Prettiest of ALL

2026
Mixed Media, Acrylic on cardboard
35 × 40 in

Prettiest of All comes from a simple idea: just because the world has not always recognized Black beauty does not mean we have ever stopped seeing it in ourselves.

There is something joyful about watching a little Black girl dress up, put on her favorite clothes and glasses, fix her hair, and look into the mirror with complete confidence. In that moment, she isn't asking anyone for approval. She already knows she is beautiful.

I sometimes wonder if cultures that have historically overlooked or excluded Black beauty assume that we somehow see ourselves through the same lens. This painting quietly says otherwise.

For Black little girls, dress-up can be exciting, imaginative, and full of pride. Prettiest of All celebrates that moment of self-recognition—the pleasure of looking in the mirror and loving the person looking back.