This painting is #4 in a running series I started in Berlin called "You're Prettier When You Smile." These works call into question societies obsession with women existing to be aesthetically pleasing for the viewing pleasure of others even when it causes women discomfort, leads to harassment and oftentimes violence. This painting specifically ties in the two cultures of my subject, Roicia, who is Afro-Indigenous and represents both of her cultures so beautifully.  When I started this painting I wasn't sure which direction I'd go but I listened to that little voice inside that's like a ..read more

This Juneteenth is all about economics over here! Although today is a celebration of freedom from slavery, Black America cannot be truly liberated without economic equality. As the U.S. still has yet to account for its original sins (I speak for my Native + Indigenous brothers & sisters here too) and give Black descendants of American slaves reparations, this Juneteenth I want to encourage everyone to start supporting & investing in Black owned businesses and creators. This is a way of helping to create a more equitable future for Black Americans. Below is a list of 32 Black Owned ..read more

Today Marks Two Years Since I hopped on a Flight and Moved to Germany. Sometimes its hard to believe that I made a twelve year long dream come to life and moved to Europe to further my art career. I honestly had never even been to Germany before and had never lived anywhere but Arizona. BUT. If there’s one thing I am always going to do, it’s bet on myself! I’ve already held my first solo exhibition in Berlin and continue to expand within Germany and beyond. What a wonderful way to celebrate today by sharing the latest addition of PHOENIX Magazine in which I have a two page spread for a story t ..read more

The Back Story: Oftentimes people want to know what brought me to Germany from Phoenix, AZ and what my experience has been. There are lots of assumptions of what my life in Europe is like. People tend to romanticize my life as an artist working across continents based on the things we, as Americans, have been taught about Europe. But what outwardly appears to be romantic to those who watch my journey, inwardly felt as if it had destroyed me. There are details of my first year in Berlin that are too painful to share outside of those closest to me. There are things that when I speak about t ..read more

When I wrapped up my international exhibition “Blackbird Fly” in early 2022 I suddenly found myself unable to paint due to lack of inspiration. That all changed when I was approached by one of my favorite artists, Bar Abba, in regards to his up and coming project  “No Stone Unflipped”. I was instantly drawn in.  It was his ability to tell a powerful story mixed with his messages, super dope beats and his obvious talent. I knew that this was a project I had to be a part of.   Bar Abba (@protectandgrow) I spent a lot of time listening to “No Stone Unflipped” and letting the ..read more

Photo by Iva Kozeli I recently had the privilege of meeting Dr. Tammy Robinson, Mesa Community College’s first Black President. When we met I shared some of my story and what MCC meant to me. I spoke about how my professors impacted my career as an artist and talked about how MCC's Fine Art program molded me into the artist I am today. We instantly connected through the similarities in our journeys as first generation college students who defied the odds and stepped into greatness. During this meeting my story resonated so much with Dr. Robinson that she asked me to open her President's Welco ..read more

The Intro: I’m Shook! I will literally always remember the moment in October 2020 when I was sitting at a red light and happened to look down at my phone. I had an email notification from… the Phoenix Suns? “This can’t be real.” I thought. I pulled over and opened the email only to read that the team was interested in potentially commissioning me for a painting that told the story of the Black history of Arizona. I was asked to submit a short written proposal breaking down what I would like to create and after their review they would let me know if they wanted to move forward. So me being me ..read more

The Intro: When I first sat down to write this blog I really struggled with what I was going to say and how I was going to say it. I felt this immense pressure to write something that would be awe-inspiring, strong and powerful. This is one of the most important projects of my career thus far and so the weight on my shoulders has been heavy. But… I realized that I just need to tell my story in the most authentic way possible as I always do. You can take from it what you need and feel free to leave behind what you don't. The Call: A couple of months ago I received a phone call from my friend Ja ..read more

I spend the majority of my time alone, kept company only by my thoughts. I have been this way since I was a child and while it was more of a survival technique in my youth, in my adulthood it has transformed into a very important space where I am able to explore thoughts, concepts, ideas and questions that all eventually pour onto my canvas. This space is where all of my artistic ideas are birthed. It was in this space, towards the end of last year, that I began to think about the women in my life who I see as my sisters. I specifically thought about the role each of these women have played in ..read more

I was sitting at the top of A mountain in late January when I first saw a white butterfly. I told myself that I needed to research the symbolism behind what they mean as soon as I got a chance. When I looked it up, the first subject that popped onto my screen was “death”. I instantly felt sick to my stomach and could feel the anxiety pulsating through my core. I continued to read that in lots of cultures around the world, white butterflies symbolize death or rebirth which can be the same thing. Over the coming weeks, my anxiety over this sense of death seemingly creeping into my life would lan ..read more