About the Artist
About the Artist
The name ARTXSUN was actually my parents’ idea when they gifted me with a custom license plate bearing the name. It’s a play on words of “Art x Sun” as in Art by Sunshine and the word “Artisan” defined as one who is skilled in creating a product or performing work by hand; a craftsperson. They felt like it was perfect for me and now today, I believe it’s perfect for my brand and my vision.
I’ve been painting and creating as long as I can remember but I got serious about art after graduating high school in 2013. That year I began working as a freelance artist while in college getting my degree in civil engineering. In 2015, I opened an Etsy shop where I began selling prints for the first time and now in 2019, artxsun.com is born.
Artist Statement
Creating has always been such an interesting escape for me because it’s an act of sparring with both the right side and left side of my brain. In school, my favorite classes were always math and art – I’ve never been able to separate logic and expression. It’s a constant battle between being free and perfecting perfection. It’s the glorious juxtaposition of analyzing my imagination and detailing my dreams. The left brain starts lists and well thought out projects that the right brain doesn’t finish. And the showdown is repainting the shape of an eye for 3 hours until it makes me feel something.
Because that’s the ultimate goal - I create art to make people feel something. Whether it’s displaying the beauty of my people or reminding someone that they’re worth something in this world, I aim to shine light on the radiance and good that’s both around us and within us. I believe God gave me these talents to make a difference in a positive and powerful way.
My work is primarily inspired by people of color because as an African American woman, I’m profoundly aware of how underrepresented we are in art and society’s portrayal of beauty; yet I find it impossible to see brown skin and African features and do anything but marvel. And I paint our struggles because it’s important to express what we have gone through and still endure but transform it into empowerment and encouragement. Lastly, I love to paint the female body because we should always feel confident, comfortable, and sexy in our skin.
I hope everyone who views my art senses the battle and the balance between the right and left brain – appreciating the creativity while getting lost in the details. But most importantly, I pray people hang my art on their walls because it just makes them feel good and inspired.
" When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, 'I used everything you gave me'. "
- Erma Bombeck
