Conversation with Derrick Adams, Brennan Scarlett, & Maryanna Ramirez

Known for his bright palette and playful themes, Derrick Adams presents joyful depictions of contemporary Black culture. His paintings, prints, sculptures, and installations attract viewers with elements of nostalgia, humor, and leisure. 

JSMA at PSU was honored to host contemporary artist Derrick Adams in conversation with Brennan Scarlett, Founder and President of the Big Yard Foundation, and Maryanna Ramirez, Director of JSMA at PSU, on Saturday, November 2, 2024. The talk was part of programming for the Fall 2024 exhibition "Color Outside the Lines from the Collections of Jordan D. Schnitzer and His Family Foundation," where Adams’s installation "Eye Candy" is on view.


About the Speakers:
Derrick Adams is a multidisciplinary artist living and working in Brooklyn, New York. Adams' work celebrates and expands the dialogue around contemporary Black life and culture through scenes of normalcy and perseverance. He received his BFA from Pratt Institute, New York, in 1996 and graduated with an MFA from Columbia University, New York, in 2003. In addition to his critically acclaimed art practice, Adams has held numerous teaching positions and is currently a tenured assistant professor in the School of Visual, Media and Performing Arts at CUNY Brooklyn College. He also holds an honorary doctorate from Maryland Institute College of Art.

Brennan Scarlett is a community builder, creative entrepreneur, and capital investor. He spent the first seven years of his professional career as an NFL linebacker, playing for the Houston Texans and Miami Dolphins. Brennan is the Founder and President of the Big Yard Foundation, a Portland-based organization dedicated to empowering historically underserved neighborhoods through education, creativity, and physical wellness. As CEO of Scarlett Creative Co., a creative agency specializing in high-quality storytelling through social media management and production, he continues to innovate in the digital space. Brennan also lends his expertise as an advisor to organizations such as the NFLPA, OSAA, and Amira Learning. He holds degrees from both the University of California, Berkeley, and Stanford University.

Maryanna G. Ramirez, Director of the JSMA at PSU, is passionate about sparking connections between students and art as well as developing innovative ways to engage new audiences. She has spent over twenty years working in higher education and museums, including roles in education, curation, marketing, and advancement. As the JSMA at PSU’s first director, she’s had the opportunity to build the programmatic and operational foundation that will serve the museum and university for years to come.


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Production by Scarlett Creative Co.
Technical Producer: Itay Lerner
Videographer: Riley Brown

"Color Outside the Lines" is curated by Maryanna G. Ramirez. Support for this exhibition is provided by Jordan Schnitzer and the Harold and Arlene Schnitzer CARE Foundation, JSMA Exhibition Circle, Richard and Helen Phillips Charitable Fund, and Elements Roofing.

Exhibition information is available on the JSMA at PSU website: pdx.edu/museum-of-art/

Artwork Credit: Derrick Adams, Eye Candy, 2022, Six screenprints with relief and collage, with custom wallpaper, Edition 1/24, 45 x 30 inches each; 144 x 288 inches installed, Published by Tandem Press, Madison, WI, Collection of the Jordan Schnitzer Family Foundation, Courtesy of the artist and Tandem Press, Madison, WI