At the beginning of 2006, I suffered a theft which resulted in the loss of all of my jewelry supplies. Every bead, jewel, gemstone, trinket, charm, and tool was gone; vanished, as if it had never existed. In the absence of all my jewelry trappings, it seemed only natural – instinctive even – to pick up where I had left off with painting…even though I had not even thought about painting for over fifteen years. Finally, I had given myself permission again to paint, to remember, and to continue the work I had forgotten from so long ago.

The first series of paintings I produced has been characterized by broad, fluid brush strokes; its hues inspired by the various complexions of nature. Informed, to a large extent, by my professional interests in traditional Chinese painting, I call this the Nesting series. Later, I would experiment with the infusion of Adinkra symbols into the, essentially, Asian-inspired composition.

Having worked so long with fine detail, next I challenged myself to simplify the human form. I wanted to establish a a thematic, exaggerated figure, all while exploring vibrant patterns and playful color (right). The figures were inspired foremost by African sculpture – as such created by the Fang people of Gabon – and, perhaps, to a lesser degree motivated by the works of Amadeo Modigliani, an artist whose articulation I have long admired.

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