McKInney Lane (Early Spring)

Created largely from automation. This painting embodies a significant part of my childhood in which many of my most cherished memories are kept. McKinney Lane was the road that my grandparents, Opal & Robby McKinney, resided. This side of my family can be traced back many generations all residing in East Tennessee, and even specifically in the area of Emory Heights. They built this house when I was a child and it's ultimately my favorite place on earth as it was at that time. I like painting with an automatic approach because it reveals many things I would not outright say or recollect about a time or place. I see my grandmother on a pure platform. She taught me a lot about growing and sustaining myself. I see her facing the house my grandparents built from the garden. Opposing my grandpa who sat in the house watching tv. My grandparents didn't have the best relationship and Opal was the first person to ever challenge gender norms in my life. She was the keeper of the property.