When I was 1 year old, I was in my grandmas arms as she wrote in her notebook. My tiny hand suddenly reached out for the pen, itching for a chance to explore with this strange new toy. With her hand in mine, my grandma and I drew a scraggly, simple smiley face. This one moment was the start of my 23 year long fascination with visual arts. I began with drawing crude circular forms, what my family calls my “potato people”. As time when on I advanced to things I saw around me, such as cartoons, dogs, and food. While other kids had toys and video games, i has colored pencils, markers, paints, glitter, and pens. I drew on the coffee table for hours, and i loved every minute of it. my family moved around the country many times as a child, and i was often ostracized as being one the “weird kids”. However, my talent stood out at a young age. I impressed teachers, my family, friends, and even my peers at school with my drawings. I took art classes in school and learned a lot from my family, but id say the crux of my knowledge comes from my own studying of the human form, the elements of art, and the artistic ethos of creatives i admire.
I began selling my art work at the age of 17, starting with local head shops and cafes who sold local art. My work at the time was mostly ethereal surrealist colored pencil drawings of various fantasy scenes. I was heavily inspired by Hayao Miyazaki, Kanye West’s “My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy”, and the work of Kara Walker. In May of 2023 I had my debut art show at the Corazon gallery. The following year i exhibited my work at Ziccardi’s bazaar, as well as winning first place in the Corazon art gallery’s Black and White show.
Around 2025 my work began to take a turn away from the surreal and further into the harsh realities of everyday Americans. My second body of work, titled “Manumission of the Gods” is a series of figurative works inspired by the Harlem renaissance and the Americana aesthetic. The dominant color scheme of red, yellow, green, and blue creates a very rich, nostalgic tone, as if these work were made in the 1950s. However, the themes and subject matter surrounding the work still keep the pieces modern. Artists such as Jacob Lawrence, Kerry James Marshall, and Mike Wong heavily influence this work. Pieces such as “Ghetto Gospel” and “BLACK LIVES MATTER” explore the serious subject of police brutality, using intense bright colors to bring the chaotic and tragic scenery to life. However, works such “Good Taste” or “The Lovers” take on a lighter subject matter of love and the joys of food.
My wide range of work shows not only my diversity in skill but also in vison. I have a lot of ideas to share with the world, and I will not stop until my voice is heard. I sincerely hope you join me for the ride.
– Cyenda Stormant, April 2026
Cyenda Cecilia 