“My artwork reflects me as a black woman, and my love of fashion,” notes Jernicya Onyekwelu. “I grew up watching 'Project Runway' and drawing fashion illustrations while watching the show after school every day. I would carry my sketchbook to all my classes and doodle on my class notes during lectures.
“I’ve always known I wanted to be an artist since my early adolescence. I always gravitated towards art and have been pursing it passionately ever since I was born. I am inspired by black women specifically, and I like to explore different African and Black diasporas within my art subjects to depict different aspects of black culture and history through the combination of my love of fashion and art.”
I have always gravitated towards any forms of art, whether it be dance, drawing, painting, singing in the choir, and acting in theatre. I’ve always been a creative kid and a scholar of fine arts and literature as I have continued my love of art in higher education through studying art history, studio art, and journalism during my undergraduate years. I am proud to have continued working within the arts all my life.
Inspired and liberated
When, I’m tired of looking at it. It’s done. I don’t like overworking and overthinking when it comes to making art. I’m very whimsical, and usually don’t plan new artworks before jumping in to a new project.
