“She Who Sets the Table Shall Sit at It” is an ode to the women who raised me — Black women, their beauty, and the stories they have shared with me regarding their understanding of their position in western civilization. I painted this piece to commemorate these women, as they have historically been marginalized for possessing physical attributes that don’t coincide with western beauty standards. Part of the impetus for this piece comes from a conversation I was having with two Black women who have opposing views on how Black women should present their hair. It reminded me of all of the times I heard other Black people throughout my life mention how you “don’t go outside with your hair looking crazy”. I was also reminded of the shame cast on Black people whose hair doesn't fit western beauty standards. Nappy, or more coarse hair has traditionally been heavily frowned upon. For Black people, hair is often a status symbol. When it looks good, we feel good. When it looks bad, we feel inferior…at least, that’s how we’re socialized. That said, I wanted to turn that narrative on its head (no pun intended). I chose to depict an image of a Black woman engaging the gaze with a humbled, yet empowered expression on her face so as to claim her power. The flower represented on her head wrap is called the Amaryllis flower. In western culture, the culture with which I and many other Black Americans, Europeans, and Canadians are most familiar, the Amaryllis flower is a symbol for pride and strength. I found it fitting to wrap one of the more vulnerable areas on a Black woman’s body in symbols of pride. This is my way of saying ‘be proud of your natural beauty. There is nothing to be ashamed of.’ The gold background serves as a symbol of value. Gold is a precious metal that has generally retained value throughout the course of history. Coupling the image of the Black woman, who is often devalued, with such a symbol serves to elevate their social value. I envision a world in which all people are valued equally, regardless of their physical, sexual, religious, or ideological makings. This is the social future I wish to see. Environmentally speaking, I often repurpose fabrics and other materials in non-canonical ways to communicate the degrees of separation art has from reality (that’s a much longer conversation for another day). This also allows me to explore the notions of sustainability and practicality in my work through the utilization of readymade materials, instead of recreating what already exists for no conceptually sound reason. The beauty of this method of creation is that it affords me the opportunity to upcycle materials. The greatest dichotomy is that of the Natural World, and the Social World. Within my work, I hope to explore the correlations between the two while simultaneously aiding in the healing and betterment of both. Thank you.