Story: I’ve always been this way. Thoughtful, quiet, watching more than speaking. Even in this photo, sitting beside my grandmother, head resting on my hand, there’s a stillness in me. A slowness. I think that’s where the art began—not with a paintbrush or pencil, but with the practice of observing. Sitting in the presence of people who held stories in their wrinkles, rhythms in their laughter, and patience in their hands.

My grandmother’s yard was a world of textures. Brick, grass, folding chairs, the warmth of sun on skin. Everything around me was ordinary and sacred. That duality still shows up in my work: making the familiar feel profound. I draw softness from those memories. From her cotton dress, her steady hand on mine, from the safety of being small but seen.

The colors in the image, mirror the palettes I’m often drawn to. There’s a quiet dignity in Black family archives, and I carry that spirit into everything I create. I honor the everyday. I sketch to remember. I punch needle to feel. I collage because life, like memory, is layered.

And even now, decades later, I still create with that little girl in mind. The one deep in thought, listening, imagining, becoming.

Creative Field: I am a visual artist primarily working in digital illustration, painting, and fiber art. My work often explores themes of identity, culture, and storytelling through vibrant visuals and textures.

Connect: @bpepperssart | www.bananapeppersart.com