Bio
Durrett (1994) is a Chicago-born architect and abstract figurative artist whose mixed-media paintings and sculptures explore the intersection of ethnobotany, identity, and psychological healing within the Black Diaspora. Her practice, informed by her B.Arch from the University of Arizona School of Architecture, weaves together architectural precision with deeply personal narratives of the Black experience. In 2022, painting emerged as a medium for liberation and healing as she reclaimed her voice after surviving an eight-year abusive relationship.
Her work has garnered national recognition through exhibitions at prestigious venues including the Museum of Science and Industry Chicago (2023), Orlando Museum of Art (2022), and Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum (2024). Recent milestones include a solo exhibition in Orlando (2024), exhibitions at Art Basel Miami and EXPO Chicago (2024), and installations at the Mint Museum (2024). Her contributions to contemporary art have been featured in the Orlando Foundation for Architecture archives, 1919 Mag, Blacque, and Sugarcane Magazine.
Based in Central Florida, Durrett's practice continues to evolve as a platform for amplifying marginalized voices and fostering collective healing through cultural dialogue.
Statement
As a multidisciplinary artist rooted in architectural practice, I explore the intersection of healing and identity within the Black Diaspora through abstract figurative works. My mixed-media work blends human forms with botanical elements and architectural precision, allowing me to craft a visual language on the connection between ancestral wisdom and psychological restoration.
Central to my practice is an examination of emotional and psychological healing through an ethnobotanical lens. Drawing from both personal experience and extensive research into traditional healing practices across the African Diaspora, I investigate how environmental knowledge intertwines with mental wellness and cultural identity. My work is enriched by collaborations with health professionals and neuroscientists to offer deeper insights into the complexity of psychological healing within marginalized communities. Vibrant flora, architectural elements, and indigenous patterns within my work are symbols of resilience and cultural memory, while intricate linework bridges the gap between built environment, natural world, and human consciousness.
I predominantly focus on the neck and head in my figures because I view these parts of the body as sacred vessels of both individual and collective memory. My choice of materials—ranging from acrylics and oils to natural elements and found objects—creates layers of meaning that mirror the complexity of diasporic identity and emotional healing. Through techniques of pointillism and one-line painting, I document both personal and communal journeys toward liberation, celebrating the duality within Black experience. Each piece invites viewers to contemplate their own relationship with healing and identity, while contributing to a larger dialogue about psychological well-being within marginalized communities. By weaving together themes of nature’s wisdom, architectural space, and emotional transformation, my work advocates for a return to ancestral knowledge as a pathway to contemporary healing.
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Photo Credits: Black Shell Studio
