This group of figurative forms is in response to my thoughts about the continued violence committed by police against Black Americans, especially men and boys. As a mother of two boys myself, I often think of how different my experience as a white mother raising boys is different from Black mothers. This work is in homage to them.

The figurative forms were influenced by an exhibition; Sahel: Art and Empires on the Shores of the Sahara shown at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 2021. The African sculptures in carved wood and clay informed both the formal and narrative aspects of this group. I was thinking about women as vessels, containers of life, family, and community. I am interested in the interconnectedness of humanity and the complicated intersection of race and colorism in America. I revere the dignity, strength, power, and purpose that Black women possess in the face of life’s challenges and systemic racism.  Viewing ourselves through this cross-cultural lens encourages understanding and emphasizes our commonalities.