In Layered Reflections, I bring together verre églomisé and paper tole to explore the interplay of diversity and commonality in human experience. Verre églomisé, with its reverse-painted glass surfaces gilded from behind, reveals intricate narratives only through light and angle—much like the hidden layers of personal history that emerge in shared spaces. Paper tole, built from meticulously cut and layered paper, adds dimensional relief, embodying the tangible accumulation of individual stories into collective forms.

These techniques, exhibited in tandem, mirror my practice as an artist rooted in American art history and African diasporic narratives. Drawing from historical precedents—such as 18th-century European verre églomisé portraits that captured social hierarchies alongside paper-cutting traditions in Zimbabwean culture and American communities—the works address emotional temperaments, hormonal fluxes, and communal resilience. As the work delves into the more personal, it becomes more universal. Each piece diversifies in color, texture, and motif to honor unique identities, yet their juxtaposition underscores universal threads: cycles of energy and mood, the alchemy of light through translucent barriers, and the relief of layered histories converging.

Through workshops and exhibitions, this series invites viewers to engage multisensorially—tracing gilded edges with the eye, feeling the dimensional pull of paper reliefs—fostering empathy across divides. In a time of fractured narratives, Layered Reflections affirms that our differences, when placed in dialogue, illuminate our shared humanity.