SHR(IM)P

Acrylic, Salt, and Raffia on Linen
48in x 36in
2025

"SHR(IM)P" honors Captain Thorpe and the Black shrimpers who built maritime economies while forging paths to freedom.  I researched stories of Black Shrimp captains and came across research in Georgia. Thanks to his wife that carried his story, his story now lives with us. The vibrant orange shrimp emerges boldly against textured white waters, symbolizing both sustenance and liberation. The natural raffia fibers cascade like fishing nets emphasizing the connection of ancestral knowledge to present time. The figure represents Captain Thorpe's ancestral spirit, standing dignified within the ocean's bounty that sustained generations and created economic independence where few opportunities existed.