Detroit-born creative based in Atlanta, driven by a deep love and appreciation for Black culture as the foundation of my work. I don’t lean into any particular art form, I truly enjoy the creative process no matter what medium is being used.
Through painting, I often create pieces of people who inspire me, not just for their talent, but for who they are and how they present themselves to the world. I’m drawn to authenticity, individuality, and the energy people bring to their craft.
My work blends unexpected elements, mashing together ideas that don’t traditionally belong, but fits perfectly in the right context. For me, the most rewarding part of creating is seeing an idea that once lived only in my mind come to life. While the love and positive response to my work fuels me, I stay focused on creating from a genuine place, protecting the originality that makes my perspective unique.
there are many people with a positive message, but there are very few i believe could truly influence those who need the message the most. Nip was one of them. the marathon continues.
inspired by Assata Shakur, this piece includes several details about her life. her pose is one that is regularly used by Emory Douglas, the artist who fueled the creativity behind the Black Panther Party. she also has Black Panther barrettes. the "thug life" bracelet represents her nephew and godson Tupac Shakur. adding the super soaker was a nod to Lonnie Johnson, the Black man who invented it.
the release of the Black Panther movie had major cultural impact. folks were showing up to theaters in the Blackest gear they could find. admittedly, I couldn’t call myself a super fan of him, but Chadwick Boseman’s death made me pay more attention to his work and realize the importance of his contributions to Black history through film. i had to pay homage. the painting includes references to a few of the other roles he played such as James Brown, Jackie Robinson, and his role in Da 5 Bloods.
"i think what motivates people is not great hate, but great love for other people." ~ Huey P. Newton
i beleive this to be true, because i don't hate them, i just really f*cking love us
being from Detroit, this one was a no-brainer. Malcom got the nickname "Detroit Red" in his younger years. i kept one of his more iconic poses but switched his glasses with the classic Cartier wood frames, which were a staple in Detroit in the late 90s and early 2000s, to bring the nickname to life.
in an interview a couple years before his passing, DMX told a story about an important life lesson he learned as a child. playing in his grandmother's backyard as a kid, he saw a butterfly that was so beautiful, he had to have it. he chased it around the neighbor’s yard and destroyed their flower garden, but he actually caught it. not only did he get a whooping for destroying the neighbor’s flowers, but he killed the butterfly by putting it in a jar. he had to live with the fact that he "killed the most beautiful thing i've ever seen because i wanted to keep it for myself.”
with a million paintings of MLK, i just wanted to present him in a way that has never been done before. i took his famous "i have a dream" speech and combined it with Houston b-ball legend Hakeem "The Dream" Olajuwon.
while working on the piece, i found out MLK was a hooper and would travel from city to city hosting pick-up games to draw more community support, which made this piece make even more sense than i originally thought.
inspired by a trip to New York. on the way home, we wanted to get a souvenir for the babies so we picked a stuffed Big Bird. in that moment i learned Sesame Street was created for lower income children and the set was designed after an inner city urban community, particularly Harlem. based of the rich Black history of Harlem, i wanted to create something to pay homage but also something my babies would love since they rock with Sesame Street. i laced some characters in fits inspired by Harlem's Dapper Dan, who had a huge impact on the fashion industry worldwide and is still as prevalent today as he was over 40 years ago.