Painting the Way
How Zhane’s Palatte Uses Art for Outreach!
Azhané Brown is a busy person. With a full time job teaching special education, a growing family (including another addition in the coming weeks), and a dedication to volunteering across the Dutchess community, “busy” takes on a new meaning for Brown. However, one thing she is never too busy for is artistic expression. Brown says, “Sometimes people always think of their gifts in certain subjects as hobbies and never take those gifts a step further, but what I realized is that by really leaning into my gift it has allowed me to tap into areas that I am passionate about. One of those main areas being service. I think about all the outlets that my art business has allowed me to touch, and it really has to do with servicing the community, families, and friends.”
In 2015, the idea to start her painting business, Zhane’s Palette, popped into Brown’s head… right when she was getting her hair done. Brown laughs, “I was getting my hair done, and the young lady doing my hair was talking to the other stylist in the salon. She mentioned wanted to have a paint and sip party, then like a lightbulb going off she looked at me in the mirror and was like, ‘Azhané, you are an artist, do you think you could host us for a paint and sip?’ Without knowing at all what that would entail, I agreed right away.” This sudden decision would not be a small task to take on. Brown remembers, “After saying yes, I asked how many people. In my mind I was picturing maybe five, maybe 10, but then my stylist confidently said… 25.”
Brown was shocked, but ready for the challenge. She wasted no time in getting things together. “My dad and I started on the journey to collect all the supplies. This trip consisted of my dad and I driving up and down, all the way to Connecticut and going to every Michael’s, every Hobby Lobby, we could find. It was a Modge Podge. My mom and I made some shirts and she acted as my assistant for the day. It was one of those moments where I thought whatever could go wrong, definitely did, but I learned so much from that. That was in 2015, and some of those women from my first class still send their kids, their coworkers, and their friends to my classes.”
Since that mad dash for easels and paint brushes, Brown has grown into her business and her outreach in the Dutchess community to new heights. Specifically focusing on her commitment to providing accessible opportunities to art programs for kids in Poughkeepsie, N.Y. Brown says, “So, the last two summers, I have done what I like to call the ‘Mini Palettierz.’ Those programs were workshop based and conducted either at the studio, or at the facilities the kids were at. We did weekly workshops with volunteers. One of the most important things I wanted to stick with throughout this program was to not structure it like a school art program, but more freeing and accessible. Like an outlet for expression. These programs made me realize that so many kids in this area don’t have the transportation o r the means to get to opportunities like this. There is always a barrier of entry for these kids, and I want to break that for them. Every kid deserves the right to fully immerse themselves in an art program, or extracurricular programs in general, if they feel the passion to do so.”
And Brown sees no momentum in this passion dying down. What’s the next step for Zhane’s Palatte, and the ‘Mini Palettierz’? A bus! Brown excitedly says, “The longing for accessibility is where my idea to implement a mobile feature came from. With the idea of the ‘Mini Palettierz’ bus, we could realistically pull up to a kids neighborhood and bring the art to them. I want this to be the next step for Zhane’s Palette, so we are currently in the process of saving up for our bus and taking the next steps towards connecting children and art.”
Brown shared the most meaningful part of her work: “When people come in and say they have no experience then they come in and create something from a blank canvas. Those are the moments that I feel my work has purpose.”
