The choice of subject and medium in my work reflects the experiences of living in both Zimbabwe and the United States.  Born and raised in Zimbabwe during the successful liberation struggle from colonial power influences the subjective content of my work; while the visual language is grounded in western traditions, as a result of my formal training and exposure to western art since my arrival to the US in 1984.

The expression of humanity through life’s challenges and transformations is important to me.  Individuals portrayed in my work are developed from visual memory. My concern is on the shared experiential nature of our being rather than representing a portrait of any specific person.  Yet, each individual embodies a sense of identity expressed through a confrontational gaze that is often present in my work. This confrontation is intended to compel us to identify with our own humility and acknowledge the uncompromising presence of our shared experiences and histories.

Of equal importance is the conceptual and expressive potential of material that I use to make this visible in my creative investigation.  I have been incorporating jute (burlap) for this very reason. It is a material that is widely used for utilitarian purposes in Zimbabwe, as well as in many non-western nations.  In my work, jute is metaphorically used to situate the cultural meaning of place juxtaposed with humanity’s changing conditions. I express this metaphor through the following process: an initial under-painting in acrylic, followed by an obsessive application of various sizes and shapes of jute, using its interweaving nature as a “cross-hatch” in response to planar analysis; and a final layer of oil paint on the surface of the jute.  Additionally, jute is adhered to the canvas by a polymer binder, which is an invisible plastic element that was developed in the west. In this process, I attempt to express a new hybridity that reflects the increasingly globalized society of today, whereby individuals live on the borders of cultures and between cultures, identities and positionalities. Thereby, I attempt to integrate image, material and color as inseparable and expressive elements of the human condition.

The following description pertains specifically to Works with burlap (jute).

The creative process begins with an idea, which is only a departure point to further investigations and definition of the idea. This initial study is done in charcoal and acrylic paint directly on canvas. Scraps of burlap (jute) are then cut, dipped into a polymer binder, and formed onto the surface with attention to planer relationships. Oil paint is applied as the last defining layer.

The thumbnails below are visual links that are examples of the painting "Profile(d)" (left) in progress.
Please note that the above description is simplified to reflect the most fundamental aspect of the process. Each individual work's process is unique to its own set of problems that are revealed during all creative investigations.
Note: For further discussion on the use of burlap in these works; with regard to both formal and expressive elements, please see artist's statement.