I am a multi-disciplinary mixed media artist, educator and curator. My work uses portraiture and tcxtile to explore American history from the perspective of Black American descendants of the enslaved. As an American who is not always seen and engaged as American due to the complexities of the diaspora, I invite viewers to challenge the notion that Black culture and identity is separate from American culture, rather, American culture is very steeped in Blackness, from its evolving use of language, fashion, interior design, music and adopting of cultural norms.
My collage paintings use acrylic, fabric, vinyl, relief print, ink, hand dyed paper and fabric, decorative paper, and oil bars. I utilize chigiri, painting, sewing, marbling, print, weaving, hand and machine cutting and drawing. Most of my practice is heavily bound in research. I am a lover of history and inspired by podcasts about history and politics and social cultural ethnographic writing centered on the Black community. Each piece represents a specific moment in history. My collage paintings explore maximalism by using thematically textured papers and fabrics as well as interior design elements.