A Native New Yorker's First Bushwick Open Studios: Bobby K. Hill, Taha Clayton, Patricia Baloyo, Kerry R. Thompson
In 2026, a lifelong resident of Bushwick experienced Bushwick Open Studios for the first time, having previously felt the event was not meant for locals. Their initial visit took them to the studio at 1717 Troutman, where they encountered Bobby K. Hill, an artist from Harlem. Hill's work features eight-foot-tall mixed-media canvases that depict figures cradling smaller versions of themselves, delving into the concept of the inner child. Nearby, Taha Clayton, originally from Toronto and an artist in Bushwick for a decade, showcased paintings and sculptures reflecting American history from the 1930s to the 1950s, including a striking piece illustrating segregation. Additionally, Patricia Baloyo Vanegas from Queens presented vibrant artworks celebrating Filipina culture, influenced by her recent trip to the Philippines. The experience reshaped the author's views on the event, revealing artists who explore themes of identity and heritage.
Key facts
- The author grew up in Bushwick and had avoided Bushwick Open Studios until 2026.
- Bobby K. Hill is a Harlem-based artist whose eight-foot-tall mixed-media canvases explore the inner child through figures holding smaller versions of themselves.
- Taha Clayton, from Toronto, Canada, has been making art in Bushwick for 10 years.
- Clayton's paintings and sculptures depict the United States from the 1930s through the 1950s, using photographs he takes of people he knows.
- One of Clayton's works shows a finely dressed man walking by two water fountains labeled "White Only" and "The People," addressing segregation.
- Patricia Baloyo Vanegas was born in Queens and traveled to the Philippines for the first time as an adult, photographing the Panay Bukidnon people from her family's native island.
- Vanegas creates oil paintings and photographs examining life from both Filipina and New York perspectives.
- Kerry R. Thompson was also featured at Bushwick Open Studios 2026.
Entities
Artists
- Bobby K. Hill
- Taha Clayton
- Patricia Baloyo Vanegas
- Kerry R. Thompson
Institutions
- Bushwick Open Studios
- Hyperallergic
Locations
- Bushwick
- United States
- New York
- Harlem
- Toronto
- Canada
- Queens
- Philippines
- Panay Bukidnon
- 1717 Troutman