Photo Credit: Jeff Quarterman
Growing up in a small town like Flint, people would ask what I wanted to be when I grew up. At 8 years old I'd reply, "I want to be an eye doctor," because I thought eyes were beautiful, yet delicate, giving us windows into the soul (& people loved to hear that, it was unheard of!) Didn't quite make it to medical school, but I found that I could use the eye to create art and manifest the beauty being perceived. As I got older, I found many facets to visual arts and self expression, experimenting along the way. At Spelman, I found myself creating art through film, photography, and graphic design. My love for storytelling snowballed into producing my first full-length documentary "Noir," where I explored the lives of young, black intellectuals in the Atlanta University Center.
It wasn't until I lived abroad in Belgium where my love for art grew. I was inspired by so many classical pieces and modes of art, be it fashion, photography, food and music, and I realized there wasn't much of a representation of the African American experience. So, I began documenting more of our stories while interning with Food Network in NYC. Today, I'm hanging up my 9-5, corporate hat to dedicate my life to art. We all have a story to tell, our ancestors being the griots of culture. I fully believe that it is because of them that I am able to carry forward the work I do.
Storytelling and listening to stories give us a portal into time; the past, present or future. I time travel often and this is how...
(Currently packing my Pentax 645 & Canon Rebel 2000 as my weapon of choice :)