THE OASIS
ILLUSTRATION + PAINTING
The Oasis is not a distant dream or an unattainable escape—it's my home. A sacred creative space where I return to my first love: drawing, illustration, and painting. This series is a deeply personal offering, capturing places, moments, and relationships that have shaped me. As the lead visual storyteller, I blend Afrofuturist vision with indigenous traditions, honoring the innovation, beauty, and resilience within Black and native cultures. Through vibrant color, layered symbolism, and intuitive composition, The Oasis becomes a reflection of identity, memory, and imagination—a space where past and future meet, and creativity becomes a form of remembrance and healing.
The "Oasis" series is a reflection of my own personal journey, drawing on the influences of my multicultural background and experiences growing up as a military brat in Germany with parents from New York City natives of Turtle Island, of Geechie-Gullah descent. As an artist currently residing in Washington, DC, I have been particularly inspired by the impact of media on indigenous cultures and the need to reimagine “afrofuturism” in a way that celebrates the innovations of the indigenous way of life, arts and culture.
My work is characterized by its use of vibrant, bright colors and the CMYK color model, which allows me to explore the interplay of different hues and create dynamic, visually striking compositions. I draw heavily on my experiences of visiting my family in the deep of South Carolina, and currently living in DC, using swamp scenes and other natural elements to create a sense of immersion and connection to the natural world.
At the same time, I am deeply interested in the cultural impact of music, dance, and other forms of live entertainment. My work often incorporates depictions of club scenes and other lively social gatherings, capturing the energy and vibrancy of indigenous culture and celebrating the joy and freedom that comes with self-expression.
Ultimately, my goal with “the Oasis" series is to create a space for reimagining afrofuturism and exploring the possibilities of what it means to be indigenous and creative in the 21st century. Through my use of bright colors, dynamic compositions, and powerful imagery, I hope to inspire viewers to embrace their own cultural heritage and to celebrate the rich diversity of black culture in all its forms.