Waterlines Series:

Waterlines is my debut series. I chose the name because I saw waterlines and stains on every house in New Orleans after the storm. To me it symbolized all we endured and experienced as a city. What propelled me to create this body of work was the simple fact that this was my city, my people, and everything that I knew and loved existed therein. An artistic expression was the one way I knew I could contribute and acknowledge what happened. This series will continue to grow as I sort out the answers that I am looking for. It will also be reflective of the inevitable process of change happening in the city’s demographic.

There were certain snippets that stood out in my mind, people who spoke their truth, what happened before, and what happened after. The big questions that I ask myself constantly are ‘why was the response so slow?’ and ‘why weren’t we prepared in the first place?’ The answers and excuses that we were given so far just don’t make sense to me.

Before the storm, the direction of my work was fragmented. I had no idea what direction my art was heading or purpose that I wanted my work to convey. The storm really opened the floodgates of emotions for me. As an artist, emotions are usually the fuel that we use to create, yet just like any person who goes through some type of life-changing event, I needed a way to process it all. I used painting as a form of therapy. I knew this was the best way for me to act. Some of the pieces inspired me to write poems. Others just inspired.