Accent On The "O" Artwork

Illustrator, Artist, Designer for X of Pentacles- a design house based in Richmond, Virginia. Prior to working as a designer/illustrator, I was previously enrolled in the local police academy. Two months shy of graduating- I suffered a concussion during training that left me with cognitive deficits. Months later I lost my father to a heart attack, and shortly after lost our home. I began sketching as a form of bereavement and outlet to cope with my losses. Once symptoms began to improve, I taught myself graphic design, illustration, sewing and used those skills to create the brand known as X of Pentacles. Paired with my obsessive passion for textiles and classic menswear- began releasing limited prints in partnership with high-end fabric mills in England and Italy. Most of my works are related to my journey in starting the brand, and are such reflections of personal stories and influences from my life - Music, Literature, Cinema, Fashion, Western Occult/Esoteric Ideology. Some of these were classic black & white films that I watched when I couldn't tolerate color television as a result of my injury. Some works were influenced by memories of my father or items I sifted through when we lost our home. My use of new media (graphic illustration) allows me to explore art through use of tangible traditional tools (charcoal, ink, pen, photography, graphite, watercolor) and employ them in a digital space via textile. All of my work comes from a place of resilience. I have no formal training as an artist, and often struggled with giving myself that title- yet art was what allowed me to experience emotion again, during a time when it had all been drained from me.