Artist Statement:

As an abstract expressionist, my visual practice reflects ongoing conversations with myself about making art. Why do I make art? Why do I need to make art, and seek to reconcile opposing forces and achieve a state of balance? I draw inspiration from design elements influenced by African, African American, and multicultural imagery, which act as catalysts in my exploration of the visual language that defines my artistic voice. Through the work, I respond to the tension between a resonant past and a compelling present. Each artwork embodies the struggle to balance my insights with broader themes while remaining committed to the intimate principles of painting.

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The work celebrates life, honors family histories, and pays tribute to fellow artists. They articulate social realities within contemporary society, delving into the aesthetic experience of being Black in America. By addressing current representations of Blackness, I establish a flexible framework for creative motivation, intuition, improvisation, and chance.

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My interest in mixed media painting and drawing is profoundly shaped by the materials, surfaces, and scale I engage with. By incorporating elements such as sand, soil, and glue, I create tactile surfaces that enhance the additive and subtractive evolution of my artistic expression. The physical act of applying materials, often by hand or experimenting with splattered textures across various surfaces, is integral to my process as I strive to discover how these elements can coalesce into cohesive visual products.

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My visual practice involves a continued investigation of the art-making processes of painting, drawing, and mixed media collage. The works celebrate life, family histories, and tributes to artists I admire. I continue to express certain social realities concerning the world around me, while exploring the aesthetic qualities of being Black in America and addressing the literal ideas of contemporary Blackness in abstraction. Elements from African sculptural art, designs, Adinkra symbols, and fabric motifs still act as catalysts that bring forth the artistic voice in my work, as a non-representational artist.

 

The works I’ve created over the past two decades have evolved to include a variety of materials and collage elements. Sticks, plaster, and textures of gesso and paint have built up surface textures, developing tension among the materials, the images, and the visual messages. Painting with thick gobs of paint on paper or canvas, the symbols in the work and their literal meanings have become more abstract over time.

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