What Came Before Collage

Influenced by the country's social instability and racial divide, my paintings are visual narratives on resilience and the fragility of human connections. Through my paintings I communicate what I believe is the essence of humanity. Resilience is a theme that reverberates throughout my work and life. I add a distressed texture to illustrate disquieting subject matter symbolic of emotional pain. Black and white letters cut from magazines imply words exchanged, but not spelled out. Elements of race, gender and personal relationships are portrayed as fragmented and sometimes disparate with recognizable eyes staring back at the viewer. This body of work similarly echoes themes of uncertainty. The current social climate where we are acutely aware of, and often tormented by others, begs us to consider the vast and unknowable potentials of our futures. Incorporating found objects and collected ephemera adds personal context of women's shared experiences. Artworks with couples represent a time in my life when I questioned my standing in a relationship and the power play of give and take. Raised in Hartsdale, New York, I reside in Richmond, Virginia.