As human beings, we are characterized by unfathomable layers of color, pattern, dimension, and texture, which represent the complexity of the human soul. I am determined to uncover the shroud of human nature by using mixed media to examine the deep beauty of human experience beyond the surface. As a Detroit native, I am driven to match the city’s rich history of innovation, cultural influence, and artistic heritage. My work embodies Detroit’s values of grit and resilience by revealing moments of joy during times of uncertainty and anguish.

My artistic journey began at the College for Creative Studies majoring in Illustration. There, I learned about the golden era of illustration by studying various late American illustrators such as N.C Wyeth, Dean Cornwell, Norman Rockwell, that together created my fundamental knowledge of picture-making. While I appreciated those traditional artists, I am most fascinated with the revolutionary evocative techniques that emerged in the mid-20th century.  Artists like Robert Peak, Burnie Fuchs, and Mark English who projects raw, simplified rendering capabilities and strong shape design inspires me to own my creative freedom.

Karriem Riggins, Detroit-born jazz drummer, hip-hop producer, and music trailblazer inspires me to be multi-faceted in my craft. Listening to how Riggins juxtaposes drumming with off-the-grid and heavily sampled beats challenges me to explore my own artistic rhythms, and how I can remix them as a visual mixed media artist. I apply Riggins innovative style to my own practice by sampling contemporary forms of expression, animation, and fashion. I combine gestural drawing techniques blended with paper collage and painting to create a kaleidoscope of playful mark-making with crisp and organic tones. My work evokes pop, vigor, and harmony by bridging the cultural aesthetic I interpret from hip-hop and jazz, even in retrospect.

My journey with mixed media teaches me to, unapologetically, own every mark, shape, and impression I produce on any surface, no matter the number of materials I use. Instead of viewing my artistic mistakes as a weakness, I embrace the opportunity for creative problem solving. With jazz-like improvisation, I juggle between wet and dry mediums, so I can find the best solution to any picture-making problem. I diligently put my craft and ingenuity to the test by pushing the boundaries of creative expression.