As an artist from the Caribbean islands of Antigua & Barbuda, I have a deep connection with water. I am interested in water as a subject because of its influence in shaping Caribbean culture due to its proximity, the many resources it provides, and the stereotypes associated with black people. There are positive and negative connotations associated with the symbolism of water in the African diaspora. Traditional African spiritual practices often centered around water with themes of renewal, fertility, change, and freedom. Enslaved Africans sought bodies of water to escape bondage or to resist slavery through death. Simultaneously, the ocean serves as a memory of suffering and death stemming from the trans-Atlantic Slave Trade. Aquatic activities did not become part of the black recreational culture due to discrimination from interacting with waterscapes during slavery and colonialism. My work aims to unravel the dissociation between bodies of water and the African diaspora and challenge preconceived notions surrounding the subject of water.

I use the imagery of water, seashells, and water pipes to examine the complicated relationship between black people and water through historical and contemporary perspectives. I work in gouache, monotypes, and screen prints to compose my images. These mediums are water-based, which relates to my concept, and I can work in both transparent and opaque layers to build the composition. I use watercolor paper prepared with gesso and sand the surface to give a smooth texture to emphasize gouache's reticulated effect. I dilute the gouache to a fluid consistency, so as I engage with the surface, I am guiding the paint and not brushing it. An integral part of my process allows the liquid color’s natural flow to dictate some of the mark-making.

The inspiration to explore water as a theme came from observing the shifting light on the seashore at Pigeon Point Beach in Antigua. To me, the ephemeral qualities of the shimmering light represented the changing connections between water and African diasporic peoples. In thinking about water, I considered the mechanisms used to control it. This reminded me of growing up without running water in my home and relying on the community standpipe for water. For my family, the standpipe was essential to our survival. For others in the African diaspora, the public water system represents tools used to administer oppression and suffering. The people who control the pipes control the flow of this precious resource into communities. The pipes in my work symbolize the dysfunctional social and political system of white supremacy embedded deeply in Western society. I hope my work inspires viewers to examine everyday objects or resources around them and consider the parts they play in maintaining social structures.