A Latte Mayhem by Tyora Moody

Author:Tyora Moody
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Tymm Publishing LLC
Published: 2024-07-23T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 10

Smear Campaign Starts

COLD JUSTICE PODCAST

Season 2, Episode 3: Black Girl Magic Published: June 24

Joss: Hello, listeners. Welcome back to the Cold Justice Podcast. In today’s episode, we’ll be exploring Rebecca Montgomery’s life and work through the eyes of someone who knew her well - Vivian Ashford, the owner of the Ashford Art Gallery.

Vivian and Rebecca’s paths first crossed four years ago after Rebecca painted a mural for the tech company Synaptic. Vivian commissioned Rebecca to create a mural for the Ashford Art Gallery. I had a chance to see this stunning piece of art called Black Girl Magic. It made me so proud to see Rebecca’s last work up close.

Now, three years after Rebecca’s mysterious disappearance and the finding of her remains, Vivian is opening up about her memories of the young artist. In this intimate conversation, we’ll be exploring the person behind the mural and learning more about the legacy Rebecca left behind.

This is the Cold Justice Podcast. Let’s get into it!

Joss: Vivian, thank you so much for agreeing to this interview. Can you tell me about the first time you met Rebecca?

Vivian: I was visiting with Ethan Turner’s company.

Joss: Synaptic?

Vivian: Yes. He has an open house there each year where he invites a select few to see the latest innovations they have coming out. I sit on the board and have known Ethan from his humble beginnings, actually since he was a wee child (laughs). I’m his aunt by marriage. Ethan’s mother was my husband’s only sibling.

Anyway, he told me he was renovating the office space he’d acquired. It’s not too far from my gallery. Beautiful older building. He had to be particular about not disturbing the historical architecture on the outside too much, but he did wonders with modernizing the inside.

Joss: One of those additions was a mural in the lobby. What was your reaction when you first saw the mural?

Vivian: The first time I saw the mural, I was absolutely stunned. The scale, the colors, the emotion - it was breathtaking. I remember standing there thinking who is this artist. Later, Ethan introduced me to Rebecca. They weren’t dating at the time, but later on they became a couple.

Joss: What made you decide to commission Rebecca to create the Black Girl Magic mural for your gallery?

Vivian: After seeing the mural at Synaptic, I knew I wanted to work with Rebecca on a larger scale. I approached her about creating a piece for the front of my gallery - something that would make a statement and celebrate the strength and beauty of Black women. Rebecca was hesitant at first, but I could see the wheels turning in her head. I think she was excited by the challenge.

Joss: How long did she work on it? That must have been hard to keep under wraps with the gallery remaining open.

Vivian: Oh goodness! It was a process. She told me she went through many, many sketches before she settled on one to show me. It was just a black

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