By Paul Hubbard, MSW, Maritime Academy Board Chairman
Special to The Truth
The Maritime Academy of Toledo showcased its art students’ creativity during its first art exhibition held at Truth Colours Art Gallery on the weekend of March 20-22.
Maritime Superintendent Misha Stredrick, EdD, wanted to recognize the creativity coming out of art teacher Jaqueline Hatcher’s Maritime classroom.
“She is just phenomenal,” said Stredrick of the art teacher. “Each day, I go into her classroom and the atmosphere is just amazing. It’s almost like a therapeutic mood – calm, dim lights, music playing … and the students are creating all types of things. I said what we need is a showroom.”
Stredrick approached The Truth Colours Gallery. “I wanted to reach out and see if we could make a connection, especially seeing that it is a Black-owned gallery.”
That’s when Stredrick met Nikola Welcome-Bovell, an accomplished artist herself and the manager/curator of The Truth Colours Gallery.
“It was like talking to an old friend,” Stredrick said of that connection. “The ideas that we threw out … and the idea [for this art show] was birthed out of those conversations.
The exhibition featured student artwork including stained glass, yarn panting, acrylic paint markers, watercolor, oil pastels and ebony pencils, noted Stredrick. The collection also included images of TV characters, flowers, fruits, animals angels and family situations, she added.
“My reason for this exhibition is to give the youth an opportunity to showcase their work – to showcase their work in our gallery so our children can see their potential,” said Welcome-Bovell.
The exhibition was more than just art, however. Guests enjoyed great finger food prepared by Maritime Culinary Art’s program headed by its teacher, Christopher Lowe. This is another program Maritime offers that will lead to employment. Students can also major in business at Maritime.
In 2026-2027 Maritime hopes to expand its study majors to health care, welding and dental assistant.
Jim Rush from Thread PR firm who attended the art show was duly impressed and said that corporate Toledo should start using this Art Gallery for a variety of events. This will bring corporate executives closer to the community they sell to and serve.
In addition to the art students and their families, other Maritime notables included Joy Goodner a Maritime board member as well as Tamar Campbell, a Community School Coordinator from Maritime’s sponsor in Columbus Ohio; Kathy Sampson, business manager and Principal Jacob Lofton. They all remarked on the amazing art event.
St Clair Art Gallery in Hensville has offered their gallery for the next Maritime Art Show. Maritime’s board wants to thank Misha Stredrick for her planning and input. Also a shout out to Maritime’s art teacher Jaqueline Hatcher. Many thanks to Fletcher Word, owner of The Sojourner’s Truth and The Truth Colours Gallery.
