I am an artist born to an African American mother and a Jamaican father. My maternal grandmother migrated from North Carolina to Pittsburgh Pennsylvania before my mother was born. The hard work ethic and southern “spice” of my maternal grandmother and the colorful cultural experience from twenty-two trips to Jamaica have greatly influenced my art. My artwork often displays bright colors and semi-abstract designs that remind me
of mental images connected to my Jamaican heritage. The culture of Africa is imbedded in my DNA, one filtered through the Caribbean and one the U.S.
In the past, I never wanted to be referred to as an artist. With that comes the responsibility of fielding difficult questions and opinions. It involves embracing your individuality, weaknesses, and identifying your strengths. That was way too much for me to handle.
I was a creative kid, but my parents were focused on other things for me. That was a good thing in some cases, but I never had a place to channel my artistic abilities. I would draw periodically. Sometimes it would be years between art projects. My mom would always praise me because she could not “draw a straight line with a ruler” as she put it. Even with that encouragement, I did not know what to do with my skill. I felt like I had an artist inside of me that needed to be coaxed out from time to time. Most days, I was unsuccessful.
At forty years of age, I had managed to get a college education and hold down a job for around twenty years. But something was missing. I decided to go back to my roots. What talents do I have? What can I do naturally that can be developed into a 
hobby or even as a supplemental career? After a long and hard self-analysis, I decided to give my creativity a shot again. I reached out to several friends who were artists and asked them to teach me whatever their art skills. After months of being an apprentice, it worked! I fell in love with art and found my purpose.
My love for art leads me to host “One Woman”, my very first solo art exhibit. This exhibit will be held on September 17th, 2022 at Songbird Artistry on Penn Avenue in Pittsburgh, PA. It will be their second exhibit in the history of the store, and I am honored to be a part of this groundbreaking effort. What medium did I settle on after all the time spent with my artist friends?!? ALL OF THEM! Yes, I am a multi-disciplinary artist now, and it feels awesome to say those words. I am somewhat of an idea guru or what you may call a visionary. I use multiple mediums to bring my ideas to fruition. I’ve been known to use, fabric, glass, wire, paint, clay, charcoal, and repurposed items. I draw, paint, design repurposed clothing, make glass on glass mosaics and dabble in photography, to name a few. All of these and more will be showcased in the exhibit. I have been creating happily for over ten years since that initial day of self-awareness. I grow and learn with each project. “One Woman” is a show that highlights the power and abilities of what one woman can do. Women are magnificent and make the world a better place. Our strength is unmatched. Our talent is unmatched. Our ability to direct projects, show empathy for others, and pay attention to small details (simultaneously) is unmatched. The ultimate goal of this show is to showcase the talents, strength and ability of “One Woman”, that just happens to be ME!
Please join us for this spectacular show and support a hard-working female artist in her quest for excellence. My goal is to share my unique experiences with the rest of the world and encourage others to find and celebrate their uniqueness as well.
