Artist Statement: She Who Is Brown

She Who Is Brown is a series that represents strength and emotion in the aftermath of Diaspora -the displacement of the African people. These works are a gathering of sisters, mothers, daughters and women who show a solid resolve to survive life’s obstacles and to define love and passion. Their faces also reflect the love and passion they feel for their men, their fathers, husbands and sons. These women challenge us to reflect on a deeper meaning behind the surface.  They compel us to look into their faces and respond to their tenacity for life.

In these works I have used my experiences as an African-American woman and artist to speak about women of color. I believe these portraits present a humble, yet very solid awareness of the diversity among women of color.  Throughout the series, women are represented by earth tones such as amber, mahogany, and Indian red.  These images come from my cultural memory; the faces belong not just to one woman who lived before, but come from many. Each woman is framed by domestic objects - chairs, Mason jars, and picket fences. I use these objects to show a connection to daily life. They have also become personal symbols that allow for a spiritual connection and sometimes make historical or social references.  The Mason jar is used to represent the illusion of freedom and the picket fence represents the American Dream of wealth and stability. I create these images as a visual language to tell the story of each woman. The frame surrounding each portrait embodies the act of memory; it relates to the preservation of the past and constructs meaning for the present. 

By combining earth colors and symbols; I offer a glimpse into the life of women who carry the weight of the world on their shoulders. Whether bitter or sweet, fearful or courageous; they tell stories and sing songs of patience, integrity, faith, strength and always love.

 Artist Biography

Delita Martin received her BFA in drawing from Texas Southern University.  After working as an independent artist, Delita returned to school to obtain a MFA in Printmaking from Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana. She has taught basic drawing and Printmaking at Purdue. She is currently teaching Intro to Visual arts at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.  Delita has exhibited both nationally and internationally. She is currently working on a series of work addressing the reconstruction of identity through the use of personal symbolism.

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