THE STORY
Early on in life my mother encouraged the development of my talent by enrolling me into summer art classes at the local university Memphis State, now University of Memphis. Ms Boo Ruch, my 8th grade art teacher at Melrose Jr. High School, entered me into my first competition where I won my very first Merit Award. After high school I earned a B.F.A. in Graphic Design and a MS of Curriculum of Instruction and Educational Leadership, from the University of Memphis. As an instructor I believe the natural progression of the individual soul is to create, and as I create, my soul learns as well as teaches.
I don't set out to produce art about one subject or another. I'm never without a sketchbook on hand so I am constantly drawing and sometimes, the drawings are left in the sketchbook and other times they develop into more in-depth ideas and detailed images. As an Illustrator, I primarily seek to produce and create images that my clients find awe-inspiring and successful. While I use a variety of materials and processes, I am more comfortable using graphite or acrylic paints.
At times my subject matter deals with man's daily routines and is void of comment on human nature. I enjoy developing images of sword and sorcery fantasy and science fiction harkening back to my early years as a comic book enthusiast.
As my portfolio continues to develop and people review my work, the commentary emerges and patterns intentional as well as unintentional begin to emerge. My work has had the tendency to focus on the spirituality of man and his struggle with self-discipline as he strives to conquer his desires of excess, diverse passions, and the pride of life and the consequences related. A separate strand of work emerged a few years ago focused on the personal reaction to music, Jazz and Blues in particular. My work has developed and evolved over time and hopefully it will speak for itself. I’m always excited to hear what each person takes away from my work as it is always something a little different from each person about the same creation.
When my artwork, however, does in fact take a critical view of social, political and cultural issues, it is most often from the "Black Experience" in America...I find myself deconstructing/destroying traditional images and replacing them with either more honest treatments or at the very least more comfortable images that should not give rise to negative reactions but often do. Although I find the standard southern field hand picking cotton distasteful, I will engage in subjects as diverse as the civil rights movement, Delta Blues and Jazz music, and the African-centered imagery of the Holy Bible.
My influences are first and foremost, Richard Wyatt, Jr., Charles Wright, Ernie Barnes, Dan Adkins, Frank Frazetta, and Norman Rockwell. I have also explored artists ranging from Jean-Michel Basquiat to Julian Schnabel.
