The "academic approach" I once took when painting a portrait has evolved into a much more personal approach that allows texture, unblended but yet intermingling of vibrant colors that dance happily on the canvas in a way that expresses my inner spirit and feelings about the subject.  Most often, whatever I am going to paint will begin as a sketch in my drawing pad before it goes onto the working surface where the final drawing is rendered slightly or completely different from the initial sketch.   My palette is by no means limited-consisting of multiple reds, yellows, blues, greens, browns, including black and white.   Before I begin, I ask God to bless it and to open my inner sight, and then I submit to the creative powers!  Dipping my palette knife or brush into two or more colors at a time, in an almost random fashion, I start to place dark and light colors strategically to create form.  Generally, I will pose in the mirror for the figurative imagery in my paintings, which are generally based on a personal experience of mine, such as in "Wash Day I and II".   Portraits are more technical, but to keep creativity alive in portraiture work, I work from only black & white photos and rely on my own color choices to capture the person's essence.   Current mediums that I use include acrylics, oils, beeswax, & pastels.  It is because of the vibrant colors I love to use why I refer to my overall work as paintings & portraits of color. 

 Inspiration & Influences:

I admire and study the work of diverse artists from around the world (past and present), and I am certain, in some way, more than a few have had some influence on me.Whenever I see face or scenery that touches my "art nerve," it becomes my goal to re-create an image that captures the essence, spirit, and energy of what I saw or personally experienced.   Autumn Passion, Somewhere & Sinews are my interpretations of the beauty I see in nature, as I remembered it, after a walk in the park.   Mother of Zion, Coffee Bean Café, Walking with Seagulls, Wash Day, Fruit Stand, Branches, are all imagery composed and inspired from my personal memories of motherhood, friendships, and travels to Africa and Jamaica.

Inspired by the ceramic tile work created by elementary school children at the Steward School in Richmond, VA where I had my first one-woman show.I went to the art store and purchased my first bag of clay in early 2007.Since then I have been bitten by the clay goddess and have started an addicting and exciting journey in clay.  I employ hand-building, sculpture and wheel techniques in my pieces. The clay provides me with an alternative to canvas, which I continue to explore and embellish sometimes with drawings from my sketchbook.There is something so immensely calming to my spirit when I work with clay; molding and kneading it into a finished piece of work.The first ceramic I did was all hand-built and sculpt and is called Golden Memories, which are small windows that view the personal experiences I remember from my childhood growing up in the Marcy Projects of Brooklyn, NY. 

I  believe and hope that my artistic style is captured in any medium I use, and that the universal content that inspires me allows for a diverse audience to make an immediate and personal connection to my work.  Since stepping out on faith my work is now adorning the walls of art collectors and patrons - some which include:

• Alonzo Mourning, Miami Heat
• Dr. Maime Locke - VA State Senator
• Dawn Jackson, President of Women Business Owners (WBO)  in Prince George County, MD
• Maria Thomas, D J/Hostess - "Talk To Me" 93.5 FM WRTN