Who I am

I want to create permanent and personalized spaces. As an interior designer, installation artist, and social practice artist, I want to design spaces that foster a sense of belonging for Black people and their supporting communities.  

Installation art is art without bounds. In conversation with the tradition of furniture design, I create large-scale, mixed-media pieces, arranged in unique environments that revitalize tradition. I aim to design furniture and related objects that are both functional and unconventional. When referencing traditional elements, I transform them into textured, bold, yet clean designs, providing the perfect balance. 

My earliest visions of a creative project are grounded in texture, and color is always embedded in that texture. Through both my interior design and social practice art, I want to embody the warmth and closeness of family gatherings and community interactions, evoking care, comfort, and distinctiveness. Choosing soft plush textiles and intentional tones flawlessly captures and communicates these essential qualities. I avoid hard edges in my design work. I’m drawn to round shapes that cushion the body and provide physical comfort. I often incorporate ways to engage with interior design in a sensory way, and think about the tactile experience of textures and finishes. 

In my practice, I explore furniture as functional art, developing environments that foster innovation, growth, and collaboration, grounded in cultural experiences. I find it important to explore the legacy of Black furniture and interior designs, and how they represent Black experiences, environments, and culture, referencing these elements throughout my body of work. In doing so, I ensure spaces reflect my community by providing safety, reassurance, and a sense of belonging. 

In contemplating the interior design of public spaces, I think extensively about mission-based “anchor institutions” such as museums, hospitals, and universities. Anchor institutions “leverage their economic power alongside their human and intellectual resources to improve the long-term health and social welfare of their communities,” according to the University of California, San Francisco. Anchor institutions have historically failed communities of color. Institutions meant to leverage economic power to empower their constituents have failed to do so.  

I love my community, and having strong relationships means just as much as my talent.