Art Found Me

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Throughout my life, I have resided in almost all the major cities in California. This has gifted me with so much inspiration. At the age of 9, I moved to West Hollywood with my mother. The dramatic and rebellious character of my home at Sunset Blvd and Larrabee Street provided so much texture to my burgeoning artistic soul. From my window, I would watch so many transplanted souls strut the street in self-created designs. They wore their life stories, aspirations, and complexities on their sleeve.

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I was allowed into their experience through the way they embodied their desired persona while walking down the street: loud voices singing or talking, and dreams worn like billboards to stand out from the rest. In my mind, colors streamed from their arms and empathic pictures generated in my mind’s eye. The streets of West Hollywood were my first remembered muse. Lights, camera, action! Sunset Blvd created and sold the dream for tourists and industry hopefuls through neon lights and endless bright artwork gracing the eye for miles. I remember vividly the artwork reproduction of album covers that lined the exterior of Tower Records. I would examine the brush strokes and use of colors on my way home from school. This sparked my interest in art it was so cool to see.  

 

During summers as a teen, I would take art classes building my confidence. In high school, I didn’t consider myself an artist until I created a charcoal drawing that I fell in love with. Quite honestly, I was in awe of the creation and making the internal connection of this artwork as coming from me was a pivotal moment for me. I remember walking past the classroom, seeing that  exact drawing and saying to myself “ I’m really good at drawing!”. I officially allowed myself to embrace the title of artist.  I made the decision to apply to some art schools in the south. In 1991, I was accepted into the Atlanta College of Art. I decided to major in illustration. There I was, trying find myself and my voice as an artist. In the library, there were some books on folk art in Haiti and New Orleans.  I loved this style of painting.  There was rich, but limited exposure to black artists to whom I could look for inspiration.  Growing up in Los Angeles, I was taught about some Latino revolutionary artists like Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo. While that was deeply impactful, representation of self matters. In college I was trying to develop my own style. I wanted my work to include strong images of black people to include showing our existence through colorful and bold compositions. I look back on that time so fondly in retrospect as

"I recognize that I AM the art." 
 

My experience frames what my soul so intensely desires to find expression on canvas. This is the message I want the viewer to feel about themselves as they look my work. ​My life continues to be one full of art in various forms. I am the soul connected wife and mother of 3 amazing young men who all have chosen artistic expression in some form. I chose to express my creativity as a hairdresser for over 30 years to provide stability for my family. I always knew it was a matter of timing before I would return to the burning visual artist embers that laid semi dormant in my soul. At times the swell of the ancestors would reach a point where I would intentionally find spaces to create on their behalf. These moments in time felt so beautifully right. I was being given affirmation of my purpose and I soaked each experience up like a desert plant.  My family opened a boutique where I sold a lot of my work. Many other inspiring artists and photographers graced the boutique with shows as well. I poured my love for the community as seen through my teenage son's eye into designing T-shirts and bumper stickers. 

 

My life has brought me to this point now where I have mixed all these experiences into a cauldron of creative energy. The plated meal I now serve is artwork that blends all of my joy, pain, wisdom, and contrasting energy together. I bring you gorgeous black women in bold colors representing their strong presence. The receiver will peer deep in their souls through my eyes. My absolute vision is for people to feel empowered and confident when they embrace my work. For the receiver to see themselves as the person in the painting. I paint for all the black women that keep it pushing through difficult times and still manage to look good while being beat down. I am critically aware that we are in dire need of energy-filled images that reconnect us to our greatness. I will continue my journey painting Black images that move your spirit and display my love for my people.