“I’ve tried to be cool about it.

I didn’t want to seem too anxious or thirsty about it.

But quiet as kept, I’ve been counting the hours and days

for that crystal moment

when I see you again.

dressed in white and fine finish

a long glimpse in my direction

as you stride across the manicured lawn

like you were walking onto a yacht.

with your own special place at the table

waiting

for you

at the Love Garden Party

Love Garden Party / Aqua Vite Framed Size (h w d): 35.5” x 40.5” x 2.5” Mixed media acrylics, inks, hand-cut collage on coated paper stock

This striking mixed-media painting is a celebration of bold expression, cultural hybridity, and the fluidity of identity. The artist masterfully weaves together figurative elements, abstract patterns, and textural collage techniques to create a dynamic tableau of overlapping faces, gestures, and symbols.

The composition is rich with layered imagery—each figure seems to emerge from and dissolve into a kaleidoscope of flora, geometric motifs, and surreal juxtapositions. The exaggerated facial features, with their fragmented yet harmonious integration of photographic realism and painterly abstraction, evoke a sense of multiplicity—perhaps a meditation on the complexity of selfhood and human relationships.

Color is wielded with fearless abandon. Vibrant hues of orange, pink, and turquoise dance against a muted green backdrop, creating a visual symphony that pulses with energy. The contrast between warm and cool tones enhances the artwork’s sense of movement, guiding the viewer’s gaze through an intricate network of lines and textures. The floral elements, birds, and wine bottles suggest an atmosphere of revelry, yet there is an undercurrent of introspection in the figures’ expressions, hinting at a narrative beyond mere festivity.

A particularly compelling feature is the interplay between the organic and the artificial—painted faces blend with cut-out photographic lips and eyes, blurring the line between reality and constructed identity. This technique challenges the viewer to reconsider notions of authenticity, representation, and the ways in which we present ourselves to the world.

The painting’s avant-garde aesthetic, with its echoes of Cubism and contemporary Afro-surrealism, makes it a powerful statement on the intersections of culture, memory, and emotion. It invites prolonged contemplation, rewarding the viewer with new discoveries at every glance. Through this work, the artist not only showcases technical prowess but also offers a deeply personal yet universally resonant exploration of beauty, fragmentation, and human connection.