The Sound of Praise (2024)
Oil on canvas 24”×48”
 
An elderly Black woman in vintage clothing plays an old tambourine, her face expressing sorrow yet filled with determination to sing and find joy in her heart. The rhythmic sound of the tambourine, an integral instrument in Black church culture and music, contrasts with the woman's somber expression, evoking the struggle between sorrow and the effort to reach a place of peace.
 
The Sound of Praise serves as a two-fold metaphor. On one hand, it highlights the cultural significance of the tambourine in African American music, especially in church settings. On the other, it illustrates how music and sound have the power to transcend the mundane, guiding the soul to a moment of peaceful release and spiritual renewal.