Jasmine Abena Colgan is an Ameri-Ghanaian artist, educator, scholar, entrepreneur and civil rights activist who was born in Colorado. Colgan completed her masters in Fine Arts from the University of Colorado Boulder in the Summer of 2020, and an undergraduate degree from the University of Colorado Denver. Jazz is a master printer with 19th century, historical photographic printing processes including; platinum & palladium, silver and gold.
In 2019, Colgan was a NEST fellow and collaborated with a Ph.D. Candidate in chemistry to successfully develop the Ghanatype; a gold printing method using raw material from Obuasi (Obuasi mine initiated the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade). Her artwork is inspired from the contemporary diaspora of mixed culture in the social world; a woman who is black and white, Irish and Ghanaian, African-American, but declares herself a part of the vitilgan race and a woman of colors.
In 2017, Jazz was awarded the “Face of Vitiligo” at a world conference, highlighting her successful social empowerment while conducting field research for her non-profit organization, Tough Skin. She has been featured in publications such as PEOPLE magazine, was associated with TEDXMileHigh for Wonder: Women in Art Experience. Colgan has developed international relationships with several diverse communities and recently established Tough Skin into an enterprise that sources Shea Butter from Ghana to handcraft protective, organic skincare products.
