As an artist I pride myself on the positive depiction of African American women, who are one of the most oppressed peoples in America. I am influenced by African culture, using pattern to create texture and color for boldness. I enjoy depicting women’s natural beauty. Over time the types of women I drew started to vary. I began doing this to illustrate conflict in the societal definition of beauty; humble and natural versus bold and playful. My goal is to evoke emotions of pride in the natural beauty of the African American woman. I never stop learning and that is what I enjoy most about this creative field.