About the Artist
A professional storyteller and self-taught artist, my paintings and multi-media art arise from the oral tradition. I explore the continuum of storytelling through the use of various mediums, surfaces, and natural and found materials, allowing the hand and eye to move a story into a place deeper, perhaps, then sound. This exploration reveals what may be hidden behind the words. The process of playing with and discovering what my hands and the materials will do is my spiritual practice and, as such, rises from an intensely personal place. My family of origin as well as the family I have created with my partner are important to this practice. The inclusion of collard greens in my work is a way of connecting to my family of origin through the simplicity of images that evoke the meals provided by the work of our own hands. It also opens the door to explore the ways community nurtures and supports us. Much of my work explores the rich traditions of the African American and Gullah Geechee communities that nurture my own creativity, as well as the process by which creative action shapes the communities themselves.