I describe my work as Urban Folklore. The images depicted meld contemporary Black urban culture/history, with traditional African culture.
All of these creations are centred around an individuals journey to Sivad. In my work, Sivad represents not only a fictitious urban village where all the people portrayed are travelling to physically, but an internal, spiritual journey to reach a higher consciousness.

Each painting reflects an essential moment in an actual individuals journey. Ancestor Spirits, represented by blue figures, or blue light, help guide these people as they travel day to day in search of Sivad.

Whether it is the story I saw when my eyes briefly connected with an old womans eyes while walking down Mission street, or the feeling I got when I talked to a single mother struggling to raise three children, they all inspire my work. I feel that a story should never be owned by just one person…but rather experienced by many.

Storytelling has been defined as an oral tradition, folklore passed on to generations of people through speech, or the ‘tellers’. In the tradition of an African Griot, I pass on the stories of everyday people. Rather than telling the stories verbally, I am sharing them visually…on canvas. I want these stories to be available to my generation as well as generations to come. These stories deserve a place in history too.