“HEART ON ICE”
EAT.PREY.LOVE. VOL. 2
- Sold for $2,500 (2023) to a private collector - Currently on exhibition at Cohiba Lounge in Bridgeport, CT
Date of creation: 10/2023
Size: 30 x 40” original
Medium/Materials: Acrylic and Oil | Level III Gallery Wrapped Canvas, Matte Varnish with Gloss Varnish on Frame
The Series:
Inspired by real heartbreak, this collection is titled, “Eat.Prey.Love.”, and explores the highs and lows that come with vulnerability, love capacity, mirror work, and healing.
Each painting is an interpretive piece of my experience of love and heartbreak. Striving to transmute relationship trauma through healing expression in art, I seal each painting with affirmations on where I stand years later reflecting on the relationships that molded me.
The Elements:
The frame - the use of frames came to me as a construction engineer if we’re being honest. The way I draw is rooted in my formal training at the College of Architecture and I use that as a foundation when I’m composing my paintings. Many of my collectors are stretching to purchase my art and taking a leap of faith that my art will continue to accrue in value. Knowing that I am always gracious and hungry in the pursuit of more technically ambitious uses of the craft. As I started raising my prices I came across collectors that wanted frames; Floating frames, shadow box frames, all types, shapes, and sizes of frames. The frames were a bit pricey for some of my newer collectors. “How can I offer that illusion of luxury in my paintings?”, I asked myself. “What if I painted the frame…” This became my signature move for high end commissions. I started to play with the ideas of frames. Different materials, perspectives or textures on the frames.
This frame was colored silver to add to the icy allure of the painting. My aim with this particular frame was to create so much detail the frame looked multidimensional like a real frame. I varnished it with gloss to provide a luster shine that contrasts with the center of the piece.
The heart - Inspired by the first painting of this series, the objective of this heart painting was to provide a more masculine perspective, and incorporate my heartbreak reflections as a continuation of this trauma therapy exercise. Using a more plump heart, I began to design an image that would depict the cold-hearted nature of the breakup. I channeled the idea of a “heart on ice” after leaving that abusive relationship and reflected on the fact I had shared my traumatic experiences with this lover only for them to weaponize these experiences.
The hand - I’ve always been fascinated with hands. I had an art teacher tell me that every summer I should pick one body part and study it. I’ve been studying hands for about ten years because I never get tired of them. My reference for this painting was the client’s own hand, which used to hold hearts for a living.
The Inspiration:
This piece was inspired by real heartbreak. It tells the story of my whirlwind of a marriage after already having my heart broken by someone I knew and loved for over twenty years. You ever told someone how you were in hurt just for them to hurt you the same way and add tax? That type of heartbreak is what inspired this concept. It was affectionately named drawing inspiration from the song “Heart on Ice” by Rod Wave.
The inspiration for the colors and composition were to match the first volume of the series. Commissioned for a retired heart surgeon, I used my heartbreak trauma therapy exercise to work through a previous relationship while including elements of the collector’s journey to appeal to him aesthetically.
Past Exhibitions:
SOLO EXHIBITION (CT) - 07/2023
L.A. FASHION WEEK (CA) - 10/2023
BLACK GIRL ART SHOW (GA) - 08/2025
The third volume of my Eat.Prey.Love series, this floating heart is certainly an evolution from 2023. In both films, when Alphabe channels her strength to shield her sister the result is always levitation. I wanted to use this concept and apply it to the offering and reflection this heartbreak depicts.