The first time I went to Louisiana, I felt like I landed in a different world. I was raised in Northern California, so this was my first time being in the south. On my way driving to Shreveport, I missed my exit and ended up in back roads between Texas and Louisiana. That is when I began to see the south differently; though the segregation era had long passed, the unfamiliar scent of it still lingered in the air. Driving down the open road I would look out to the fields as the sun began to set and imagine blacks running for freedom, working the fields, celebrating the days end, and migrating to the north. By envisioning these people, I created my own timeline of history that has been inspired by African-American artists, activists, and writers. I admire their work, as well as the stories I have been told about my family from my grandmother.
My art work is a historical narrative that circulates around Black Nationalism, social groups, family, media, religion and discrimination. Instead of directly showing the hardships blacks have faced through the years, I create portraits and scenes of those who were fighters and have lived during those times of struggle, but I also show that there were times of happiness through faith. When the viewer looks at my artwork I want it understood that every person has a story and to never forget what it means to be black in America.
Graphic Artist and Printmaker 