Flavor Hills durham
107 West Main St Durham, NC 27701
Acrylic on Canvas
60 x 48 inches
I wanted to capture not just Nat King Cole’s likeness, but the cool fire that lived inside his music. He broke barriers as one of the first Black artists to host a national television show, and I thought about that as I layered these colors—how he carried both elegance and resilience. The abstract tones and vibrant shifts represent the way his voice lit up rooms and how his presence, even with a cigarette in hand, always felt larger than life.
Acrylic on Canvas
48x36 inches
This piece captures Miles Davis in his zone—shades on, horn lifted, completely lost in the sound. I wanted to paint his rhythm and coolness in a way that feels alive, full of movement and energy.
Fun Fact: Miles Davis would often play with his back to the audience—not to be rude, but to keep his band locked in with each other. That’s how much he valued the music itself.
48x60
Acrylic on Canvas
J Cole is a hometown legend! From Fayetteville, North Carolina he has made his permanent mark in Hip Hop. Cole not only is a musical genius but also a huge inspiration to young african americans that come from a small town but have big dreams.
60x48 in
Acrylic on canvas
2023
This painting of Bob Marley is about more than music—it’s about perspective. Behind him, the brushstrokes are wild and chaotic, representing noise, pressure, and negativity. But he’s turned away from all of it, looking forward with peace and presence. In front of him, the space is calm and open. And right in front of his eyes, I painted the word love. It’s a reminder that even when the world feels loud and heavy, you can choose what you focus on. That choice—that strength—is what Earth Strong is about.
36 x 36 inches
Acrylic and gold foil on canvas
This piece is about the quiet kind of power. The kind you don’t have to announce. The figure blooms from within—grounded in thought, framed in grace, and adorned with gold not as decoration, but as evidence. Evidence of knowing who she is. The foil represents more than beauty—it’s spirit, it’s memory, it’s the unshakable light that’s been earned through experience. You can’t buy this kind of shine. You carry it.
Medium: Acrylic on Canvas
Dimensions: 48 × 60 inches
A vivid reimagining of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s 1964 visit to Baltimore, this piece captures the emotion in the crowd as hands reached out in hope, gratitude, and belief in a better future. Through bold strokes and energetic color, the moment transforms into something living—faces glowing with joy, movement flowing across the canvas, and the connection between Dr. King and the people around him made almost electric.
Reaching for Tomorrow honors the strength found in unity and the courage shared between a leader and a community determined to rise.
Acrylic on Canvas
40 x 30 inches
This piece captures a calm moment of reflection. I was drawn to her profile—the strength in her posture and the softness in her expression. I layered purples, golds, and shadows to let the colors tell the story. It feels like she’s caught in the middle of a thought, standing in her own light while everything around her fades out. It’s a quiet, powerful kind of energy.
Latex & Acrylic on Canvas
48 x 36 inches
This painting captures Big Mama Thornton in the raw, powerful way she existed — unpolished, emotional, and completely in command of her blues. I’ve always loved the grit in her voice on “You Ain’t Nothin’ But a Hound Dog,” especially knowing the world first heard it from her before anyone else turned it into a hit. I wanted the expression on her face to hold that same weight — the struggle, the story, the soul she poured into every note. The textures and layers in this piece mirror that sound: rough, honest, and unforgettable.
One thing I love about Big Mama is that she recorded “Hound Dog” in just one take — no rehearsals, no warm-ups. She walked into that studio, stepped up to the mic, and delivered a performance so strong it shaped the future of rock and blues. That kind of power is what I wanted this painting to carry.
48 x 60 inches
Acrylic & Latex on Canvas
This is one of those pieces where I let go completely. I painted it while listening to a jazz playlist—Thelonious Monk, Duke Ellington, Bill Evans, Miles Davis, Nina Simone—just letting the rhythm guide my hand. Every color, every stroke, every shift in direction came from the music. It felt free, instinctive, and unplanned in the best way.
The layers of yellow, red, blue, and soft textures move like improvisation—like the painting is riffing back at the music. It’s abstract, but it has its own melody, its own pulse. This piece is all about feeling, expression, and giving yourself permission to paint without rules
48x48
Acrylic on Canvas
This is a study in presence. A young Whoopi Goldberg, fully herself—calm, confident, and thinking deeply. A reminder that true confidence begins with consciousness.
Acrylic on Canvas
48x36 inches
This piece captures Miles Davis in his zone—shades on, horn lifted, completely lost in the sound. I wanted to paint his rhythm and coolness in a way that feels alive, full of movement and energy.
Fun Fact: Miles Davis would often play with his back to the audience—not to be rude, but to keep his band locked in with each other. That’s how much he valued the music itself.
Medium: Acrylic on Canvas
Dimensions: 48 × 48 inches
Description:
A portrait rooted in strength and unwavering presence. Bold color moves across her features—bright tones layered with deep purples and blues—to reveal the quiet power in her expression. Every stroke is intentional, shaping a woman who stands centered, confident, and unbothered by the noise around her. Unshaken reflects the beauty of resilience and the courage to hold your ground with grace.
30x48
Acrylic on Canvas
Helen Folasade Adu CBE known professionally as Sade Adu or simply Sade is a Nigerian-born British singer, known as the lead vocalist of her band Sade.
Acrylic on Canvas
60 x 48 inches
This piece focuses on the genius of Thelonious Monk through the most important part of his artistry — his hands. Monk played with a style that broke every rule in jazz: sharp angles, heavy pauses, sudden bursts of color in the middle of quiet. I wanted the layered textures and fractured shapes in this painting to echo that same unpredictability.
A fun fact I love about Monk is that he often played with such force and intention that he would lift his hands completely off the keys before striking the next note — almost like he was resetting the entire universe before deciding where the melody should go next. That sense of tension and release is what I tried to capture here: the moment right before sound becomes sound.
48 x 36 inches
Acrylic & Latex on Canvas
This piece is all about joy. I wanted to capture that big, genuine smile Andre 3000 is known for—the kind of smile that feels like it lifts the whole room. I used pink latex for the background to bring out the warmth in his expression and layered acrylics to highlight the purples, golds, and subtle details in his face. The colors carry that same playful, creative energy he brings to everything he does.
Fun fact: Even with his legendary rap career, Andre 3000 didn’t release a solo rap album—his first true solo project was actually a flute album he dropped in 2023. Only he could disappear for years and come back playing jazz flute like it was the most natural next step.
48 x 48 inches
Acrylic, Latex Paint & Feathers on Canvas
This portrait of Nina Simone captures the quiet strength and emotional depth she carried into every room. The vibrant colors reflect her layered spirit—bold, vulnerable, and unapologetically true. Feathers sweep around her like a living aura, echoing the intensity and freedom that defined her presence on and off the stage.
The blue halo behind her feels like a space she carved for herself, one grounded in discipline, conviction, and an unwavering belief in her purpose. Before she ever became the High Priestess of Soul, Nina trained to be the first Black female classical pianist—her foundation built on precision, mastery, and relentless dedication.
This piece honors her fire, her softness, and the unbreakable force she embodied.
48 x 36 inches
Latex, Acrylic, Oil & Silver Metallic Spray Paint on Canvas
Louis Armstrong had a way of lifting the world with a single note, and this piece leans into that moment of pure magic—right before the sound leaves his horn. His eyes carry that familiar mix of joy, grit, and brilliance, the same energy that made him one of the most influential voices in jazz history.
Widely known by his legendary nickname “Satchmo,” Armstrong became a symbol of joy, innovation, and soul across generations. The name followed him around the world, and it represents the larger-than-life presence he brought to every stage.
The blend of materials—oil, acrylic, latex, and metallic spray—creates a rhythm of its own, echoing the texture and depth of his music. The silver highlights mirror the shine of his trumpet while hinting at the light he carried within him. Color moves around him like melody, like the pulse of a live performance where everything is alive and in motion.
Satchmo honors his innovation, his charisma, and that unmistakable spark that reshaped American music forever.
60 x 48 inches
Oil, Acrylic & Graphite on Canvas
This piece captures Biggie in the larger-than-life way he moved through the world. I used oil, acrylic, and graphite to bring out the texture in his face, the attitude in his posture, and the weight of his presence. The colors mix grit with elegance—raw, confident, and unbothered. The cigar, the hat, the stare… all of it feels iconic.
I wanted this portrait to feel like Brooklyn energy on canvas. Big, bold, and undeniable.
30x40
Oil on Canvas
Open hands rest above worn pages, lit with colors that speak of change and renewal. It’s a moment suspended between who I was and who I’ve become—an offering, a surrender, a quiet rebirth.
Acrylic, Latex, Paints & Oil Pastel on Canvas
48 x 36 inches
“Ms. Simone” is my tribute to the brilliance, strength, and unfiltered honesty that defined Nina Simone. I built this portrait through layers of acrylic, latex, and oil pastels to bring forward the quiet power in her expression—an energy that feels almost spiritual when you stand in front of it. Her eyes carry that deep, uncompromising truth she was known for, while the soft washes of color around her suggest the emotional charge she brought to every stage and every moment of her life.
This piece sits at the intersection of resilience and vulnerability. It honors Nina not just as an artist, but as a force—someone who spoke boldly, lived boldly, and created from a place most people never dare to access. “Ms. Simone” is for anyone who feels connected to that kind of fearless authenticity.
48 x 48 in.
Acrylic & Resin on Canvas
Painted 2024
This piece is all about energy and attitude. Sammy Davis Jr. had a charisma that you could feel without a word—cool, confident, playful, and sharp. I used bold color choices to match that presence and added resin to the sunglasses to give them some shine and dimension. It’s a tribute to style, legacy, and that effortless swagger that never goes out of style.
48 x 48 inches
Acrylic, Silver Foil & Latex on Canvas
This portrait leans into the power and presence of James Baldwin—his clarity, his conviction, and the emotional weight he carried for all of us. The silver foil reflects the sharpness of his truth, catching light the way his words continue to cut through time.
By placing No Name in the Street at the center, the painting honors Baldwin’s fearless way of calling out the world as he saw it—its beauty, its failures, and its possibilities. The vibrant colors and deep shadows mirror his emotional range: tender, fierce, unflinching.
This piece is a reminder of Baldwin’s insistence that transformation begins with honesty. His voice still echoes. His fire still guides. And his impact still expands far beyond the page.