Diamond in the Rough from the collection of Art in Roanoke

Diamond in the Rough, 2022

Mixed Media

24 x 36 in

Writer, musician, poet and photographer Phoenix Keesee says he is an artist by nature. “I have used photography and writing as an outlet since I was 7,” says Keesee. “I got back into it during a period of homelessness.”

“Being able to practice photography helped me to notice the small details of life that made it beautiful and kept me going while I was struggling to stabilize. Writing gave me a place to be able to think, speak and exist. Eventually, I found my voice and my footing. I am transgender, black, indigenous, disabled, a survivor of domestic violence, sexual assault, and homelessness. All of these things have shaped me as an artist. I have been successfully housed since 2019 but I continue to engage in these art forms as life changes.”