Black Crown is a series that I had a visceral urge to make. So often as an illustrator and painter, I see works that lack lived experience. Too often these works do not understand Black features, Black skin, or something as simple as the way our hair naturally grows from our head. With that continuous observation, I wanted to challenge myself by engaging and meditating on the aesthetics and formal qualities of Black hair.

Hair journeys for Black people are often complex and nuanced. Something that should be so simple, functional, and expressive, can require resilience, healing, and an understanding of systems of power that continue to marginalize.

In creating the Black Crown collection, I hope to create an access point to healing and celebration. Crowns can be seen as a symbol of authority, but I encourage us to push past the obvious symbol of monarchy. Instead I want us explore the spiritual and metaphorical aspects of crowns—especially in the context of our rich and resilient hair histories.