Teens of Color Abroad (TOCA) is a U.S. nonprofit organization dedicated to offering students of color immersive global language learning and cultural exchange opportunities. Through four distinct programs, they are changing the world one travel experience at a time.

Student wearing a TOCA t-shirt in Aix-en-Provence
© Entrée to Black Paris

The Wells International Foundation (WIF) and TOCA collaborated for the first time this summer through WIF’s Entrée to Black Paris Cultural Awareness Program. Entrée to Black Paris (ETBP) presented a creative writing workshop for ten students from TOCA’s two-week high school study abroad program, using Beauford Delaney’s life and artwork as their creative anchor.‍ ‍

And WIF is providing a dedicated space for the students’ writing and artwork on The Beauford Delaney Project’s digital hub.

TOCA students participated in a program entitled “Painting in Provence: A Seminar in Vision” that is offered by the Leo Marchutz School of Painting & Drawing in Aix-en-Provence, France.

Entrance to the Leo Marchutz School of Painting and Drawing
© Entrée to Black Paris

Plaque for Leo Marchutz School of Painting and Drawing
© Entrée to Black Paris

Prior to their arrival in Aix, ETBP provided students with an orientation exercise that gave an overview of Beauford’s life story and introduced them to his work. The students responded to questions about three selected paintings and works on paper to prepare them for the creative writing they were to undertake during their time abroad.

The day before the workshop, Leo Marchutz Board President and Director of Artistic Studies Alan Roberts taught the students a lesson on color theory during which he talked about Beauford.

Color Theory session with Director of Artistic Studies Alan Roberts
Image courtesy of Teens of Color Abroad (TOCA)

Display of several Beauford Delaney works
© Entrée to Black Paris

Dr. Monique Y. Wells delivered the “Writing from Art” workshop the following day. She discussed the orientation exercise with the students and gave a brief presentation that

described why she is so passionate about Beauford,
demonstrated the evolution of Beauford’s artistic practice, and
introduced the four works of art that were to serve as the inspiration for their creative writing.

Each student selected one of the four artworks to spark their creativity. Once their pieces were written, everyone took turns presenting their work to the entire group.

Alyssa Quiles on Untitled (1959)
© Entrée to Black Paris

Derek Tirado on The Eye (1965)
© Entrée to Black Paris

Participants in the Marchutz School’s five-week “Painting in Provence: Seminar in Vision” program for adults and adults from TOCA and the Marchutz school—including Director Alan Roberts—also participated in the workshop. They were just as inspired as TOCA students and presented their writing to the group as well.

After the workshop, Dr. Wells distributed copies of the catalog from the Beauford Delaney: Resonance of Form and Vibration of Color exhibition that WIF mounted in Paris in 2016. Some students were inspired to write new creative pieces about other works of art from that show.

The students are now immortalizing their words on drawing paper, paired with their own illustrations. These pieces, along with videos of the students reciting their poetry and prose, will soon be available for viewing on The Beauford Delaney Project’s digital hub.

WIF views this inspiring collection as the true kickoff to the Project’s mission: to establish a vibrant, multimedia platform for research and creative projects inspired by Beauford’s legacy.

Teens of Color Abroad Discover Beauford

Les Amis de Beauford Delaney

Remembering Ella