Artists Statement: The work in my portfolio allows me to understand the complexities of my relationships to the places I inhabit. I used this art to cope with and understand my experience as a black woman in a predominantly white environment. My paintings, ceramics, and drawings reflect how certain environments can cause dissociation of self and the journey of understanding your relationship to individuality. Through motifs of teeth and peaches, I can relate to broad topics and my experience reflecting on self-perception to the viewer. To have these symbols represent me provides me comfort and takes me on thought-provoking journeys to help me talk about my experiences in a way that accurately conveys and processes how I feel. All of my pieces work as a series, relaying my journey with self-expression, growth, and acceptance. They all work off of one another and serve to inform the next addition to my body of work. Growing up in Atlanta has shaped me into the person and the artist I am today. Before coming to Interlochen, I was surrounded by a diverse community, customs, and art throughout my adolescence. Having access to a network of creatives in a city that is buzzing with culture influenced me to learn to create and make art that also reflects my culture. The context for my art was born through the values and communal environment that shaped how I see my identity and place in the world. How I move throughout the world today is undoubtedly informed by the people and traditions surrounding me. I draw from my family and their relationships with one another, the kids I grew up with and how they interact with our growing world, and the neighbors that represent many different backgrounds but still care for me like family. Specifically, referencing my series titled “Georgia Peach,” I used this motif to represent my relationship with home and my appreciation for my community. Much of my work also references my younger siblings and their importance in making me who I am. The materials I use reflect what I use as the basis of my identity. I tend to avoid straight and white materials, instead utilizing wood and ceramics in my paintings and sculptures. Using more freeform materials allows me to explore how form and identifiers can be fluid and open up thoughts about the relationship between fluidity and personal identity. Drawing from my lived experiences has set my intention to create a space and a body of work that shines a light on the human experience, both collectively and individually, and to share my story's complexities, textures, and vulnerabilities with my audience.