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    • PORT 1: Portraits
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    • YouAreART
    • YOU ARE ART: A Love Letter to 5th Ward
  • CONTACT
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Why is the skin black and white and shades of gray? 

It’s complicated, but seen as simple, that’s why. I use the monochromatic skin as a subversive nod to the dynamism of black people. For a long time we have been talked about and thought of as a simple people, when convenient. The truth is though that we are actually a lot more complicated than were are given credit for and often give our selves credit for. Black is the absence of all colors of light, white is the presence of all colors of light, but when it comes to pigment or the colors present on a surface of some sort the exact opposite is true. In the definitions of the colors evil and purity is referenced. In my mind no one is all evil nor all good, but when these shades and tints of black, white, and all manner of grays with the aforementioned in mind you then have a visual representation of all things people can be. Bear in mind the concentrations of the dynamic range is not representative of these peoples character, but rather for all of our potential for dynamism.

A lot of the people seem to be drawn differently. Why? 
Because we are all made differently. Some of us have cool undertones, some of us have red, yellow or gold, warm undertones. There are different stories of development or the idea of inner peace, and a figurative lightness involved in these works as well. In Girls: Not to be interrupted, the girls are drawn in a lighter and less developed way in order to highlight their lack of development as a warning or caution to men’s gazes. I wanted to acknowledge that these girls are children, girls, not women. They are not to be object of current nor future sexual desires. 
In Boys: A Coming of Age Story their underdeveloped skin is a reference to the sad stories of loss in the black community much sooner than deserved or expected. I was thinking of Tamir Rice, Travon Martin, and the many other young children whose parents expected and anticipated their returns that never happened. This same sentiment can also be tied back to Girls. There are scores of women and girls missing right not for a whole host of reason with non being acceptable.
In the Watcher the two aforementioned themes are referenced along with the lightness of spirit. As a child we tend to be light and worry free, mostly. As we get older we are like the older brother who looks a bit wary of the viewer, but the father looks beyond because he knows the dangers don’t always lie right ahead of you and like many parents has a tough time relaxing when a large group is present. Contrast that image with that of Lady Bastet, where there seems to be a look of calm and peace that enables Lady to not have to concern herself with your gaze at all.