Artist Statement: Writing is an act of rendering deep observations. I recreate minute details of simple life and the complex characters who live them. My works expose the possibilities of relationships influenced by stereotypes, spiritual beliefs, traumatic experiences, sexual orientation, and ethnic bias. The characters are challenged and transformed by extraordinary events in ordinary settings. Many of my poems and short stories draw from small town experiences in rural black communities. These characters reflect real and imagined reactions to conflicts in everyday life. Through exploration of life in small black towns and villages, my works form a backdrop for vivid personalities to thrive. The Art of Photography opens the mind's eye to see the impermanence of a moment in time. The concept of a stare is diffused and the observer can evaluate the scene as it pertains to one's own life.