“I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character“. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Inspired by MLK, Jr.’s quote, I decided to used my skills as a painter to make portraits of overlooked Black women to bring attention to their accomplishments. It is inspiring to learn how these women overcome obstacles of race and gender to achieve their dreams and give back to others.
My current series, Women of Color and Accomplishment, was started as my response to the murder of George Floyd in 2020. In addition to over 100 portraits painted, I have published five books about these inspiring women. Most recently I have published a Coloring Book. Read more about it here.
Here are some of my most recent works.
I have published three books using the 91 portraits I had painted through January of 2024. In March I created a summary book, 91 Women that contains all the portraits plus a link to read the bios online.
The series can be order from Amazon online or purchased at my studio. They each contain 31 portraits and brief bios.
In March, 2024 I published a summary book, 91 Women that contains all the portraits plus a link to read the bios online.
I also have had four solo shows featuring these women. My fifth show will be this September through December. Check back for show opening and closing dates.
At the last show (photos below) I gave a talk about the portraits I’ve painted. Here is the link to the closing talk which explains why I am motivated to paint these women (91+ portraits).
Another talk I gave told the story of the progression of using my ar for Art Therapy and finishing with Social Justice art. Check out the talk
The paintings below are from my third book in the series: Women of Color and Accomplishment: Doing the Right Thing. published March, 2024.
Women of Color and Accomplishment: Fighting for Equality was published in October, 2022 with 31 additional portraits and bios of historical Black women of achievement. This book is available online or at my studio. Here are a few of the women who are in this book.
Alice Ball
Juliette Derricott
bell hooks
Constance Baker Motley
Ida B. Wells
Phillis Wheatly
Coretta King
Nina Simone
Lydia Flood Jackson
click on link above to go to the post about each woman