To Be Young, Gifted, and Black
48x72 in
Acrylic on Canvas
This portrait of Nina Simone radiates the force of a woman who sang not for applause, but for liberation. Her gaze is lifted—fixed on something beyond the frame, beyond the moment. The grayscale backdrop, textured and heavy, echoes the weight of the world she challenged. Against it, her skin burns with color—layered in violets, teals, crimsons—every tone a testament to complexity and brilliance.
Simone wasn’t just an artist; she was a revolutionary in rhythm. Trained as a classical pianist, she once dreamed of playing Carnegie Hall. When denied access because of her race, she turned her music into resistance. Her voice became a weapon, her piano a pulpit.
48x72 in
Acrylic on Canvas
This portrait of Nina Simone radiates the force of a woman who sang not for applause, but for liberation. Her gaze is lifted—fixed on something beyond the frame, beyond the moment. The grayscale backdrop, textured and heavy, echoes the weight of the world she challenged. Against it, her skin burns with color—layered in violets, teals, crimsons—every tone a testament to complexity and brilliance.
Simone wasn’t just an artist; she was a revolutionary in rhythm. Trained as a classical pianist, she once dreamed of playing Carnegie Hall. When denied access because of her race, she turned her music into resistance. Her voice became a weapon, her piano a pulpit.
48x72 in
Acrylic on Canvas
This portrait of Nina Simone radiates the force of a woman who sang not for applause, but for liberation. Her gaze is lifted—fixed on something beyond the frame, beyond the moment. The grayscale backdrop, textured and heavy, echoes the weight of the world she challenged. Against it, her skin burns with color—layered in violets, teals, crimsons—every tone a testament to complexity and brilliance.
Simone wasn’t just an artist; she was a revolutionary in rhythm. Trained as a classical pianist, she once dreamed of playing Carnegie Hall. When denied access because of her race, she turned her music into resistance. Her voice became a weapon, her piano a pulpit.