Free of the Gilded Cage + The Journey is Long and Hard Painting

Influenced by the country's racial divide and social instability, my paintings are visual narratives on race, resilience and the fragility of human connections. Through my paintings I explore injustices towards women and people of color. I see my artwork as a dialogue; an opportunity to awaken sensitivities in others who fail to see the abuse black people encounter daily. I want my paintings to give a voice to generations of people who have been abused by systemic racism. Adding a distressed texture to the surface of the canvas is symbolic of the physical and emotional pain inflicted on people of color. When we fail to acknowledge man's inhumanity towards others it makes us complicit in their acts. I learned the powerful art of resilience from my father, it is a theme that reverberates throughout my work and life. Elements of race, gender and relationships are portrayed as fragmented and sometimes disparate with recognizable eyes staring back at the viewer. This body of work similarly echoes themes of uncertainty. The current social climate where we are acutely aware of, and often tormented by others, begs us to consider the vast and unknowable potentials of our futures. Incorporating found objects and ephemera collected adds personal context of women's shared experiences. Artworks with couples represent a time in my life when I questioned my standing in a relationship and the power play of give and take. Painting is cathartic, having the opportunity to share my work brings me great joy.