Over a decade ago, I found myself in a unique and somewhat unexpected position when I was commissioned by Gina Torres's husband, the renowned actor Laurence Fishburne, to create a portrait of his stunning wife as a special gift for their wedding anniversary. At the time, I did not view myself as a portrait artist, and in fact, I rarely accepted commissions for portraits. My artistic focus had always leaned more towards social and cultural targets. It was Greg Haynes, a longtime friend of mine...

I was deeply humbled and honored this past weekend to be invited to deliver the keynote address at the Pinning Ceremony for the University of California Irvine School of Nursing.

I made my return to ArtFields after a 5-year hiatus, and it felt as though I was stepping back into a vibrant world that I had temporarily left behind during the pandemic. My experience at ArtFields has always been a remarkable journey, and this year was no exception as I picked up right where I left off. Over the years, I have been incredibly fortunate to perform well in front of the esteemed ArtFields judges. Throughout my participation, I have entered the competition four times and have...