A work in progress with the help of my studio assistant @ichigo_the_orange. Don’t get too attached, this one is going to be a bit of an experiment, the charcoal acting as my “underpainting.”
#contemporaryart #lotus #charcoaldrawing #solideogloria
From an amazing @uuartdept student show, juried by the amazing @catraen, to amazing student work, one of the best MFA Thesis exhibits ever @cleat.art , to orange and black cat behavior, mini golf, tulip season, and all the other life happenings. God is good.
First full year around the sun without dad, but I think I made him proud. He taught me how to do the walk of life and I’ll keep dancing to it like he did. Had my first big solo show and did it in honor of him. He saw it through his supernatural telescope. The great flood happened at Union and we got new spaces where the students have been blossoming. Man, I teach some of the most marvelous human beings. I teach along side spectacular souls. Have some of the best friends on the planet. 2025. Weirdly one of the hardest years, for many reasons, while simultaneously living the dream and the blessing that is art full time. It helps me stay connected to Dad, living out what were his dreams too. It helps me remember love is sacrifice and legacies are in things we will never see this side of heaven. My friends and family and colleagues and students and all the people who did the walk of life with me… thank you. Everyday you help my heart heal. Soli Deo Gloria ❤️✨🔭✨
An ekphrastic response is a written, spoken, or visual work that describes, responds to, or is inspired by a work of art. I was asked to create an ekphrastic response to an artwork in the “Was God Dead” exhibition of German Expressionist prints, currently on view at @uuartdept. I chose my girl, Kathe Kollwitz. Come check out the show in the main gallery and the response pieces by faculty, alumni, and others in the student gallery at Union University in the Pennick Academic Complex building.
My Statement:
The first figurative artwork that profoundly shifted the heart of my artistic practice was Kollwitz’s “Woman with Dead Child.” Kollwitz’s ability to capture raw humanity in its most profound moments of need for Christ shook me to my core and still rings this truth into me today. In her print “Inspiration,” the winged personified inspiration encloses its hand around the woman’s hand holding the scythe. The scythe was the primary farming tool of the peasants, but here we infer it is inspiring change as a symbol of their uprising against oppression during Germany’s Peasants’ War in the 1500s. Like Kollwitz, a winged inspiration stands behind my figure, reaching for the Nelumbo Lutea. A flower that looks like it is walking on water. A contemporary Christian iconography. A symbol for my inspiration, which is an amalgamation. I draw on the life and joy found in culture and nostalgia, filtering them through a lens of faith to tell stories that resonate with the contemporary man—creating my own narratives that parallel biblical truths.
#art #drawing #painting #charcoal #nelumbolutea #waterlily #jesusflower #transformers #angel #ekphrastic #solideogloria
Come hang out with me as I do my best to share things I’ve learned along the way working as a professional artist and muralist. Register with @urbanartmemphis because seating is limited. Hope to see you there, you wonderful people!
It has been an INSANE summer. I haven’t made any art. Today was the first time in a long time I was able to sit down and work on something. It feels so good. Even better my sweet boy, @ichigo_the_orange, kept me company. I think he’s got a real future in the arts 😜
#art #drawing #charcoal #vinecharcoal #cat #orangecat #cats_of_instagram
@contemporaryartsmemphis classes ended yesterday. These three weeks are always a highlight of my year. What a privilege to teach them drawing skills that help give them a solid foundation to build their art upon alongside the other instructors. I saw them grow, from their first drawing to their last. I’m really proud of these students.
Thank you CAM. Thank you @fordjourstudio @derek_patt937 @brittney.boyd.bullock for having me and for your leadership. Thank you Sydney and Myia for being amazing advisors. Andres and Isaiah too! These kids have been given something precious because of CAM.
It’s CAM time of year again! Privileged and blessed to work with another group of amazing young artists, advisors, models, and colleagues. This was during our our first figure drawing session. Expressive figure drawing using gesture, contour line, and mass drawing.
#art #drawing #figuredrawing #lifedrawing #observationaldrawing #contemporaryart #charcoal #charcoaldrawing #art #solideogloria
Birthday (last Friday) flowers bring me such joy, the Lillie’s are starting to open up 💗
It’s the last day to see Supernatural Telescope. Words can’t express what this exhibition has meant to me. Thank you @crosstownarts Stacy, Jessie, Tori, and Will. Thank you Jon. Thank you to everyone who came and experienced it. Thank you Dad. Thank you God.
Thank you to @chuckfordphoto for these amazing photos.
“The Airshow” is based on some of my favorite memories of putting my little hand in dad’s and looking up at the planes. Our favorite was the Blue Angels.
If you’re visiting the show you might notice it’s a companion piece to “Your Angels Concerning Me” based on the earthly Blue Angel and the heavenly seraphim. Me and dad watched the earthly ones and now he sees the heavenly ones.
“Walls” by Tom Petty was our song. It was the last song I played for him. I sure do love you daddy.
Also, how cool were my dad’s shorts, and @petey_po matching ones. So good!
#painting #art #contemporaryart #woodart #airshow #blueangels #dad #daughter #dadanddaughter #heartsobig #solideogloria
This piece all started because I was inspired by an orange beanie my dad would wear all the time. He had an affinity for the color. His orange beanie. His orange VW bug, and then we decided on my orange car.
Played with layering of the arms for this one and adding non wood material. She was always meant to hold something with how I designed her thumbs. Fun facts, the red bracelet is based on a tetelestai (it is finished, Jesus on the cross) bracelet I got when I was teaching Bible study for high school girls. And the other bracelet is based on Mexican bracelets I got with @lety23 in Oaxaca, Mexico.
On the day of install I remembered this little dove bead that I found in my dad’s belongings and knew it was perfect. Holy Spirit prompted me with its own symbol. Trinkets and treasures. The orange beanie lives on.
You can visit her at @crosstownarts till May 11th and then she goes to her new home.
#art #painting #contemporyart #beanie #orange #missyou #supernaturaltelescope #solideogloria
One of the things my dad was so joyful to see was the wonderful arts community I have here in Memphis. With a little dash of home (Cali) and a sprinkle of Jackson.
I asked some of my closest friends and fellow artists to make with me for this exhibition. Each one of these lovely human beings has been a part of my journey and I value them beyond words. I gave them a flower cutout to create art on in any way they wanted. I made some of my own and together we created a garden of love and community.
I had someone tell me how odd it was that I would include other artists in my solo show, and to that I say that none of us in the arts get to any solo exhibition alone. We support each other. Help each other. Show up for each other. Sharpen each other. Water each other. Grow each other. To that I say, “I get by with a little help from my friends” :)
This collaboration is one of my favorites in the show. I look at this wall and my heart is filled with such gratitude and joy. In my grief I am reminded by these individuals that the artist spirit heals in unquantifiable ways. Thank you @samis_i @hamlettdobbins @eddyefaw @noe_bigee @heidilovesart @amybethrice @gabrielleyasmeen @_a_correspondence @m.p.ward @cleat.art @maryjokar 💕💕💕💕
Also! Shout out to everyone who bought out the flowers I painted, so glad they’re going to loving homes 💗
#art #painting #flowerpaintings #powerofart #supernaturaltelescope #artcommunity #contemporarypainting #contemporaryart #solideogloria
It took me a month to digest the experience of opening night for Supernatural Telescope, and I don’t think I ever fully will. I am so thankful to God for this experience.
I’m so grateful to the entire crew of @crosstownarts @crosstownartssharedart : Stacy, Courtney, Jessie, and Will. Your support, help, and patience through this process was outstanding. I believe in the good and beauty this organization is providing by supporting art and culture in Memphis.
I’m beyond thankful to everyone who came out to the opening, your support is everything. To everyone who bought work, I’m speechless and grateful that you want to own and take part of the supernatural telescope experience.
My mom flew out from Cali to be there. There are no words for our shared loss, my Dad was truly a kind loving wonder and the heart of our family. We braved the night together but because his hand and heart were there in his work, we had the strength. Joyful tears rejoicing in our time of mourning for the gift he was and gave and still gives now to all who saw his work.
Could not have done this show without Jon. As said in my previous post, he painted, he sanded, he hung, he curated. He’s a treasure.
Big thank you to @gabrielleyasmeen who took some of these amazing photos. I love you friend.
To all my friends, Memphis fam, current and former students, and my art community… you blew me away with your love, what astonishing joy! Thank you.
To all of you who came up to me and said that you looked through the supernatural telescope, that you got the show, some of you shared tears. What a blessing that I was able to share with you a love continued that resonated with something inside you. Art is a mirror, it transcends and connects us because creation is a form of communication unlike any other means.
Last picture is me and dad in the exact same gallery for my MFA thesis exhibition in 2022. Three years later I would have my first solo exhibition in the same gallery and dad would not be on this earth, but he was there looking through his heavenly supernatural telescope.
Thankful. Humbled. Blessed beyond measure. Soli Deo Gloria: Glory to God alone.
You know what time it is! Annual hot pink painting time of year. Every year I have to make one (or two). Little line work for ya, and some studio assistant ever the supervisor. My Jesus Flower Lady but in hot pink, you’re welcome. She’s hanging at Marshall Arts as part of the Beasts Abound figurative art show curated by @cleat.art.
#art #drawing #painting #timelapse #contemporaryart #pinkpainting #hotpink #lotuslady #jesusflower #orangecat #ichigotheorange #goldenacrylicpaints #solideogloria
Another process video of “Your Angels Concerning Me” a companion piece to “The Airshow.”
On the day of the opening for Supernatural Telescope, dad was using his. I was driving home from work thinking about how I wished my he could be there and this song came on shuffle. One of our favorite songs, one he would hum to me and tell me “it’s all right.” Little message from heaven via the supernatural telescope.
#art #drawing #painting #contemporaryart #blueangels #angels #seraphim #solideogloria
Some process of my first lotus lady. This was such a favorite paint of mine. I can’t wait to explore this more. 💛💚
#art #painting #timelapse #artprocess #glazingpainting #woodart #flowerart #flowerpainting #lotus #nelumbolutea #solideogloria
Ahem *taps microphone* is this thing on?
I would like to give a formal and resounding thanks to my two studio assistants.
Firstly, Jon. When I tell you that there would be no exhibit without this man, let the pictures tell you I really mean it. Jon buckled up and tucked his glorious beard in to sand and paint all the things. He sanded all the stars and frames. He painted all the stars. He clear coated the frames. He installed the work. He kept me sane. Blessing incarnate. He doesn’t like this sort of thing so I’ll stop there 😜 buuuut he’s kind of a super awesome big deal, so there’s that.
Second, Ichigo. He spilled my paint, stepped in said paint and tracked it across work tables and paintings. He licked charcoal drawings. He drank some paint water. He sat on paintings. Slept while I painted away into the night. Pushed small stars off the table. Bit brushes. Kept swatting my earbuds off the table into oblivion. Couldn’t have done it without him.
Thank you for your time.
A process video of my sweet little dude who I lovingly referred to as the lotus boy when I was painting him. It’s a before and after of the same lil guy these two figures. I’ll share the story behind this piece soon, promise 🥪
#art #painting #timelapse #drawing #lotus #nelumbolutea #contemporaryart #solideogloria
A little process video of my drawing “Witness My Crushed Spirit and Failed Flesh” on view in my exhibit Supernatural Telescope @crosstownarts.
#art #drawing #charcoal #charcoaldrawing #contemporaryart #timelapse #nelumbolutea #solideogloria
