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| An Education |
Imani is a vibrant soul whose oil paintings tells a story of the African American culture. Committed to perfecting her craft since her younger years, Imani would mimic her fathers paintings to her best abilities. "I’ve been in art classes since I can remember, from taking classes at the Corcoran in DC to the Torpedo Factory in Virginia my parents have always steered me toward developing my skill and exposure to the arts," she says. When asked about her specific painting techniques, "I typically paint figural compositions and really prefer oil paint over acrylic. Oil paint is just so much juicier to me and really gives life to the human figure," she exclaims. Imani also admitted to not following a particular order or technique. "I just paint and allow things to happen as I move along," she adds.
I was pleased to know that she would acquire her inspiration from me, well not me in particular but almost. She receives her true inspiration from people of color, "our aesthetics, our dynamism, our struggle, our triumph, and our created culture. I paint black women usually and really try to capture their essence holistically. How they are luminous and beautiful effortlessly. That’s what I found needed to be captured and artistically appreciated. That’s my prime inspiration," she states.
Staying true to her DC roots, Imani chooses to capture the DC brand of women as she tries to distinguish herself within the industry. "I don’t know if I’m trying to be original or innovative I just create work that is true to what I believe in and that reflects my particular aesthetic," she says.
When asked to describe the story behind her upcoming artshow "An Education" Saturday July 13, 2013, this was her response, "The work in this upcoming show really lionizes themes that I’ve explored in my past shows. It captures the essences of the black women in newer compositions and even new mediums. I’ve named the show “An Education” because the work is inspired by artists that I have came to appreciate over my years at being at Pratt. The show is also notable because it really captures where I am in my life in terms of my art career. I feel like I know what my visual language is and I feel a lot more confident in my work. My goals as an artist are just to remain limitless." (You can view my 2010 post titled "New York City" for exclusive info about my visit to Pratt).
To learn more about Imani Shanklin- Roberts please visit:
Staying true to her DC roots, Imani chooses to capture the DC brand of women as she tries to distinguish herself within the industry. "I don’t know if I’m trying to be original or innovative I just create work that is true to what I believe in and that reflects my particular aesthetic," she says.
When asked to describe the story behind her upcoming artshow "An Education" Saturday July 13, 2013, this was her response, "The work in this upcoming show really lionizes themes that I’ve explored in my past shows. It captures the essences of the black women in newer compositions and even new mediums. I’ve named the show “An Education” because the work is inspired by artists that I have came to appreciate over my years at being at Pratt. The show is also notable because it really captures where I am in my life in terms of my art career. I feel like I know what my visual language is and I feel a lot more confident in my work. My goals as an artist are just to remain limitless." (You can view my 2010 post titled "New York City" for exclusive info about my visit to Pratt).
To learn more about Imani Shanklin- Roberts please visit:
Instagram: @imanipurpose
Twitter: @sr_imani
Facebook: Imani Shanklin Roberts Art Gallery
