TJ Reynolds

Drawing/Painting

http://www.TJReynolds.net

This work features depictions of an underrepresented group in the world of fine art: Those of African Decent. The simplest statement this works makes is that black faces are beautiful. Digging deeper, we see that by working on black surfaces with white ink & paint, Reynolds draws in the light instead of the shadow, with emotive figures emerging from the deep, catching light in the way only melanin can. The stylized nature of the drawings reveals a complexity of shapes and linework, in patterns that evoke both ancient art and futuristic graphic design. The artist is also exploring his own ethnic heritage, examining roots he can only piece together, going so far as to trace his last name to the tradition of slaves taking on the surname of their master, in this case the RJ Reynolds tobacco fields.