Artist Statement
FROM THE VERY BEGINNING… my work has been rooted in the ways Black women carry, embody, and transform the weight of the world. I am preoccupied with questions of presence and endurance: What do we do with that weight? How do we wear it? What does it become? Where does it live?
Whether seated in stillness or in motion, waiting or working, her energy is always charged—layered with concern, resilience, and grace. At times she appears unbothered, at others triggered, reflective, or luminous with joy despite pain. This full range of being is rarely acknowledged, yet it is central to how I paint her.
I use color not only to adorn but to signal the intrinsic emotions that exist beneath the surface—tones that pulse with memory, vibration, and mood. Acrylic layers, mixed textures, and luminous hues reveal how the body carries feeling, while also opening pathways of connection to the viewer.
My imagery, though deeply rooted in the specificity of Black womanhood, moves toward a universality that allows all who encounter the work to find themselves reflected within it. In these portraits, she surrenders without consequence, claiming her place as co-creator of humanity—planting seeds in gardens she may never see grow. My work insists that no matter her station in life, she remains aligned, sovereign, and whole.
Education
The Ohio State University — Bachelor of Fine Arts in Painting & Drawing, with Art History
University of Wisconsin–Madison — Master of Arts in Art History, African American Art Concentration: Romare Bearden Photomontages
Selected Exhibitions
“Untitled” — Solo Exhibition, curated by Art en Object, Ware Gallery, Evanston, IL (2021)
“Voices of Color” — Knowhere Gallery, Martha’s Vineyard, MA (2020)
“IMPACT Color: IMPACT Black and White” — The Art Center Highland Park, Highland Park, IL (2019)
“Our Story” — Knowhere Gallery, Martha’s Vineyard, MA (2019)
Artist Residencies
The Foundation House — Greenwich, CT
The INKWELL HOUSE — Oak Bluffs, MA
Wunderkind Museum — Chicago, IL