Kelley Prevard

In this painting the left hand has an old shackle which symbolizes the history of slavery in America. The right hand has a handcuff which symbolizes today's criminal justice system which disproportionately targets black and brown people. The chains have not been broken they have, essentially become shiner and new. 

In this painting you see the repeating representation of black-face mammy. It represents the legacy of racism in America and how it is perpetuated through different avenues especially, the media. The woman’s frustration is in her inability to escape these generational stereotypes and caricatures of who black people are. It becomes apart of the fabric of who she is, a black oppressed woman.

The White Picket Fence represents the concept of the American dream. But there is a brick wall behind it because it is not real and unattainable to this young black girl. The trash represents different aspects that affect the black community. She essentially becomes apart of the trash she is surrounded by. 

Black Rage represents  the buildup of frustration from the many aspects of the black experience and black identity.

In this painting I focused more on the emotion I wanted to evoke. You can really see it in the eyes and the body expression.

This painting was done after Hurricane Sandy hit South Jersey  in 2012. In the storm many things were lost and destroyed. This piece is about the desperation of loss.

The legacy of racism in america

They Call Me is about how the words we call women are like a tattoo on a woman's soul and obscures her true identity.

Racial Profile