August 27, 2026 On Thursday, September 10, 2026, from 6 – 8 p.m., 20 North Gallery will welcome featured Toledo artist Brenda Singletary of “Brenda Singletary: We Hold These Truths…” and guest interviewer Rhonda Sewell for an interview-style public Artist Talk event. Singletary will discuss the imagery, stories and personalities embedded in the artworks displayed in her solo exhibition, “We Hold These Truths…”, that features sculptural, mixed-media paintings celebrating her family’s history of military service—and our nation’s 250th anniversary.
The free and open-to-the-public event begins at 6 p.m. with mingling with the artist; guests may enjoy a light appetizer buffet and cash bar by Venue. At 6:30 p.m., guest interviewer Rhonda Sewell (one of Toledo’s most prominent community arts supporters, as well as the Director of Advocacy and External Affairs at the Toledo Museum of Art, Toledo, Ohio) will lead an enlightening conversation with Brenda Singletary about the inspirations and imagery behind the artist's sculptural, mixed media artworks. Following the interview segment of the Artist Talk, Singletary will take questions from the audience in a brief Q&A. Guests may continue to enjoy the public reception until the close of the event at 8 p.m.
Reservations are not required, but are appreciated to ensure adequate seating. Contact 20 North Gallery for more information or to reserve a seat: 419-241-2400 or [email protected].
The “Brenda Singletary: We Hold These Truths…” exhibition will continue through September 19, 2026.
Included in the exhibition are all-new paintings from Singletary’s “Love Letter to a Complicated Nation” series, wherein she combines photography, paint, wire, found objects, textured canvas and other fiber mediums—capturing emotionally complex stories layered with history. As the nation marks its Semiquincentennial anniversary, Singletary shares a body of work that records & reflects on her and her ancestral reality in the United States.
Brenda Singletary received her BA from Morris Brown College, an HBCU in Atlanta (Georgia) and received her MFA-IA from Goddard College (Plainfield, Vermont). A native of Detroit (Michigan), Singletary began her career working in public affairs for broadcast news in Atlanta, before embarking on her profession in the fine arts. She served for two years as a panel judge for the President’s Commission on White House Fellows in Washington, D.C. and, in the category of ArtMaker, her oral history of family memories is included in the Library of Congress’ HistoryMakers project, the digital repository for the Black experience.
Among her many art awards and grants are recognition from the Georgia Legislative Black Caucus, Atlanta Business League, American Express, as well as The Golden Sable from The College Fund, Daimler-Chrysler Motion through Expression Award, an artist residency at Camac Centre d’Art in Marnay-sur-Seine (France) and a 2021 Merit Award and 2022 & 2024 Accelerator Grants from The Arts Commission (Toledo, Ohio), as well as solo exhibitions—most recently at the Savage Community Gallery of Toledo Museum of Art (Ohio) in 2024. Her work is represented in numerous corporate collections including AT&T, Ford Foundation, Fox Television, Kaiser-Permanente, Marriott and McDonald’s Inc., among others. Her artwork forms part of the White House Collection and hangs in the conference room of the Whitehouse Fellows Administration Office.
Additionally, Singletary is an inaugural member of Detroit’s “The Breakfast Club,” a weekly networking session connecting artists to collectors in Southeast Michigan. She also serves as an arts instructor at the Toledo Museum of Art, as well as in her Downtown Toledo studio. She is a proud descendant of generations of U.S. military veterans.
In addition to the featured exhibit, 20 North Gallery also displays glass, sculpture, paintings and jewelry by noted artists of the region. Gallery hours are Wednesdays through Saturdays from noon to 4p.m.
The “Brenda Singletary: We Hold These Truths…” online exhibition catalogue, containing artist information, art images and artwork prices is posted on the exhibit page at 20northgallery.com.
What: “Brenda Singletary: We Hold These Truths…” Free Artist Talk & Reception
Where: 20 North Gallery, 18 N. St. Clair Street, (Downtown) Toledo, Ohio 43604, 419-241-2400
When: Thursday, September 10, 2026, 6 – 8 p.m.
Gallery Hours
Wednesday – Saturday:
Noon – 4 p.m.
and By Appointment
For More Information Contact: Condessa Croninger (Art Director) or visit www.20northgallery.com