Macon Magazine

86 maconmagazine.com | October/November 2026 their parents since the inception of Miracles. Vernon described collecting as a family affair, with a multigenerational venture that included his father, Jacob, and mom, Lottie. Marques Redd and Marquita Redd Sams grew up accompanying their mom and dad to museums, art exhibitions, trade shows, festivals, workshops, and artists' studios. "Art was part of the everyday life of our family. I think that exposure taught them to look closely, ask questions, develop their own tastes, and understand that creativity has value," Vernon stated. "They saw their parents and grandparents devote their time, resources, and energy to creating a space where Black artists could be exhibited and celebrated." It's fitting today that Marques and Marquita are flourishing creatives, likely because of their upbringing. Marques resides in Pittsburgh, where he uses Rainbow Serpents, an arts organization he co-founded, to create films. Additionally, he focuses on sculpting, photography, performing, producing publications, and other projects centered on Black cultural and spiritual traditions. Marquita, a prolific dancer, founded Miracles in Motion to honor her parents, with the goal of supporting healing through holistic integration of movement, mental health, and African diasporic spiritual practices. Her workshops include the use of art, images, and symbols to aid participants in accessing different parts of themselves. For Marques, the immersion into the world of art collecting as a child was simply wonder, he says. All he knew was that their lives were filled with extraordinary things. "I also didn't understand that every family did not live this way. Because my parents were collectors and owned a gallery, encountering Black artists and African art seemed completely normal to me," he said. His sister added that seeing her parents as collectors of Black art had a huge impact on her. "It taught me the importance of not only knowing your culture, history, and community, but actively engaging with them," the married mother of one said. Unfortunately, two years after Miracles Fine Art Gallery was forced to move to Pursley Street in 1994, part of the historic Pleasant Hill neighborhood, it hit a major bump in the road because of Vernon's untimely health crisis. Associated challenges eventually forced the family out of business in 1999 and landed the collection — which included the works of renowned artists such as Romare Bearden, William Tolliver, Ernie Barnes, and Henry O. Tanner — in storage for decades. But in 2022, another miracle occurred when the Redd children began photographing the works and developing ways to preserve, archive, exhibit, and interpret them for new audiences. The collection was officially rolled out at The Art as Liberation Festival in Pittsburgh, followed by the 31st annual Juneteenth Freedom Festival in Macon. Since then, the collection has had successful showings at the historic Douglass Theatre and Tubman African American Museum. It's a full-circle moment. Mel reminds people that it can begin with a simple desire to own art. Being wealthy or an expert isn't necessary, she says. Just start where you are and with what you can afford. "A collection does not have to be built quickly, and it does not have to look like anyone else's. Art is a lifetime treasure." A r e s i d e n t 's c r e a t i o n o f a h e a r t f e l t c o l l e c t i o n w o r t h s h a r i n g For Johnny Cohen, collecting art is a love affair. It is an extension of his job as director of Mercer University's McEachern Art Center, where he often curates exhibits, but he appreciates sharing it in a more unexpected place … his home. Walking in reveals a series of collected pieces BELOW The Builders by Jacob Lawrence, part of the Redd Family Collection of Black Art. "A collection does not have to be built quickly, and it does not have to look like anyone else's. Art is a lifetime treasure."

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