Hair has always been more than adornment—it is identity, history, memory, and declaration. Within the Black community, hair carries stories of resilience, creativity, cultural pride, and self-definition. It speaks before words are exchanged, communicating heritage, individuality, status, spirituality, and style.

In this series, I celebrate the extraordinary diversity of Black hair and the people who wear it. From coils and curls to braids, wraps, puffs, and crowns, each style reflects a unique expression of self while connecting to a larger cultural legacy. These works honor the beauty, strength, and audacity that have long defined Black communities despite efforts to diminish or erase them.

The figures in this series are not simply portraits. They are affirmations. Together they form a visual chorus that celebrates Black identity in all its complexity, reminding us that what grows naturally from us has always been worthy of admiration, respect, and pride.

Take Cover is a tribute to the quilters of Gee’s Bend and all the ancestors who were brought to these shores against their will. As I reflect on this series, I am reminded that quilts were originally made out of necessity—to provide warmth in homes without heat. This basic human need inspired a legacy of resourcefulness and creativity that continues to resonate.

In Take Cover, I extend that legacy by working with nontraditional materials to construct quilt-like pieces. I imagine my ancestors using whatever they had at hand—scraps, worn fabrics, castoffs—to create protective coverings for their families. In that same spirit, I incorporate palm skins, worn-out socks, repurposed objects, and small canvases featuring quilt codes—visual symbols believed to have guided travelers on the Underground Railroad.

Each piece invites you to consider the power of making do, of creating beauty and protection from scarcity. I ask you to reflect: If you had to make a quilt to keep your loved ones warm, what would you use?

In this series, I have delved deeply into the intersection of color, texture, and emotion, allowing experimentation to lead the way. By exploring unexpected color combinations and varying textures, I challenge myself and the viewer to confront how these elements speak to us on a subconscious level.

 

Each piece is an invitation to engage with color in ways that stretch beyond the familiar—where hues and surfaces meet to form dynamic, often unanticipated dialogues. The aim is to evoke an emotional response, one that might vary depending on the viewer's personal experiences and inner state. I am pushing boundaries of what color and texture can communicate, taking the viewer on a journey where art becomes a reflection of feeling, mood, and thought.

 

This series seeks not only to please the eye but also to inspire self-reflection. It opens space for the viewer to consider how different chromatic and tactile elements shift their perceptions and shape their experience.