WORK

Created in oil pastel, this work represents a renewed exploration of a medium I once overlooked but have recently come to embrace for its remarkable richness, saturation, and expressive potential. Inspired by contemporary artists who have demonstrated the power of oil pastel to create luminous color and compelling texture, I was drawn back to the medium's ability to communicate emotion through both surface and form. The vibrant violets, deep blacks, and warm highlights are intentionally contrasted to amplify the relationship between light and shadow, creating a sense of presence that extends beyond the figure itself. While the portrait is abstracted and stylized, its foundation remains deeply Afrocentric, reflecting an ongoing commitment to exploring Black identity, ancestry, and cultural memory throughout my work. The figure exists between representation and symbolism, embodying both an individual presence and a broader connection to heritage, resilience, and imagination. Through the tactile quality of oil pastel and the bold use of color, the piece invites viewers to engage not only with the image itself, but with the emotional and cultural narratives embedded within it.

​

*Will be available in the store soon