My work is an act of cultural recovery, aiming to reclaim Black American culture and folklore through vibrant, textured illustrations in the spirit of American illustrator and author Fred Crump Jr. By researching the deep history of Br’er Rabbit, a character rooted in a deep history of African oral traditions, I seek to peel back the Disneyfied caricatures and minstrelsy of the original story to restore its original cultural specificity. Raised by a kindergarten teacher, I view my art as a bridge for a new generation, presenting these tales as living narratives rather than shameful relics of the past. My goal is to honor the Black American contribution to popular media, remember what was forgotten, and restate the life these stories had before they were changed.
Developing stages
Linework
Coloring
Formatting
Exhibition
Finished Pieces
Brer Rabbit and the Tar Baby, Part 1 ,2026, 9 in x 6 in x 1.5 in, Cassette Player
Brer Rabbit and the Tar Baby, Part 1 is deeply intertwined with my own history. As the child of an educator, my sense of comfort and magic is rooted in the classroom and with the "books on tape" that defined my youth. Growing up as a struggling reader, these auditory journeys were, and still are, my primary way of reading. To honor the oral heritage of these tales and my own upbringing, this project is a multisensory experience. I have paired my vibrant, textured illustrations, reminiscent of the Afrocentric style of American Illustrator and Author Fred Crump Jr. with a recording of the narrative. By prioritizing the auditory alongside the visual, I am transforming these stories into living, breathing narratives rather than shameful relics of the past. My ultimate hope is to create a space of immersive warmth and peace, while honoring what was and what was taken.
Brer Rabbit and the Tar Baby, Part 2 ,2026, 10 in x 9 in x 1 in, Digital on cardstock, Handbound
Through this project, I hope to reclaim Black American folklore from the flattening effects of Disneyfication. This project is not only a children’s book but a shot at excavating the history of Br’er Rabbit, a character rooted in a deep history of African oral traditions yet turned into first a another disney commodity then a racial sin. Through my vibrant and playful illustrations, my handbinding of the pages into a book, and choosing the tale of Brer Rabbit and the tar baby, a tale with a complex and controversial history in the public consciousness, I aim to reclaim a tale with a deep and vast history. Through Brer rabbit and The Tar baby , Part 2. I hope to show Black Americans' contribution to characters of popular media, for example bugs bunny, and remove the idea of these stories as anything but racist media . My research for this piece focused on the differing version of this trickster, from pre-colonial to modern media. By peeling back these layers, I move beyond the idea of these stories as merely disney owned racist media that should be forgotten, but instead an important folktale with a deep history.