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Artist Statement

I'm a self-taught visual artist from Detroit, Michigan. In elementary school, I discovered my artistic talent when I began drawing comic book characters with pencils. In my early twenties, I began to experiment with colored pencils, charcoal, pastels, and acrylic paint. The majority of my early creations were commissioned works. However, I never thought of being a professional artist. After taking an early retirement option, I started spending more time creating art. In 2014, I created a new innovative art technique, which I trademarked Laypuzzim® (layered puzzled image). Laypuzzim® art is created by cutting textured card stock paper, mat board, leather, or wood. Each individual color of the artwork is cut out by hand, layered, and puzzled together to create an image using negative space. Most of my current artwork is inspired by my childhood memories, biblical themes, thought-provoking messages, and uncredited historical African American figures. My work has been shown in a number of galleries throughout Metro Detroit, Ohio, Chicago, and Kentucky. I am deeply committed to creating artwork that conveys a message and sparks meaningful conversations. I'm constantly reinventing myself by experimenting with new materials and textiles. As I continue to develop my Laypuzzim® artwork technique, I am excited about my future as an artist.