Becoming: From Vulnerability to Strength

Over the past year, I’ve been developing a new series of busts that reflect different stages of my personal journey as an artist and a woman. Each sculpture is a self-portrait, not in the literal sense, but in the way it captures a chapter of my inner life — the places I’ve been, the lessons I’ve learned, and the strength I continue to carry forward. Today, I want to share two of these works: one completed, and one still in progress. Together, they speak to a transformation — who I was, and who I am becoming.

In Bloom, We Guard Her

The first bust in this series is titled In Bloom, We Guard Her. At its heart, this sculpture is about the value of protecting young Black women, whose vulnerability is too often overlooked. With her eyes closed and her hand gently raised to her chin, the figure embodies a quiet calm — a moment of peace that Black girls deserve, free from fear, stereotypes, or exploitation.

Each rose in her floral halo was hand-built, petal by petal. These flowers are not simply decoration; they are both adornment and armor. The bloom becomes a shield, a living crown that declares resilience, beauty, and the right to be safeguarded. In this piece, vulnerability and protection live side by side, reminding us that softness is not weakness — it is something worth defending.

The Work in Progress

My newest bust, still in progress, shifts the story. While In Bloom reflects vulnerability and guarded peace, this new figure rises with strength and fierce spirit. Built with coils rather than an armature, the process itself mirrors growth — layer by layer, building stability from the inside out.

This sculpture carries a presence that is spiritually admired. Her posture and energy move away from fragility and toward power. She is unapologetic, standing firmly in who she is. The behind-the-scenes work — coiling, reinforcing, shaping the clay while it is still raw — feels like a metaphor for the ways we build ourselves, often quietly and with patience, until strength becomes visible.

A Conversation Between the Two

Together, these two works are in dialogue. In Bloom, We Guard Her represents vulnerability — a version of myself that needed protection, patience, and care. My newest bust embodies strength, a reflection of who I am now: more grounded, more certain, and spiritually fortified.

They are both me. They are both necessary. To acknowledge one without the other would be incomplete. Growth requires us to honor our past selves while stepping boldly into our present.

Closing Reflection

This series is more than self-portraiture — it’s an invitation. I want viewers to reflect on their own journeys, to see themselves in the spaces between fragility and strength. We’ve all had struggles, but struggle does not define us; transformation does. Through clay, I am learning to see myself more fully, and I hope these works encourage others to do the same: to reflect, to relate, and to grow.