As a painter, my artistic practice examines identity in context and the way that history informs the present. My works aim to interpret identity through an exploration of black femininity in the context of societal perception. I look at the treatment of the black body throughout the history of the United States and examine the influence and weight of that history on modern day perception and black lived experience. I investigate the pain and struggle that emerges from that history. Context and perception change lives, influence history, create systems of privilege and oppression, and deeply inform the way society is structured.