Modern Creators: Black Female Artists

Aunj Braggs

Aunj is a painter, muralist, and mixed media artist based in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Her work primarily focuses on her lived experiences as a Black woman and the representation of this marginalized group of people. She draws inspiration from the lives of her loved ones and fantasy/sci-fi themed books, media, and film. Aunj completed her Associate of Arts at Tulsa Community College. She graduated from the University of Central Oklahoma with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in the Spring of 2018. 

Early in her career she exhibited at Oklahoma University, IAO Gallery, and her home University in Edmond. After her move back to Tulsa in 2019 she joined an all Black artists collective called Black Moon. Since her involvement with the collective, she has participated in group shows at TAC gallery, Living Arts, the Gilcrease Museum, and the Philbrook Museum. 

She continues to stay actively invested within the arts community of Oklahoma, and she is optimistic that the art scene here will advance to be more inclusive and diverse in the future. 

She explores her own personal narrative and how she can relate to other people—"you are who you are because of where you've been and I exaggerate my own perspective purely because I can”. Using a highly saturated color palette, her work fabricates surreal depictions with no anchor in space or time, developed by her visual influences from sci-fi/fantasy themes. Encouraging self-acceptance and building tolerance for unique appearances are consistent themes within her portfolio, “It is my hope that women of color, who have felt as isolated as I have, can see themselves within the visuals of my work”. Aunj often depicts hair as a defining characteristic of her subjects and Afrofuturistic can describe some of the pieces, which concentrates on placing Black people in a futuristic, surreal or fantasy aesthetic. This genre can be found in books, music, productions, and various art forms, all with the hopes of uplifting the Black community to see a future in which they are represented and thriving. 

Raasheda Burnett

Raasheda is a multidisciplinary contemporary abstract artist currently working within painting, drawing and fibers. Her artworks have been featured in solo and group exhibitions such as the Allied Arts 2021 GOLDtini, Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition 2020 Concept triennial exhibition, OVAC 2020 Momentum Exhibition, OVAC 12x12 Exhibition, Allied Arts OK ARTini Exhibition, MuseArt Gallery Urban Hues Artshow and The OKC Women of Color art showcase. She also volunteers at various art organizations and continues to engage in community art involvement while encouraging the use of art as a wellness practice.
Her inspiration comes from people, multidimensional concepts and nature. Exploring with color, layers, dimensions, and how they correlate with grabbing the viewers into the artwork to create their own unique experience. Building depth and many textures with mixed media, textiles/fibers, acrylic and pastels. “The joy of it all is experiencing a divine gift of love and expression that is a pleasure to share! Like magic, art can transform a room or a space… it can even put a smile on your face”

Ronna Pernell

Ronna Pernell an African American Female Artist visually expresses the essence of every phase of an as artists life from passion and dreams as she accentuates the path in their journey. Through the artistic, a societal and spiritual chronology of Black Freedom Tribal life is presented. This is a process that is unfamiliar to many, and it is my goal to bring a better understanding of this process to my audience. This story and message expresses the lives and Heritage of many Black Indians.  In Order to gain an in-depth perspective on the diverse lives of Black Indigenous people within Oklahoma Tribes for the project, I have conducted an extensive literature search, as well as, have had one-on-one conversations with Muscogee Creek Freedman to gain insight into how they have evolved as individuals and overcome some of the struggles. Also, the effect of the denial of health services during the Covid-19 pandemic by Oklahoma Indigenous Nations and advocating to make a difference.

Sunee Rice

Sunee Rice (The Incredible) is a self-taught visual artist known for bold abstract paintings and digital illustrations. Her work has been displayed in several prestigious institutions and historical venues such as The Oklahoma History Museum, Paseo Arts and Creativity Center, and The House of Blues (Dallas).

She is the owner and operator of  Rice Photography OKC, and Sunshine Illustrations. 

Sunee has curated several major art shows since 2019. These shows gave her the media attention and connections necessary to travel out of her home state, Oklahoma, and perform live for broader audiences. 

Sunee has been the president of Poetic City Visual Arts, a division of Poetic City, since its inception in January of 2021. Poetic City Visual Arts has contributed to the success of Sunee’s live painting career by providing a creative platform for artists year-round.

        “There is freedom in expression through the arts. I do my best to create space for my peers to feel comfortable to express themselves. I gravitate towards those that do the same for me. It’s the only way we’ll see positive growth.”