At this stage in my journey, I make simple, contemporary abstract designs that are pleasing to the eye but are bursting with emotion. To capture my feelings as they are -- raw and uninhibited -- I’m learning to use acrylic, watercolor, pens and markers to illustrate my daily battles with being an anxious black woman. The pieces I chose are straightforward and honest, each of them made in the moment when I needed to let something go or feel like I did something that day. My process as I understand it now involves welcoming mistakes as they are and giving myself space to be empathetic and genuine – something I didn’t have enough time to do before the pandemic. I’m driven to create what I do because, for me, vulnerability and honesty with myself is a silent and uphill battle that I’m sure many folks can empathize with.

Deanna Williams is a Black self-taught art enthusiast currently residing in Raleigh, NC. Originally from New Bern, NC and a Greensboro resident from 2013 to June 2020, she finds comfort and relief in experimentation and bright, loud colors. Her journey as an artist began this year on a whim, starting with watercolor. She believes in making with intention, being introspective, and listening to that “little voice” -- not expecting too much of yourself in the process. Living with stress, anxiety, and internal pressure to feel happy are presented through her use of simple shapes, rounded lines, and crude unruly marks. A longtime advocate for self-mental health and starting her MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling this November, Deanna hopes she can inspire those who feel the same through her honest journey with every medium she tries. She often posts her work on Instagram under the handle @rovettadesignco.