Omi
2026
Oil paint and pastel on wood
She came to the water with something heavy.
She leaves without it.
The river holds what she could not carry anymore.
A baptism, a release, a sanctification in gold.
The water did not receive her.
It remembered her.
Lifting The Veil
2026
Oil Paint and pastel on 24 x 30 inch canvas
Inspired by Yoruba crowns I used the birds attached to the crown as vehicles to lift the beaded veil from the subjects eyes, the veil acts as a shield that keeps the royalty’s human identity separate from their divine role- in lifting it, there is a vulnerability that arises as the divide between divinity, royalty and mortality begin to blur.
The birds represent a form of freedom, lifting the veil to free the subject and flying towards the light.
Thus, this painting is an exploration of the relationship between freedom through removal of the physical and the subsequent revealing of the spirit.
She Who Endures
2025
Oil paint and pastel on wood
She is the earth, vast and radiant, adorned in the gold of her own abundance.
Across her body humanity walks, pilgrims, seekers, conquerors, drawn toward her light.
She awaits her fate, knowing what history will demand, yet holding fast to hope.
Even in conquest, she will endure, strong, eternal.
She is Africa,
She is She Who Endures.
Gambit
2025
Oil paint and pastel on 40×32 inch canvas
With this painting, I wanted to explore the fragile, sacred bond between Black mothers and their children, and the relationship between our culture and the assimilated ways of living we are often forced to adopt. Using Yoruba symbolism and the structure of chess, the work reflects how cultural identity is shaped by strategy, sacrifice, and survival.
The crown on the mother, shaped like a chess king, embodies ancestral wisdom, dignity, and heritage. She is central to the game, yet unprotected by the system around her.
The child, with a queen comb embedded with a pawn in their Afro, represents the journey from pawn-hood (where Black children are seen as expendable) to the potential for cultural power, self-realisation, and the protection of sacred ancestral ties.
This work reflects on the diaspora’s ongoing tensions between survival and tradition, cultural inheritance and forced assimilation. It asks what is lost, what is protected, and what endures when identity becomes a gambit in someone else’s game.
We Return
2025
Oil paint and pastel on 30×24 inch canvas
This work is a meditation on the power of remembering who we are and reclaiming our stories with dignity and pride. It invites viewers to see themselves as vessels of memory and as part of an unbroken spiritual lineage, crowned in silence, strength, and colour.
The twin profiles are inspired by the Benin bronzes, symbols of royal and ancestral presence, serving as witnesses to our past and guardians of our future. They remind us that we are never alone, that the wisdom and resilience of those who came before us remain with us, alive in our breath and our becoming.
Ọmọ Adire
2025
Oil paint and pastel on 24×30 inch canvas
A tribute to beauty, identity, and the fabric of heritage.
She Was A Lotus
2025
Oil paint and pastel on 30×24 inch canvas
The awakening and grounding of one’s spirit.
–
Wisdom blooms
In the depth of her silence,
roots reaching through ancestral soil
while her spirit unfolds
like morning light on water.
Martyrdom of Innocence
2025
Oil, acrylic, newsprint and chalk on 30x24inch canvas
This work explores the vulnerability and purity of childhood in a fractured world.
The young girl cradling a wounded lamb draws a parallel between divine sacrifice and the blood shed of the innocent.
Echoes of A Silent Mind
2024
Oil on 30×24 inch canvas
An exploration of the “quiet” landscape where consciousness meets memory- a liminal realm between presence and absence.
This piece embodies the tension between rootedness and dissociation, reflecting the fragile balance of grounding oneself and remembering those who led the way before us in an overbearing world.
Ignis
2024
Oil and acrylic on 30x24inch canvas
With Ignis, I wanted to convey a moment of raw transformation and defiance. The figure, her wings engulfed in flames, meets the viewer’s gaze with an unflinching intensity asking, “Why do you watch as I burn?”
For me, the burning wings represent sacrifice and the loss of what once defined us, whether that’s freedom, divinity, or innocence. Yet, this is not a scene of helplessness. Her direct gaze challenges the audience to reflect on their role in her burning. Are you a passive observer, complicit in her pain? Or are you captivated by the beauty of her destruction, unable to look away?
I wanted this piece to explore the tension between destruction and transformation, fragility and strength. The flames are not just symbols of pain, they are also purifying, marking a moment of profound self-reinvention. By burning away her wings, she destroys what no longer serves her, but the act is costly.
In creating Ignis, I sought to reflect on our collective fascination with tragedy and resilience. I wanted this painting to act as a mirror, forcing us to confront the fires we’ve endured and the meaning we find in the suffering of others. Ultimately, Ignis asks; Why are you drawn to the “fire”? And what do you see in me that speaks to your own humanity?
Ringmaster
2024
Acrylic on 40×32 inch canvas
Through circus imagery and a commanding central figure, I sought to explore the complex bargain some make on their path to success – trading dignity for access and temporary power. The figure’s hair forms performative rings while her knowing expression hints at the calculated nature of her display. The cracking makeup reveals the toll of such choices.
I ask what we sacrifice when we allow ourselves to become clowns as entertainment for others’ consumption, and how these individual choices ripple through our broader community. At what cost do we claim our seat at the table? At what point does adaptation become abdication?
Temptress
2024
Acrylic on 32×40 inch canvas
I wanted to explore the complex interplay between temptation, fall from grace, and the burden of consequence. This work draws parallels between narratives of humanity’s fall and the fallen angel, while centering on Eve’s pivotal role and the weight she bore.
The painting juxtaposes symbols of temptation with imagery evoking both celestial and earthly realms. By interweaving these elements, I aim to provoke reflection on the nature of choice, desire, and accountability.
Eve is portrayed not simply as a temptress, but as a multifaceted being grappling with knowledge, power, and the far-reaching implications of her actions.
A Homage to the Inner Child
2024
Acrylic on canvas
I sought to explore the intersection of childhood wonder and artistic expression. The central figure, a young me with an earnest gaze, serves as a conduit for the universal innocence and unbridled creativity that resides within us all.
The piece juxtaposes portraiture against childlike abstraction. This deliberate contrast embodies the tension between our structured adult perceptions and the free-flowing imagination of our younger selves. The sun, in spiraling yellow, radiates an energy that suffuses the entire composition, symbolising the warmth and vitality of unfettered thought.
My choice of saturated hues evokes the emotional intensity of childhood experiences. The deliberately freely drawn background elements mirror the raw, unfiltered nature of a child’s artistic expression, serving as a poignant reminder of the authenticity we often sacrifice as we age.
This work invites viewers to reconnect with their own inner child, challenging them to see the world anew through eyes unclouded by cynicism or restraint. It is both a celebration of youthful spirit and a gentle admonition to nurture the wellspring of creativity that lies dormant within us all.
I aim to bridge the gap between childlike wonder and adult introspection, encouraging a harmonious dialogue between these often disparate aspects of our psyche.
Inner Bloom
2023
Acrylic on 32×40 inch canvas
With ‘Inner Bloom’, I invite viewers into my personal journey of self-actualisation as a young black woman. This introspective piece emerged during a time of shedding externally-imposed illusions and embracing the authentic beauty within.
The sunflower has long symbolised truth and light for me. In this piece, it represents the radiance that unfolds when we wholly accept ourselves. The dying flowers surrounding the central figure reflect the process of releasing old misperceptions on the path to self-knowledge.
I include handwritten affirmations, to encourage viewers in their own authentic blossoming. My aim is to open a dialogue about the inner work required as we dismantle external pursuits and unfold into who we genuinely are.
Ultimately, Inner Bloom is a meditation on cultivating the courage to see ourselves clearly and walk boldly as our truest selves. My hope is that it resonates with anyone searching for the freedom that comes through authenticity. This work emerged from my personal journey as a black woman, but speaks to a universal human experience. When we nurture our inner light, we can bloom fully as we are.