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Jamaican Artist Andy Ballentine Brings AB26 Exhibition to Food For The Poor
COCONUT CREEK, Fla. (Sept. 25, 2026) – Food For The Poor (FFTP) will transform its Coconut Creek headquarters into an art gallery for AB26, a special exhibition celebrating internationally renowned Jamaican visual artist Andy Ballentine’s 26 years in art.
The exhibition, at 6401 Lyons Road, will open with an invitation-only reception Friday, Oct. 2, featuring Ballentine and guest speaker Kwame Dawes, Jamaica’s Poet Laureate.
Following the opening, the public will have an opportunity to view 42 works by Ballentine from Oct. 5–16, excluding weekends, by appointment. Fifty percent of art sales will benefit FFTP’s mission. Media are invited to attend the Oct. 2 opening reception.
“When I thought about AB26, I said the best charity to work with is Food For The Poor,” Ballentine said. “I’m going to give them 50 percent of the sales because I really appreciate what they are doing for people across the world.”
Ballentine made history in February during New York Fashion Week 2026, becoming the first fine artist exhibitor featured by The Bureau at the internationally renowned showcase. He has participated in more than 500 group exhibitions and over 20 solo exhibitions worldwide, with his work featured at Art Basel in Switzerland, New York Art Week, and more.
Ballentine’s work spans a variety of styles, including still life, abstract, portraiture, landscape, and cubism. With titles like Black Mona Lisa, Immigrant Cry, Revelation of the Face, The Healer’s Gaze, Deep Within, and Crowning Glory, Ballentine’s work reflects the Jamaican heritage, resilience, spirituality, beauty, power, purpose, and female expression drawn from the neighborhoods where he grew up, and FFTP serves.
The connection between the artist and the charity traces back to 2016, when the Jamaican government named Ballentine arts ambassador for his alma mater, Spanish Town High School, located near the FFTP-Jamaica headquarters. Ballentine needed art supplies for his students, and the charity provided easels, a gesture he never forgot.
The idea of bringing AB26 to FFTP emerged earlier this year after Ballentine was honored by the City of Miramar, Fla., which presented him with the Key to the City and proclaimed April 10 as Andy Ballentine Day in his honor. It was during the celebration that he met Susan James-Casserly and Chaplain Rupert A. Bromley, members of the FFTP Strategic Partnerships team.
“This is our first art show in my 27 years with the organization, and it’s especially meaningful to celebrate someone we consider one of our own,” James-Casserly said. “Andy’s connection to the communities we serve allows him to share his extraordinary talent and the impact of our work, inspiring others to support vulnerable children and families in Jamaica, Latin America, and the Caribbean.”
Raised by his father, Albert, who worked nights as a security guard and days on a sugar estate, Ballentine turned to art at five years old to keep himself occupied and out of trouble.
Although they struggled to get by, Ballentine said they didn’t suffer. But he witnessed the suffering of others in his community, and he brings that awareness to his work, much of which features female subjects.
“I see a lot of females get traumatized and go down the wrong path,” he said. “I use my work as a headlight for them, a light to see through the darkness. I want people to see the pain and the message, and know that you can turn your life around, no matter what phase you’re at.”
Together, Ballentine and Dawes, the event’s guest speaker, will present a cultural experience that will leave guests inspired by Jamaican culture and its place in the art and literary worlds. Ballentine hopes his art will touch hearts and inspire guests to support FFTP and its mission.
“No matter what we achieve in this life, we are not taking any of it with us,” he said. “So, if we can make a difference to help somebody, let’s make a difference.”
Event Details
Invitation-only Opening Reception: Friday, Oct. 2, 2026, 6 p.m.
Location: Food For The Poor Headquarters, 6401 Lyons Road, Coconut Creek, Fla.
Public Exhibition: Oct. 5-16, 2026, excluding weekends, by appointment only, Food For The Poor headquarters. To schedule an appointment, contact Trichina Chue at 954-427-2222, ext. 4021 or [email protected].
Food For The Poor, one of the largest international relief and development organizations in the United States, is committed to facilitating paths out of poverty and transforming lives. As an interdenominational Christian ministry, we help families across Latin America and the Caribbean. Our efforts span urgent humanitarian relief and long-term development – from emergency aid and hunger alleviation to education, housing, and economic empowerment. We follow a distinctive approach that integrates faith, multi-sector strategies, and trusted partnerships. Whenever possible, we strive to work at the community level, partnering with local leaders and residents to co-create sustainable solutions that address the multi-dimensional nature of poverty. For more information, please visit foodforthepoor.org.
Ernestine Williams
Communications
305-321-7342
[email protected]
