KnowThyself

Title:beyondthemask
Medium:DigitalManipulation
Size12*14in
September2014
ForthisPieceofworkIwantedtoshowcasemyselfandWhoIamasaperson.My
workpresentselementsofsymbolismandalsoThehistoricalVenetianmask.Usingperspective
isveryimportantformypiecebecauseitfocusedoncombiningdifferentelementstocreate
depth.Thereforepresentingmyselfasapersonwhoisveryintrovertiveandhasalotoflayersto
mypersonality.ThispiecewasveryfuntoworkwithbecauseIwascreatingarepresentationof
whoIam.IenjoythechallengeofmakingthispieceandIlovetheendresult.

Blockprint
Title:Untitled
Medium:inkonpaper
Size:unknown
FormyblockprintforitIwantedtoincorporatemythologyandnatureBecauseI've
alwaysbeeninterestedinthistopic.IhavealsotakeninspirationfromGermanExpressionism
SpecificallyErnstBarlachBecauseofhowmuchmovementhislineworkcontains,butIdecided
nottouseasmuchlongerworkinmyownpiecebecauseIwantedtheblockprinttohave
minimalyetabrasiveandthicklines.ThisprojectwasverytimeconsumingbutintheendIlove
howmypieceturnedout.IfIhadthechanceIwoulddothisprojectagain.

Drypoint
Title:Medusa'sPain
Medium:inkonpaper
Size:Unknown
FormydrypointIwantedtocontinuetheThemeofGreekmythologyasihavedoneinmy
previousblockprintpiece.InthispieceIchosetoemulatetheGreekmythologycreatureknown
asMedusaIusethishighlyknownfigureinGreekmythologybecausemybecauseofcultural
importance.ThisprojectwasveryfunandalsodifficultbecausealongtimeconsumingitwasI
alsostruggledwithcrosshatchingandCreatingpreciselines,Butintheenditwasallworthit
becauseIcreatedsomethingThatI'mproudof.

MiadMixedMedia
Title:Untitled
Medium:mixedmedia
Size:Unknown

Thisismyfirsttimecreatingamixedmediapiece.Iwasinspiredbyafamous
Caravaggiopainting.ThisgavemetheideaofcreatingaseveredheadbutnotofamanBut
ratherawomansoicouldbemorerelatabletomeasfarathemeaningofpiecewasconcerned.
Iwantedtomakemypiecethatheldacomplexbeautyandalsoacertainuglinesstoit.This

piececontainsalotofdifferentelementsthathavemademypiecewhatitis,suchasspraypaint,
paint,plasticandcertainorganicmaterials.

SelfPortrait
Title:SelfPortrait
Medium:painting
Size:4*4ft
ThispiecewasinspiredbyagirlwiththePearlEarring.FormypieceIwantedtoto
havesimplisticyetintenseelementsSuchasthegirlthePearlEarringpaintingcontains.Andmy
paintingishisEnglishit'ssimpleAndshowsahighcontrastbetweenthebackgroundandthe
subjectofthepainwhichisme.ExitinspirationfromtheBaroqueeraBecausethat'show
elegantanddramatictheymadetheirpieces.Thisismyfirsttime.SuchalargescalesoIhad
troublewithproportionandalsooverlayingbutistillenjoytheendresult.

Artistinthecity
Title:ArtistintheCity
Medium:painting
Size:2*1ft

ForthispieceIfocusonwhereIwasfromandWhoIamculturally.Thispiecewasvery
culturallyinspiredIhavetakenInspirationformyownheritageIpaintedmyselfinthree
differentwayseachofthethreedifferentwaysrepresentsMymixedculturesandhowIsee
myselfEachofthedifferentrepresentations,Allowmetoconnectthemtogetherasone.This
piecewasabitofastruggleBecauseyoumayhaveitofoverlappingpaint.IthinkI'vedonea
goodjobofrepresentingmyculturesinauniqueway.

StudioWork1
Title:ColorBlind
Medium:painting
Size:2*2
Forthispieceireallywantedtogooutsideofmycomfortzonewithcolorsoi
experimentedinwaysicouldmanipulateitwiththehumanformanditsomehowdevelopedinto
thecolorationoffauvismialsowantedtofocusonbringinginAfricanculturespecifically
AfricanAmericanwomenandhowAfricanwomenareinterpretedspecificallyinthispieceby
herhair.MyfavoritepiecethatIhavedonebecauseitrepresentsmyAfricanAmerican
backgroundandthebeautyifindinthewomenofmyculture.

StudioWork2
Title:hairgreaseandcocobutterpart1ofseries
Size:2*2ft

Medium:painting
September2015

Forthispieceireallywantedtoexploremyowncultureandiwantedtoexpresshowi
viewedblackwomenandthesimplisticbeautythatibelievetheycontainespeciallysinceiam

ofmixedbackgroundswhichincludesAfricanamerican.I'vealwaysfeltthatblackwomenare
underappreciatedinsocietyandinartsoidecidedtomakeittheforefrontofmythreepiecepop
artseriesthispiecepresentspositivityandplayfulnessthatwomencontainwithinthemselves
insteadofhighlightingnegativities.

Studiowork3
Title:Hairgreaseandcocobutterpart2
Medium:painting
Size:2*2ft
October2015

FormymypieceiwasinspiredbyNyanzaspieceentitledTheDreaming.Ifeltlikei
connectedtotheimagealot.Ireallywantedtomakemyownversionofitandpresentmyown
interpretationsoftheoriginal.Forthisprocessidecidedtostickwiththestructuringofthe
subjectinNyanzaspiecebutchangethewholeaestheticofthepieceandincorporatetotally
differentelementsinmine,suchasskintone,hairandtheoveralllookofthesubjecttoshowmy
creativityandinventiveness.

Studiowork4
Title:Hairgreaseandcocobutterpart3
Medium:painting
Size:2*2ft

November2015
For my artist inspiration I was inspired by Nyanza D's '"Deborah" print located in her
monchi series. I felt that her original piece was the one I was most attracted to andIwanted to
recreate it in my own way. This piece conveys emotion and feeling which is exactly why it
inspired me to create my own painting. for this piece I stuck with most of the facial placements
but completely changed everything else from color to face structure. This piece has a very
calmingandquietfeeltoitwhichisexactlywhatiwasgoingfor.

Studiowork5
Title:ReversedPower
Medium:digitalmanipulation
Size:8*5in
December2015
Myinspirationformydigitalcollagewasfridakahlo'sselfportraitwiththornnecklace,
hummingbird,andunibrowcreatedin1940.iwasinspiredbyherpiecebecauseherpiece
communicatesasenseofselfidentityandselfawareness,whichhavebeenmymainthemesfor
previousartworks.iinputmyownculturalbackgroundintomypieceasfridadidinherown
piece.Iwasalsoinspiredbyhersurrealismstylingbecauseitcommunicatessymbolismina
powerfulwayitmakesthepieceopentointerpretation.