Portfolio Viewing Gallery
Reborn c. 2021 30W 48H 2D “ ➕Acrylic, spray paint, oil pigment paint stick, soft pastel, charcoal // canvas
✖️Title: Reborn 🌱
“In order to rise From its own ashes A phoenix First Must Burn” Octavia E. Butler
➕Details: 30W 48H 2D “
➕Acrylic, spray paint, oil pigment paint stick, soft pastel, charcoal // canvas
c. 2021
re·birth
/rēˈbərTH/
noun
1. the process of being reincarnated or born again."the endless cycle of birth, death, and rebirth
➕➕
Rebirth is a fascinating idea that is found in many beliefs and religions. Being born again or a rebirth of yourself in a figurative sense can be through a major life change, a commitment to a different life, and could even go as far to be considered in the form of afterlife.
The one thing, no matter your belief or views, in order to be born again or have a rebirth, you must die.
For me, I died many times in a figurative sense, but my most recent death occurred in 2019 after a hospital visit from alcohol and drugs. I walked out of that hospital dead, but I knew I didn’t want to be the same. I had to let that old life, lifestyle; the old version of me die. The old me had to die in order for the new me to be born
d. MMXIX b. MMXX
We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. Romans 6:6
c. 2021
Private Collection (U.S.)
“In order to rise From its own ashes A phoenix First Must Burn” Octavia E. Butler
➕Details: 30W 48H 2D “
➕Acrylic, spray paint, oil pigment paint stick, soft pastel, charcoal // canvas
c. 2021
re·birth
/rēˈbərTH/
noun
1. the process of being reincarnated or born again."the endless cycle of birth, death, and rebirth
➕➕
Rebirth is a fascinating idea that is found in many beliefs and religions. Being born again or a rebirth of yourself in a figurative sense can be through a major life change, a commitment to a different life, and could even go as far to be considered in the form of afterlife.
The one thing, no matter your belief or views, in order to be born again or have a rebirth, you must die.
For me, I died many times in a figurative sense, but my most recent death occurred in 2019 after a hospital visit from alcohol and drugs. I walked out of that hospital dead, but I knew I didn’t want to be the same. I had to let that old life, lifestyle; the old version of me die. The old me had to die in order for the new me to be born
d. MMXIX b. MMXX
We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. Romans 6:6
c. 2021
Private Collection (U.S.)
We Rise
36w 49h 2d
➕upcycled burlap Ethiopian coffee bean bag
➕sawdust & coffee grind concrete sculptural mixed media // Acrylic // charcoal // canvas
➕For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. 1 Corinthians 15:21 🌹
➕Never saw many roses where I grew up, but saw dandelions. I think at times we overlook the most beautiful things as regular or normal. We pass them by without understanding the value or beauty they possess, their power or magic. Some call dandelions weeds but growing up, they were flowers.
➕Don’t overlook the beauty of a danellion when dandelions can grow anywhere, are tougher than any flower and spread like fire. You try to cut them down snd they come back 2x stronger. Just like us, we are black, strong, resilient and powerful in unity while many of us have some experiences in life that force us to find soil in the crack of concrete and sun through the crack of a building; and still, WE RISE.
✖️The Rose That Grew From Concrete - a poem written by Tupac Shakur (p. 1999)
🌹
Did you hear about the rose that grew
from a crack in the concrete?
Proving nature's law is wrong it
learned to walk with out having feet.
Funny it seems, but by keeping its dreams,
it learned to breathe fresh air.
Long live the rose that grew from concrete
when no one else ever cared.
➕➕Background on this commission:
This piece was a collaboration with a black-owned coffee company @blkandbold - they provided me with the burlap bags from Ethiopian coffee beans and coffee grinds from their products to incorporate in this mixed media work. These two kings and the queens on their team have built a growing brand and have done so through hard work, adversity and all the while integrity and purpose. To think about rising in the morning for your coffee, to rise through adversity, to rise to your calling or purpose. @Blkandbold is living proof.
If you know my work you know I don’t paint smiling faces but the joy I feel and pride for black excellence had to be present in this piece.
Sold - Commission - c. 2021
➕upcycled burlap Ethiopian coffee bean bag
➕sawdust & coffee grind concrete sculptural mixed media // Acrylic // charcoal // canvas
➕For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. 1 Corinthians 15:21 🌹
➕Never saw many roses where I grew up, but saw dandelions. I think at times we overlook the most beautiful things as regular or normal. We pass them by without understanding the value or beauty they possess, their power or magic. Some call dandelions weeds but growing up, they were flowers.
➕Don’t overlook the beauty of a danellion when dandelions can grow anywhere, are tougher than any flower and spread like fire. You try to cut them down snd they come back 2x stronger. Just like us, we are black, strong, resilient and powerful in unity while many of us have some experiences in life that force us to find soil in the crack of concrete and sun through the crack of a building; and still, WE RISE.
✖️The Rose That Grew From Concrete - a poem written by Tupac Shakur (p. 1999)
🌹
Did you hear about the rose that grew
from a crack in the concrete?
Proving nature's law is wrong it
learned to walk with out having feet.
Funny it seems, but by keeping its dreams,
it learned to breathe fresh air.
Long live the rose that grew from concrete
when no one else ever cared.
➕➕Background on this commission:
This piece was a collaboration with a black-owned coffee company @blkandbold - they provided me with the burlap bags from Ethiopian coffee beans and coffee grinds from their products to incorporate in this mixed media work. These two kings and the queens on their team have built a growing brand and have done so through hard work, adversity and all the while integrity and purpose. To think about rising in the morning for your coffee, to rise through adversity, to rise to your calling or purpose. @Blkandbold is living proof.
If you know my work you know I don’t paint smiling faces but the joy I feel and pride for black excellence had to be present in this piece.
Sold - Commission - c. 2021
I'm screaming but you can't hear me
‘I’m screaming but you can’t hear me” | Young Zulu girl with Bantu Knots. 16x20 acrylic and oil stick on canvas panel. c. 2020
private collection (U.S.)
private collection (U.S.)
American Boy
American Boy
// Rich Outside; Dying Inside
➕”don’t go broke trying to look rich”
48W x 48L inches (unstretched tapestry dimensions)
Acrlyic, spray paint, oil paint stick, soft pastel, charcoal
c. 2020 #bybmoore
(Original Artwork Sold - Private Collector)
➕➕Ever hear “I’d die to have that” or “I would kill for that”. Yeah, that’s actually a real mentality.
c. 2020
// Rich Outside; Dying Inside
➕”don’t go broke trying to look rich”
48W x 48L inches (unstretched tapestry dimensions)
Acrlyic, spray paint, oil paint stick, soft pastel, charcoal
c. 2020 #bybmoore
(Original Artwork Sold - Private Collector)
➕➕Ever hear “I’d die to have that” or “I would kill for that”. Yeah, that’s actually a real mentality.
c. 2020
lil Peanut
Series: Imagine a world; brown like me. I never thought I would paint brown/black reimagined characters from iconic cartoons. Started with this work for my daughters room in early summer of 2020. c. 2020
Patty cake break from school
Nostalgia work - circa 1996 with my sister. c. 2020
Fishing with a modern day hero
Without words a bond was formed and patience learned. 36x36x2 acrlyic, pencil, charcoal // canvas
c. 2020
Private Collection (U.S.)
c. 2020
Private Collection (U.S.)
Crucifixion of a Crack Baby | Crack Epidemic Viturian Baby MCMLXXXVI
My mama was a crack addict and the crack epidemic tore through black communities because of systemic oppression and deep rooted chemical depedencies introduced to slaves and passed onto future generations/communities. Crack messed up my family. If Jesus was a crack baby would they show mercy? Pilot and the Roman government still lives in many forms. Pray.
LOST: I
6x20 acrylic, charcoal canvas masonite (this piece is a reflection of how I’m feeling lately). Uncertain of the future but hopeful. I don’t find being lost troubling necessarily, I just don’t want to wonder in circles unsure of my destiny. Being lost isn’t a literal term; in a sense, I’m soul searching. I guess all of the experiences of being lost are part of the journey - carpe diem.
c. 2020
c. 2020
Karo Boy | Omo Valley
Early portrait work from reference of Mario Gerth. p. collection (U.K.) c. 2020
She Is Us | Zulu girl w/ fulani braids
She cannot separate her strength from her pain. She is a warrior. She is Zulu - She is Us.
➕
Title: She is Us.
(Zulu warrior girl with Fulani braids)
c. 2020
➕
Title: She is Us.
(Zulu warrior girl with Fulani braids)
c. 2020
80ft+ Public Art Mural (June 2020)
The reciprocal of humanity: Produced this public mural to uplift underrepresented narratives and images of black woman; specifically Sudanese and Ethiopian who have a strong presence in Iowa City, Iowa / University of Iowa.
Quartet
(4) set 12" x 12" x 2"
c. 2021
Private Collection (U.S.)
c. 2021
Private Collection (U.S.)
Can We Live/Can We Jog?
This was an emotional work I did as a reponse to witnessing the modern day lynching and murder in broad daylight of Ahmaud Arbery. I personally will never sell or profit from the images or works I create around murdered or slain black americans but this was a unique scenario where a collector wanted the work. I agreed only if I was able to donate the money to Ahmaud's mother, Wanda Cooper Jones. It was the greatest accomplishment of 2020 to write her a check for $2,500
A Modern American Family | Black to the Future
➕As a kid, the barbershop my dad went to had a barber side and a salon side. The salon side had a nice couch and I enjoyed admiring the women talking, getting their hair done; anything to have a moment to admire a woman (a motherly figure). On the waiting table, I would try to flip through as many pages of JET magazines. They always had smiling and happy black family images. I wanted to reference that here; a black family on the cover of JET magazine (the Jetsons), it just made sense.
Ubuntu - Gang Related
Title: Ubuntu - Gang Related
✖️Series: if we feed each other, we can live forever c. 2020 #bybmoore 🌹
➕➕The word ‘Ubuntu‘ originates from one of the Bantu dialects of Africa, and is pronounced as uu-Boon-too. It is a traditional African philosophy that offers us an understanding of ourselves in relation with the world. According to Ubuntu, there exists a common bond between us all and it is through this bond, through our interaction with our fellow human beings, that we discover our own human qualities. Or as the Zulus would say, “Umuntu Ngumuntu Ngabantu”, which means that a person is a person through other persons. We affirm our humanity when we acknowledge that of others. The South African Nobel Laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu describes Ubuntu as:
‘It is the essence of being human. It speaks of the fact that my humanity is caught up and is inextricably bound up in yours. I am human because I belong. It speaks about wholeness, it speaks about compassion. A person with Ubuntu is welcoming, hospitable, warm and generous, willing to share. Such people are open and available to others, willing to be vulnerable, affirming of others, do not feel threatened that others are able and good, for they have a proper self-assurance that comes from knowing that they belong in a greater whole.
c. 2020
Private Collection (U.S.)
✖️Series: if we feed each other, we can live forever c. 2020 #bybmoore 🌹
➕➕The word ‘Ubuntu‘ originates from one of the Bantu dialects of Africa, and is pronounced as uu-Boon-too. It is a traditional African philosophy that offers us an understanding of ourselves in relation with the world. According to Ubuntu, there exists a common bond between us all and it is through this bond, through our interaction with our fellow human beings, that we discover our own human qualities. Or as the Zulus would say, “Umuntu Ngumuntu Ngabantu”, which means that a person is a person through other persons. We affirm our humanity when we acknowledge that of others. The South African Nobel Laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu describes Ubuntu as:
‘It is the essence of being human. It speaks of the fact that my humanity is caught up and is inextricably bound up in yours. I am human because I belong. It speaks about wholeness, it speaks about compassion. A person with Ubuntu is welcoming, hospitable, warm and generous, willing to share. Such people are open and available to others, willing to be vulnerable, affirming of others, do not feel threatened that others are able and good, for they have a proper self-assurance that comes from knowing that they belong in a greater whole.
c. 2020
Private Collection (U.S.)
Muse of Mule
Title: Muse of Mule - Study (Mulatto/Mulatta - Latin origin mulus, meaning mule). The series will symbolize experiences as a mixed (black/white) race (biracial) and also how race classifications contrast from country/ethnicity to color descriptions. (I.e. black, white, Asian, Latino, etc.).