When the Crosstown Concourse development first began to take shape in Memphis, the vision was clear – to create a vibrant, arts-focused hub that would breathe new energy into the neighborhood and city’s creative community. At the heart of this ambitious project was Crosstown Arts, a contemporary arts organization dedicated to providing the resources, equipment, spaces and programming to foster new artistic voices and engagement. And woven into the very fabric of Crosstown Arts was Brittney Boyd Bullock, a Memphis College of Art alumna and the organization’s Community Engagement Manager.
Boyd Bullock with Stacy Wright, Executive Director of Crosstown Arts
In this capacity, Boyd Bullock worked to cultivate community and dialogue in the surrounding neighborhood, attending meetings, creating opportunities for public involvement, advocating for the preservation of the neighborhood’s cultural identity and ensuring the project would have a positive impact, a dedication that mirrors the core mission of Crosstown Concourse. Even after leaving Crosstown, Boyd Bullock continued to lend her expertise to the nonprofit sector, spending seven years at the Memphis Music Initiative, where she ran a program focused on creative arts development for black and brown youth. Throughout her career, Boyd Bullock has demonstrated a deep commitment to uplifting and empowering the creative community, whether through her work in community engagement, youth development, or her own artistic practice.
Eventually, Boyd Bullock’s journey eventually led her to pursue her own artistic aspirations full-time. As she reflects, “I’d been working hard for over 10 years in the nonprofit space on other people’s dreams. And I was like, you know, I want to kind of bet on myself, see what happens.”
Brittney Boyd Bullock works primarily in textile-based mediums, collage, and mixed media, drawing inspiration from personal history, memory, identity, and the cultural fabric of Memphis.
When Boyd Bullock found herself struggling to create art during a high-risk pregnancy, she turned to an unexpected source of inspiration – the repetitive craft of latchkey. As Boyd Bullock recalls, “I was talking to my therapist and I wasn’t making any art. And I was like, you know, I really need to make some work. Because I think it’s going to save my life, it’s going to help save my life.” It was then that she remembered the joy she had found in latchkey as a child, and she decided to revisit the meditative craft. Boyd Bullock began incorporating latchkey into her daily routine, even taking it with her to the hospital during her preterm labor. “I started latching again. And I would take it everywhere. And then I started to add weird things in it, like, Oh, I’ve got some pipe cleaners, let’s add that. So it became about following my curiosity for what could be integrated into this technique.” As Boyd Bullock engaged with the repetitive motions of latchkey, she noticed a shift in her mental and emotional state, with “things starting to feel a little lighter” for her.
This rediscovery of latchkey’s therapeutic power would significantly influence Boyd Bullock’s artistic practice in the years to come, as she continued to explore the intersection of craft, identity, and personal healing. She is most known for her large-scale textile-based pieces, which have become recognizable for their intricate patterns and emotive storytelling.
Today, her work has gained widespread recognition, leading to her current exhibition at the prestigious modern art Phillips Collection in Washington, D.C. Her pieces have also been displayed in many renowned galleries and museums around the nation, including the Frist Art Museum and locally at the Dixon Galleries and Gardens.
Featured textiles from the “The Work of Their Hands: American Quiltmaking” exhibition at the Cameron Art Museum in NC
Bullock’s journey, from her early days at Crosstown Arts to her current status as a thriving, full-time artist and art educator, is a testament to the power of community, collaboration, and the unwavering pursuit of one’s creative passions. As Crosstown Concourse and Crosstown Arts continue to evolve and help shape the cultural landscape of Memphis, Brittney Boyd Bullock’s story stands as a shining example of the transformative impact that can occur when a city embraces and empowers its artistic talent.
Boyd Bullock’s deep roots in the Memphis arts community, multifaceted creative practice, and longstanding involvement with Crosstown Concourse made her the perfect choice for the first Artist Series merchandise collaboration. By partnering with Brittney Boyd Bullock on an exclusive merchandise collection, Crosstown Concourse is not only celebrating her remarkable creative talents but also honoring her deep connection to the space.
The collection features two t-shirt designs – one showcasing a full-print reproduction of one of Boyd Bullock’s vibrant collage-based artworks and another incorporating her distinctive style within the iconic Crosstown logo. Additionally, the collaboration includes a full-print canvas tote bag in two sizes; all are available for purchase at Mili’s Flowers and Gifts with the tote bags also available at the Mad Grocer. This partnership represents a meaningful intersection of Boyd Bullock’s personal artistic journey and the broader mission of Crosstown Concourse to amplify the voices of local creatives.
