My work focuses on the representation of African Americans and mental health in visual art. I often represent African Americans, specifically women, as the main subjects of my art. As a black, female artist, I want to show others the beauty of my culture while making those in my racial community feel represented. I also create art about mental health in order to connect with viewers who may share similar experiences with their mental processes, and to show them that their mental well-being matters.
An example of my work that represents African American culture is my magazine cover series called “Curly Roots” (2020). The covers display natural hair accessories and styles for young black women, in order to depict African American women with natural hair in illustration. In contrast, my piece named “Take a Break” (2019) follows the theme of mental health. This work stresses the importance of taking a mental break from the news since listening to or watching the news too much can be overwhelming and unhealthy for your mentality.
I continue creating art, not only to express the personal themes in my work, but also out of joy of communicating with others in a visual way. Art also encourages me to constantly experiment and learn new skills, which is my creative philosophy. Pushing myself to follow my curiosities and take risks helps me discover more ways to create art that connects with others. For example, I sometimes use non-traditional materials to create my work. In my piece called, “Tia” (2019), I drew one of my original characters, who has an interest in fashion. I used graphite to draw Tia, but I cut a piece of fabric from one of my old dresses to create Tia’s dress. The fabric adds texture to the piece and further emphasizes Tia’s love for fashion.
The tone of my works influences the materials I choose to work with. For instance, I used chalk pastels and colored pencils to create a soft look to match the serene tone of the picture’s scene in my artwork titled, “Waterfall” (2019). In comparison, I used chalk pastels and ripped newspaper clippings for “Take a Break” to create a contrast between the woman’s calm composure and the harsh reality of the news.
In addition to experimenting with materials, I also explore various styles. but I usually draw in two styles. One of my styles is semi-realistic, where it looks like realism but has stylized elements, such as larger eyes. I recently developed another style which looks flatter and more cartoony.
Alongside my stylistic influences, I am also inspired by artists who create work that represents African Americans. For example, Jade Purple Brown, Laci Jordan, and Reyna Noriega are digital illustrators I like who often create artwork that features African American women as the main subjects. Additionally, Faith Ringgold, Amy Sherald, and Bettye Saar are traditional artists I’m inspired by who also make pieces about African American people. My work and I join these (and more) black female artists in the conversation about adding more representation of African American people and culture in the visual arts.