"I was inspired, as always, by the sheer diversity of skin tones and features that I observe within black women on a daily basis. I am fascinated by the origins of that diversity and take great interest in the studies of ancestry and lineage that offer various explanations for it. The discovery of ‘Mitochondrial Eve’ (in which it was concluded that the DNA of every human being, past and present, can be traced back to a single black woman) was particularly fascinating to me. That such an immense spectrum of shades and features could be present within a single source of DNA is almost inconceivable. I wanted to create a piece that both acknowledged and celebrated the immensity of this spectrum. In a world where, as black women, we are often told that we all look the same, ‘PIGMENT’ embodies the diversity of the beauty in blackness that we share."

"Like all of my pieces, ‘Hold Your Head Up’ served as a celebration of the beauty that is present within blackness. I feel as though I am incredibly lucky to be living in an era where the black community’s calls to be represented and heard are actually having some effect on what we see in mainstream media on a global scale. In spite of the many disheartening and regressive things we have come to encounter in the fight against supremacism and anti-blackness, the community continues to persevere. There is a real sense of pride and defiance in embracing all that comes with occupying a body that is black. I wanted to create a piece that practically exuded that sense of pride, capturing the momentum of the pro-black movement that has swept the globe so thoroughly in 2020. I hope the piece inspires people across the various diasporas to take genuine pride in who they are and hold their heads up high."

"In another exploration of pigment, I created this piece to celebrate the unique beauty held by those with the richest of skin tones. I have always been fascinated by the deep and unique glow that dark skin appears to have and was incredibly excited to create a piece which captured that. Unlike the other women depicted in this collection, I have chosen not to adorn this subject with jewellery or makeup. I wanted her skin to be the sole focus of the piece and took particular care in rendering its glow, the texture of her hair, and the softness of her expression. All this in an attempt to illustrate the effortless beauty that I have witnessed within so many dark skinned friends, family members, and even in strangers. Every piece of artwork that I create has an ultimate purpose of combatting colourism and bolster the confidence of those who are ‘unconventionally’ yet effortlessly beautiful. This piece is no exception."

"This piece was inspired by a set of lyrics from an Alicia Keys song entitled, ‘She Don’t Really Care’ which, in essence, seeks to capture the regality of the everyday black women. The lyrics read “all along, I’ve ignored what I’ve always known; that the chair I’ve been sitting on is a throne. Perfection kneels at the seat of my soul.’ In this painting, I sought to convey that sense of royalty, shrouding an image of a black woman in layers of gold acrylic and schlag leaf to create the high shine and textured depth you see in this image." 

"These little cuties were casting experiments for a larger project that challenged the definition of blackness. What makes a person ‘Black’? Are defining elements of blackness limited to complexion? To a shared set of experiences? How do fixed perceptions of race limit us in our interaction of others, and even in our understanding of ourselves?"

"The concept behind my larger piece of the same name was to celebrate the unique wisdom that is passed down between generations of black women. It sought to celebrate the millions of black women who have acted as vessels, including the elders in my life. Within them, they carry some phenomenal anecdotes, knowledge and histories. Many of these are of their own discovery and creation, but several have been passed down through generations – often verbally – and live on through those to whom they have been imparted. These elders harbour innumerable elements of tradition and heritage by which younger generations may be enlightened and enriched. Through them, we have the opportunity to delve deeper into discoveries of who we are and where we come from. They are our link to our origins; living, breathing vessels of knowledge. And they are celebrated within each of these trinket bowls. Store your most precious and treasured trinkets within them for safekeeping."

"The concept behind my larger piece of the same name was to celebrate the unique wisdom that is passed down between generations of black women. It sought to celebrate the millions of black women who have acted as vessels, including the elders in my life.Within them, they carry some phenomenal anecdotes, knowledge and histories. Man of these are of their own discovery and creation, but several have been passed down through generations – often verbally – and live on through those to whom they have been imparted. These elders harbour innumerable elements of tradition and heritage by which younger generations may be enlightened and enriched. Through them, we have the opportunity to delve deeper into discoveries of who we are and where we come from. They are our link to our origins; living, breathing vessels of knowledge. And they are celebrated within each of these trinket bowls. Store your most precious and treasured trinkets within them for safekeeping."

"More literal and explicit in meaning than my past work, the pieces I worked on in 2019 explored some incredibly dark themes; specifically, objectification and sexualisation. Further building on my concept of Confectionery Portraiture, I created a series of sculptures depicting black body parts as food. Though the pieces themselves were actually created from inedible materials (clay, ceramic, and resin), I was very proud to have created mouth-wateringly realistic sculptures that proved to be so enticing, many viewers were compelled to take a bite - an act that is incredibly cannibalistic in nature.”