Collection: The People In My Neighborhood

A. Thinking of a Masterplan
9” × 12” × 0.5” Acrylic on gallery wrapped canvas.

Thinking Of A Master Plan exposes the heart behind the eyes that dream. Each sparkle and every shimmer represent an aspiration, goal or a promise.

Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one and calls forth each of them by name. Because of His great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing.
Isaiah 40:26 NIV

Believing is the first step towards becoming. Seeing is believing.

B. The MarDonna and Child
12" × 24" × 0.5" Acrylic on gallery wrapped canvas.

The MarDonna and Child is dear to my heart because when I look at it, I see the deep connection between a mother and child interpreted many ways. It exudes the pure emotions that are often shared between a mother and child, with great simplistic expression through the eyes.

I see a mother lovingly proud of her child or is she listening carefully as the child apologizes for a wrong doing? I see a child who sees nothing but love when viewing it's mother, or is the child thinking of growing up on a righteous path to make mother proud. I see a mother and child baring through difficult times, knowing that better is inevitable. Love. Approval. Joy. Disappointment. Trust. Protection . Encouragement. Strength. Care. Understanding. Wisdom. Forgiveness.

So much of a parenting happens through unspoken actions, and here it's as if we are getting a peek into a private moment that will help us to better understand both the mother and the child as individuals and as a unit. Each time I look I see more.

C. Ode To Joi

12" × 24" × 0.5" Acrylic with both bone and wood beads on gallery wrapped canvas.

Ode To Joi, was created in honor of my sister, Joi, who passed away in March 2018 due to complications from cancer.

Throughout life, my sister carried what registered to me as a childlike innocence or naivety. She carried an effort to be kind, in an unkind world, that I believe often disappointed her.

By walking with my sister through her journey as her caretaker, God presented us with opportunities to heal places in our relationship that had suffered damage over the years. The last 6 months of my sister's life, she was bedridden, battling memory loss and was at most times almost completely unaware of reality. During those months, there would be moments where she was somewhat herself and almost fully aware. She would use those moments to thank me for caring for her, and as she did, I could see the love in my big sister's eyes that I had always treasured as a child.

D. King Poppie

24" × 36" × 0.5" Acrylic with wood beads and leather on gallery wrapped canvas.

King Poppie was created in honor of my father, whom we endearing called Poppie. I learned so much more about the man my father was after he passed away in May 2021.

He had always been present in my life as my parents were married for 62 years prior to my mother proceeding him in death in June 2020, but sorting through the house all by myself after both parents had passed, I came across various documents and items that were like snapshots of the unspoken parts of my father's life and love for his family. I saw the unsung victories he'd achieved, stowed away in boxes on shelves, and I wished I'd known how to interpret the significance of his keepsakes sooner.

The piece is grand to honor him, and I included one specific color of leather at the top center to represent my mother's place in his life.