All my life I have been surrounded by the people of color who have become muses and inspirational to my art. Growing up on Science fiction films like Star Wars, I've always imagined myself on these adventures. I have developed a love for Afro-futurism. This specific piece is a personal take on “Stargate: SG1” a show that I grew up watching with my dad. The concept was to show someone who looks like people from my community traveling from world to world through portals. I am excited to think about the possibility of technological advancements in the future.

Thomas Astruc is a famous French director whose work is known throughout the world as the "Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug." I was inspired to use his image in my mixed media work because he is influential with the many diverse people who watch his show all over the world. His creativity inspired me to use a variety of art styles and media in my piece including: origami, collage, and paint. He has helped me to have an open mind to different countries and to consider multiple art techniques.

I was inspired by the sweet, innocent yet twisted nature of Melanie Martinez's performance style. It was a difficult process making her seem like a sweet little doll who was possessed by an unsettling charm.

I was inspired by boys at my table who were painting the first brown American President. There hasn’t been an American woman president. I want there to be one, and I want it to be me! My dream is to be the first woman president.

This is my mother as a young woman. She was the first woman in our family to receive a college education. This drawing represents her journey from a student to a Pratt Insitute graduate. Even though she is currently battling a rare form of cancer, she is a warrior who lets nothing get in her way. She is a teacher, who despite her current condition, uses her positive attitude to inspire young artists to pursue their dreams in the visual arts, young artists just like me.

I have always been drawn to the contrast of light and dark with all the shades in between. Jean Michel Basquiat has greatly influenced me as a social political street artist and Brooklyn native. Having seen his work at the Brooklyn Museum and learned about his upbringing and artistic process, I created this profile portrait as an homage to him.

Students created this enlarged portrait of Nelson Mandela as a collaborative work. By doing this project students learned about value, using black, white, and gray tones blended with oil pastels. They gained an understanding of the interdependence of all the elements in a work of art. Through this piece, students experienced the power of working together. This was something Nelson Mandela understood and utilized in his extroadinary life as an anti-apartheid leader and as the first black president of South Africa.

Students created this enlarged portrait of Frida Kahlo as part of a collaborative group project. Initially, the subject was a mystery that was slowly solved as students contributed their squares to the larger grid. Students were learning about value and shading in their drawing. Additionally, they learned the importance of "part-to-whole"visual relationships while gaining an appreciation of the power of collaboration. Frida Kahlo was chosen as an exemplary artist who overcame significant obstacles in her life to create powerful art.

This drawing is based on my stepdad. People might wonder why I chose him as my subject. I chose him because he stayed, I chose him because he is a role-model, and I chose him because he's my Dad. The smudges represent his R-rated mouth. The ball represents his passion for soccer, and his bold face represents his cockiness. This drawing represents his ego, and it represents how much I care for my stepdad.

The borough of Brooklyn inspired this work. The portrait I drew is of the rapper Young MA, who is from the borough of Brooklyn. She always gives "shout-outs" to Brooklyn, acknowledging her roots. I like her style and tried to capture it in pencil using a small amount of glitter for her necklace pendant.

Kehinde Wiley, a Brooklyn artist, was the main inspiration for this piece. Like Kehinde Wiley I took my self-portrait pose from a Renaissance master. I have always liked using flower themes in my art and I associate them with myself. I tried my best to incorporate modern themes to contrast the older painting I was working from.

I wanted to capture the essence of someone in my life that has inspired me and who influences my outlook on life every day. I was inspired by the styles of Degas and Matisse. Looking at their work really changed what working with oil pastels means to me.