The Black Lives Matter Champions series is my current body of work. These portraits are the visual response to something that changed my life 57 years ago and has manifested itself due to the resurgence in recent years of racial atrocities.

I grew up in Newark, New Jersey and experienced first-hand the riots of 1967. It left an indelible mark on me.

These portraits, which I refer to as bandaics™ (bandage mosaics), are collages created completely out of fabric bandages, similar to Band-aids. The medium symbolizes the pain and suffering inflicted on the Black population for centuries and still today. And at the same time, the “band aids” illustrate how little has been done to end this scourge.

The method I use is the grid system, employed by artists throughout history. This system allows me to recreate precisely what I see in the reference photos I work from.

I work closely with a Master framer who, as you will see, conceptualizes each frame so that it relates specifically to a particular portrait. One of the most powerful examples is the rusted chains surrounding the portrait of Nelson Mandela.

I plan to follow this theme and will be incorporating images that highlight the plight of the Black population in addition to focusing on additional champions of the cause.