The Artist Lives Gallery

04/08/2026

JoeSam.

1938 - 6/1/2024

JoeSam. was a multimedia visionary artist and advocate whose work honored the often overlooked histories and contributions of Black Americans. Through powerful series like Black West, Black Bible, and Jazz, he brought these stories to life while also pushing for greater access and representation for Black artists. His legacy lives on not only in his work, but in the artists he supported and the space he helped create for others to be seen.

03/20/2026

Hi everyone,

The Artist Lives was recently accepted into the Mockingbird nonprofit incubator program (20 out of 300 nonprofits). As part of the program we launched a small crowdfunding campaign that the program will match once we reach our goal $1,000 goal.

Donations can also be made in memory or in honor of someone.

If you feel moved to support or if you could simply share the link it would mean a lot.

Creative work shouldn't disappear when someone dies. The Artist Lives preserves and showcases the art, music, and writing people leave behind so their creative voices can continue to be seen, heard, and remembered.

03/19/2026

Tina Keane

2/13/1968 – 12/31/2025

Some artists leave behind more than music. Tina left behind a voice that deserves to be heard.
A New York guitarist, songwriter, and singer, Tina found her place on stage and in the music she created. She played throughout the city with bands like Yellowfin, Oh Mr. Grant, and Siren Song, connecting with audiences through her sound, her energy, and her love of music.
As the lead guitarist and songwriter for Yellowfin, she helped create a sound that was both powerful and deeply melodic, leaving a lasting impression on those who heard her play.
Music was never just something Tina did, it was part of who she was. She wrote, performed, and recorded with passion, always evolving, always creating.
To those who knew and loved her, she will always be a rock star.
To hear Tina’s music, please visit her artist page on our website.

03/09/2026

Singer-songwriter Julius Trombino, whose music we feature on The Artist Lives website, passed away in 2016 three days before his 23rd birthday. His mother, Sandi, has taken the songs he left behind and turned them into a stage musical called Love More. Auditions are now underway for performers who want to help bring Julius’s music and story to life. It's a beautiful example of how an artist's work can continue to live on long after they're gone.
Audition details and information about the musical can be found here:

https://www.lovemoreforjulius.org/love-more-the-musical

01/10/2026

Renée Nicole Macklin Good
1988 – 2026
Renée was a poet and musician whose creativity was central to who she was. She studied English/creative writing and earned recognition for her poetry, including winning the 2020 Academy of American Poets University & College Poetry Prize at Old Dominion University. On 1/7/2026, Renée became the center of a national controversy. But before anything else, she was a poet, musician, and mother of three.

Here is an excerpt from one of her poems:

“all my understanding dribbles down the chin onto the chest & is summarized as:
life is merely
to o**m and s***m
and where those two meet
and how often and how well
and what dies there.”

01/08/2026

“My artwork evolves just as life does; it is the reflection of the constant flux of thoughts and experiences that shape my waking and sleeping mind “ Laurie Tobia 4/14/1993 - 4/10/2019 Laurie was an emerging artist from New Jersey. She graduated from the University of Delaware, where she discovered her passion for large-scale public art. She went on to create murals locally and abroad. Her work can be seen at the Belmar train station, Belmar Elementary School, Atlantic Farms in Wall, and Coney Waffle in Belmar, New Jersey. Laurie’s life was tragically cut short at age 25, but her artwork continues to live on in the communities she touched.

12/28/2025

12/07/2025

So many creative voices were lost too soon. This is why we honor them. Please watch.

They died too soon. Many were young and passed from addiction or su***de, but they all had one thing in common - they created. The Artist Lives Gallery is a...

12/06/2025

We just launched our year end fundraiser for The Artist Lives Gallery. Every donation is tax deductible. Your support means a lot! Please click the image to donate or share. Thank you!

Help Preserve Their Creative Legacy

11/27/2025

This Thanksgiving, I’m sharing a poem written many years ago by Lauren Dorfman when she was 8. Lauren is no longer with us, but her words about love, peace, and family feel especially meaningful today.