I am a visual communicator who believes art is a language capable of reaching people on many levels. Since my childhood in Xenia, Ohio, I have had a strong interest in art and an instinct for visual storytelling.
 

Two formative influences shaped my outlook as an artist: my apprenticeship with renowned muralist Jon Onye Lockard and my studies at the Rhode Island School of Design. Lockard was a leading figure in the Black Arts Movement, whose guiding principle was to create “art for people’s sake.” Working alongside him on public murals, we discussed how imagery, color, composition, and emphasis could communicate meaning to the viewing public. Under his direction, we produced murals now installed at Wayne State University, Central State University in Wilberforce, Ohio, and the Center for Afroamerican and African Studies at the University of Michigan.

After this apprenticeship, I earned a BFA in Illustration from the Rhode Island School of Design. Illustration relies on art’s power to communicate narrative, enriching the viewer’s understanding of a story through visual interpretation. These disciplines—public art and illustration—continue to inform my fine art practice.

For more than forty years, I have exhibited widely in solo and group exhibitions while also working as a commercial artist creating theater posters, CD covers, and illustrations for magazines and books. Much of my work addresses African American history, culture, and identity, drawing inspiration from traditions ranging from African aesthetics to Afrofuturism. Through my work, I continue to explore enduring questions about heritage, history, and the images that shape our collective identity.