March marks the halfway point for Art Only Boutique in achieving our goals, and we’re thrilled with the progress so far. We’ve received more invitations to teach, something we genuinely love, and as our city gears up for summer festivities, we’re honored to be part of the upcoming celebrations.

Right off the bat, I’d like to say Art Only Boutique is grateful to Langston Hughes, poet and social activist; Augusta Savage, sculptor; Jacob Lawrence, painter; Gordon Parks, photographer, and director; and many other artists from our past who opened doors for the representation of our artistic talents to be seen, read, and heard. We will never forget you, knowing the struggles have been real and continue to this day.

2024 has been an eventful year for AOB, filled with successes alongside periods of downtime. We’ve enjoyed spending time with family, relaxing, and taking vacations to recharge away from the city. This year, we have expanded our focus from canvas painting to creating murals. We are honored to have been invited to share AOB’s aspirations for the arts and our community. Our experiences in 2024 have only motivated us to keep moving forward.

Shepherds rested among their flocks.

Under the heavenly canopy of twinkling stars, 

From days of toiling, grinding in the fields,

They lay to rest, break bread

Before starting again at dawn  

Unaware that this ordinary night, prophecy would come to pass

The fields and pastures where they lay 

Would be Illuminated by a glorious star fast approaching 

Shining brighter, causing the other stars to appear dim

Standing to their feet in wonderment 

Gazing upon the star accompanied by angels singing 

Joyous greetings from the Most High

ArtsNow’s “An Evening With Artists” was a time for me to share my artistic journey and really elaborate on my current work I have created through book illustrations and writing.

This school year I have the privilege to guide and instruct Barberton Intermediate School learners with colleague Mrs. Norman art teacher. There are 740 students in the grade band 3rd to 5th grade. Through the Ohio Arts Council teaching artist grant we began working and collecting stories and artifacts relating the student and their family, to the community and history of Barberton.

Summa Health Healing Arts Gallery has chosen our artwork to be exhibited among other notable artists this fall/winter season. The gallery on 141 Forge St. / Akron Campus is one of the many ways to support and connect patients and their families to the soothing power of art.

This summer I was able to cut the ribbon to a mural installed in the newly renovated Morgan Park on the South side of Akron. The “Seeds of Love Grows” mural was a true joy with Rich Kids an after-school program with South Street Ministries. We discussed the impact of creative placemaking and how art can transform a community. The learners in the age range of kindergarten to fifth grade showed how they played and celebrated with family. This informed their concept for the mural and I showed them how to paint.

Our journey has been more than just family and business partnership. It has been a continuous learning experience, and I am deeply grateful for my mother's constant encouragement and wisdom that has guided me along the way.

My mother, like all mothers, saw in me a potential that I was yet to discover. This image encapsulates our shared artistic journey, where our printed artworks have blended into a beautiful collages, for a series of postcards for sale.We both love art, and our studios are full of work that maybe the public will never see. Our styles are unique, but the common thread is the use of vibrant colors and paint compositions we both enjoy being surrounded by. 

As a visual artist and painter, I am deeply passionate about creating whimsical and impressionistic art. My latest collection of portraits and figurative works exudes the beauty of a woman. I intentionally created this body of work to inspire and serve as a story-starter, igniting the imagination of the viewer to create their own narrative around these colorful works of art.

First exhibition show featuring a collection of work over the years highlighting my passion for painting.

The motivation of the body of work I presented showed a continual dialogue to investigate the approach to color, form, and texture. My artwork has unfolded over the last year and a half to emphasize the conceptual construct of capturing ‘time.’ This idea of ‘time’ is built through the thought process of unpredictable moments of life, the hopes of the imagined, and the application of paint. These three elements help capture the idea of ‘time,’ which led to an intentional transparency to explore through the lens of nostalgic scenes and cultural experiences. Discovering how to capture ‘time’ has led to a stronger practice of physical movement of paint, valuing the time it takes to balance these techniques. This work shows outer and internal experiences that correlate with reimagining worlds where ‘time’ can simultaneously stand still and move forward.

Small beginnings that keep growing.  What was once buried, placed on an overcrowded shelf in my heart for years taken down now and then when the need called for it.  Art projects for my children's wedding bouquets, and joining in on the trendy idea of painting on jeans for a while and about the most use of my God-given talent.  Even sitting around sketching notebooks.  I could hardly take notes on my job without ending up with some sort of rendering in the margins.  Art for me during this time was at a standstill.