"I need to see my own beauty and to continue to be reminded that I am enough, that I am worthy of love without effort, that I am beautiful, that the texture of my hair and that the shape of my curves, the size of my lips, the color of my skin, and the feelings that I have are all worthy and okay."
- Tracee Ellis Ross
TRUE COLORS
An Address to Black Women
I chose to place an Oakleaf Butterfly on her shoulder. This unique butterfly displays its vibrant colors when its wings are open & when its wings are closed, it mimics a decaying leaf. This way it blends in with its surroundings and is hidden from predators and is safe to just survive. Danger is all around so they’re often left with their wings closed unless they’re flying. Their true beauty isn’t often displayed. Stay with me here.
Black women’s wings are often forced closed so that we have to hide them, our true nature, our inner and outer beauty. We find ourselves trying to find ways to blend in and hold our tongue, tame our hair, code switch, and a long list of other things just so we aren’t deemed ‘too aggressive’, ‘too bossy’, ‘too sexy’, ‘too Black’. A lot of us hold back our true selves in order to not deal with the fuss and discomfort of other people—to not come off as too strong or too intense. But it’s a lot to hold back ain’t it?
We often feel tired and drained because there’s so much to us. So much depth to our spirits, so much we want to say, so much we want to do. So much to give. We love hard, we work hard, we fight hard, & sometimes it feels like it’s not enough. We’re often misunderstood and mistreated so—we close our wings. We tone it down. We smile for the boys, we snap the coils back, we down play our features. We take the punches. All to ‘survive’ to ‘fit in’. We do all of this while still giving our full selves to everyone around us and it becomes burdensome. Well, I’m going to cut the preaching short & tell you simply, because ladies this is for you.
Your true colors, your all around beauty will only show if you open your wings and allow yourself to fly. Fly into new spaces & upset the room, make your voice heard and your presence felt. Fly away from spaces and people who force your wings closed. Do and be everything that you are and everything that you dream of. Love the skin you’re in & the features that make us Black women. Love hard and allow your true self to be loved by those who can and want to handle it. Our metamorphosis is now. This piece is called ‘True Colors’ and it is a dedication to Black women everywhere.
TITLE: True Colors
MEDIUM: Acrylic on Canvas
DIMENSIONS: 24” x 36”
SUBJECT: Oak-Leaf Butterfly on a Black Woman
DATE: 07-2020
STATUS: Unavailable
DID YOU KNOW?Thanks to a phenomenon known as polyphenism, which describes how distinct characteristics or traits can arise in a single species under different environmental conditions, the dead leaf butterfly has specific dry-season and wet-season forms.
Also known as the dead leaf butterfly.
The dead leaf is a powerful flier and can cover large distances.
With wings closed, it closely resembles a dry leaf with dark veins and is a commonly cited example of camouflage.