Artist’s Statement:

My work primarily focuses on the experiences of black women. I created a narrative using symbolism that is primarily based on historical references, societal standards, and cultural norms. The intention of my work is to interpret Western beauty standards that have historically challenged black beauty. I depict racist minstrel characters who were popular in the early 1900s to act as eerie existences who symbolize racism’s harmful effects on the black community. I choose to narrate these experiences of exclusion and assimilation particularly in regards to black hair. For centuries, black hair has been criticized within our white centralized society. The goal is to create representation for black women who are subjected to this criticism and are excluded from American beauty standards. My work has evolved into a limited color palette consisting of various blues and browns in order to produce a cohesive vision. I paint the skin blue to express beauty and leave the eyes to reveal identity. Painting black female figures blue emphasizes the importance of these black women, while also creating a narrative through visual representations that brings interest and excitement. It’s important that I display a sense of humanity and storytelling through my artwork. My motivation stems from the fact that I see myself in my art, and hopefully other black women will too.