art + work
because artists need to eat
About Me
Bio
Artist Statement
 01 all in my head- fabric and acrylic_edited | 01 all in my head- fabric and acrylic_edited |
|---|---|
01 all in my head- fabric and acrylic_edited | 01 all in my head- fabric and acrylic_edited |
01 all in my head- fabric and acrylic_edited | 01 all in my head- fabric and acrylic_edited |
01 all in my head- fabric and acrylic_edited | 01 all in my head- fabric and acrylic_edited |
01 all in my head- fabric and acrylic_edited | 01 all in my head- fabric and acrylic_edited |
Expressions
Jewelry
Metals
Paintings
Prints
3D Designs
Bio
I am the owner and metal-smith designer for Hot Culture, which I started in 2012 as a part-time, direct sales earrings company. Within my design work, I found my creative niche and an outlet for expressing my view of life. A year later, I switched my education track to Studio Arts and made Hot Culture my full-time pursuit. The company has since grown to include various types of jewelry and accessories, sculptural metal art, fine art paintings, and monotypes. To support my vision of making art accessible to everyone, I also teach free introductory metals workshops and the principles and elements of design in local communities.
Using both art and activism, I work for racial inclusion and gender equality. Throughout the years, I have continued to address disparities by working or volunteering in criminal justice reform, children’s healthcare access, arts administration, education, mental wellness, and more. My activism and love for the community led me to a role as the Deputy Executive Director of SHAPE Community Center, where I served for 9 years, helping to build a thriving cultural arts ecosystem in Houston. I deepened my commitment to supporting community enrichment and cultural expression as a steering committee member of the BIPOC Arts Network and Fund (BANF).
My sculptural designs have been awarded in juried exhibitions, and I was recognized as one of The Young Houston Magazine’s Top 100 Young Professionals. I also exhibited in the Citywide African American Artist exhibition, sponsored by the Museum of Fine Arts Houston. My work was also displayed in the Glassell School of Art, “What I Know and When I Knew It” exhibition, drawing on the power of visual art in storytelling.
Hot Culture art is primarily dedicated to a “Celebration of Femininity”, which is evidenced by the organic curves and yonic forms used in many of my 2D and 3D designs. I plan to continue exploring this theme in metal arts, painting, and printmaking.
I am a native of Houston, Texas, and reside here with my greatest inspirations, daughter, Tahirah, and son, Gabriel.
Artist Statement
The most gratifying response I ever feel is when someone tells me that they connect to the work. Whether it is a wearable piece, sculptural, a painting or print, I hope there is something about the composition that makes people feel like I touched something deep within them. When I start, I hardly ever know what the piece will become. I usually have some general idea, but I try to take cues from my materials and let them guide me to what it is meant to be.
The creative process is spiritual to me. Taking a sheet of copper, a blank sheet of paper or canvas and bringing out of it something that makes another person feel empowered, empathetic, or just beautiful, makes me feel like I’m fulfilling my purpose. I think artists have a unique way of engaging the world around us, and we have a responsibility to dissect it, rewrap it, and represent its universal truths.
Art can be intimidating and filled with pretension, but I think the best way to approach art is to find what makes you feel connected.