YAA is a series started in the spring of 2019 as a collaborative effort I was invited to participate in by Chap Edmonson to reflect the spirit of the residents of the iconic neighborhood of 5th, Houston, Texas. The original media for the first iteration of this work was digital with photographs made by myself, Mark Francis, and my good friend, amazing filmmaker, brilliant artist, and long-time collaborator Chap Edmonson. The culmination of our original efforts was an exhibition at MASA Houston during the Lions Avenue Renaissance Festival 2019.
My solo focus started during the height of quarantine, in 2020, as a way to stimulate my brain outside of playing and talking to a toddler for 12-14 hours while my partner worked. As I got deeper into the creative process I realized the energy that I got from the people I was able to connect with came out of the work in a different way than the photographs. It became a way to honor these folks through the work it took me to recreate their images. After a couple of years of creating these works, I was able to share the work at the 2022 DeLUXE Show at the Historic DeLUXE Theater in the heart of 5th Ward. The DeLUXE Show is a commemoration of the original DeLUXE Show held in 1971 as the first integrated art show in the United States, produced by the Demenil family.









WISEMAN, 2021 Colored pencil, mulberry paper, card stock, gold foil, glitter, ink, marker, acrylic on watercolor paper 25.5 x 38 inches
THE TEACHER AND THE ARTIST, 2024 Colored pencil, mulberry paper, cardstock, gold foil, glitter, ink, marker, dried pressed flowers, acrylic, and lace on watercolor paper 40 x 50 inches
SOLDIER DUDE, 2021 Colored pencil, mulberry paper, card stock, gold foil, glitter, ink, marker, acrylic on watercolor paper 25.5 x 38 inches
MR. ELLIOT, 2021 Colored pencil, rice paper, card stock, gold foil, glitter, felt, ink, marker, acrylic on watercolor paper 25.5 x 38 inches
WOMAN WITH CHILD, 2022 Colored pencil, mulberry paper, card stock, gold foil, synthetic hair, glitter, ink, marker, acrylic on watercolor paper 25.5 x 38 inches
DEW, 2020 Colored pencil, mulberry paper, card stock, gold foil, glitter, ink, marker, acrylic on watercolor paper 25.5 x 38 inches
TRYNNA GET LIKE YOU, 2022 Colored pencil, mulberry paper, papyrus, card stock, gold foil, glitter, ink, marker, acrylic on watercolor paper mounted on canvas 48 x 64 inches
RISE AND SHINE, 2022 Colored pencil, mulberry paper, card stock, gold foil, glitter, ink, marker, acrylic on watercolor paper 35 x 59 inches
GIRLS: NOT TO BE INTERRUPTED, 2022 Colored pencil, nylon, mulberry paper, card stock, decorative paper, glitter, ink, marker, acrylic on watercolor paper 40 x 55 inches
BEING, 2022 Colored pencil, mulberry paper, card stock, decorative paper, glitter, ink, transparency film, and acrylic on watercolor paper 35 x 55 inches
LADY BASTET, 2022, Colored pencil, nylon, mulberry paper, card stock, decorative paper, glitter, ink, yarn, synthetic fabric acrylic on watercolor paper 35 x 55 inches
WATCHER, 2022 Colored pencil, mulberry paper, rice paper, card stock, decorative paper, glitter, ink, gold foil, acrylic on watercolor paper 40 x 55 inches