Artist Statement

At birth, we are dealt a genetic hand that determines our form. As a former fashion designer, I came to appreciate fabric as a material for changing that form; a fiber we stretch and pin to bridge the gap between our silhouette and our self-image. In a sense, we become our own gods and control a form that might otherwise betray us.

When I paint, I experience a similar gap between my ideas and my ability to express them. And again, I reach for the materials around me to help make my pieces mine.

In my work, I explore these themes of evolving forms, inner gods, and the patchwork of materials we use to become whole.

Jilly Vs Erykah

When I first heard there was going to be a Verzuz battle between Jill Scott and Erykah Badu - two of my all time favorite female musicians - my excitement level was so high it raised my blood pressure, I’m sure of it. These two strong women were a part of a rare empowering narrative during my teenage years that helped to shape me into the proud, spiritual, black woman I am today.