I use oil, acrylic, and pencil to create artwork defined by black protagonists who are mythical, historical, alive present-day, and deceased as the subjects in my portraiture. Originally from Chicago, IL, I’ve called Brooklyn home for two decades. My relatives settled in America’s cities and suburbs and pioneered being the “firsts” by expanding blackness into white neighborhoods, schools, and the military. For me, Brooklyn is my chosen home and I feel the magnetizing spirit of love through the people and communities here. My cultural history heavily influences my art and is the reason why I nearly exclusively paint black people. Using my artistry for cultural representation, identity, and belonging is an act of love. I have always wanted to create work that causes us to see ourselves as regal while acknowledging the unorthodox tenderness experienced in loss, trauma, and grief. As stated in Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way, “I create art to heal myself and others”. To me, healing is an offering of love to one’s self and community. My future vision for my artistic practice is to engage my community through my art with organizations like Art on the Ave and produce work in which people witness a complex reflection of themselves.