Part sculpture, part painting, these wall hangings are made from pieces of a heritage Valley Oak tree from the border of Walnut Creek, CA and Contra Costa County – also known as the Boundary Oak.
I had extra “found” landscapes on hand, and continuing that theme was partly out of necessity as my art sources and studio access got disrupted to varying degrees during the COVID-19 pandemic.
These portraits are more accurately “animal friends” rather than pets – this time, horses! The first portrait in the middle was a commission, and the two on the sides are horses at The Right Step, Inc.
This is for being Black, and simply asking to live.
This is for Black women, silenced, “too loud” to laugh.
This is for Black trans women, who risk so much to love.
This mural is part of the early response, organized by Local Color, to support local businesses with art of hope & solidarity after the first weekend of protests following the murder of George Floyd.
This is the most ambitious pet portrait I’ve done to date: five distinct cats, from completely separate reference photos, combined to appear to be sitting together.