I come from a long line of healers. My father and uncle were doctors, my mother was a nurse, and my brother is a cancer research scientist. Through them, I found my adoration for medicine, and if we could trace back through my African ancestry, I’m sure we’d find that healing is in our blood. Twenty-five years ago, I began painting as a hobby while I was pregnant. I painted bright abstracts and explored different textures and mediums that I realized were deeply rooted in my spiritual beliefs. As a physician who specializes in Family Medicine, I aim to integrate traditional medical practices with art and spirituality.

I soon began hanging my paintings along the walls of my office. It wasn’t long before my patients became curious about them. They began to ask about the art, and if a piece particularly resonated with them, I would ask two simple questions; “Would it bring you joy?” and “Would it bring you peace?” If they answered yes, I would give them the painting. I believe that art is a form of medicine for the soul and spirit that melds with traditional medicine for the physical body.

I believe this is the essence of what it means to be human. There is a rhythm to life in Africa, a universal pulse that stayed with me long after I returned home. I have traced my biological roots to West Africa, where I’ve been blessed enough to return to, learn from, and aid in any way I can. When I returned home after the first trip in 2015, I began to paint the story of my tribal history, it awakened in me a call to the universal heartbeat of all people, and my paintings transformed into a spiritual reflection of the human connection.

I believe art is the reflection of one’s inner soul. It is the spirit within us that resonates with our past, present, and future.