Root2Sky
Roots2Sky: An Artist Statement
The Roots2Sky series is an exploration of heritage, resilience, and transcendence, expressed through mixed media collage on burlap. These works celebrate the journey of African American women—grounded in ancestral strength yet reaching toward infinite possibility.
Each piece is constructed with layered African fabrics, yarn, and collage elements, symbolizing the rich tapestry of identity, culture, and lived experience. Burlap, a material historically tied to labor and endurance, serves as both a textural and symbolic foundation, anchoring each figure in the resilience of their roots. The women’s faces are intentionally obscured with a small piece of sky, a visual metaphor for their dreams, aspirations, and boundless potential. This obscured identity invites viewers to see themselves within the work, reinforcing the universality of the journey from rootedness to expansion.
Roots2Sky reflects the continuum of history and possibility—the deep connection to ancestry and the limitless heights of self-discovery. These women stand between past and future, earth and sky, embodying a legacy of transformation.
