Portraits of Excellence: The Book – Coming October 1, 2026

After decades of doodling, creating, and researching, Portraits of Excellence will be available as a hardcover, collectible book set to release October 1, 2026.

Three Decades in the Making

This project began more than 30 years ago, when I was a kid noticing how many of my musical heroes were overlooked, distorted, or erased altogether. Later, in my career, I saw firsthand the double standards and lack of opportunities Black artists faced.

Soon after came the onset of focal dystonia, a neurological condition that limits fine motor control in my drawing hand. For a while, I wasn’t sure I could continue making art at all, but eventually I realized I would need to reinvent how I create. That evolution ultimately shaped the vision and style of Portraits of Excellence.

Sidebar: Catch up on all the “Origins” blogs here.

Why Now?

As we watch the banning and destruction of books, DEI initiatives rolled back, libraries and museums losing funding, and Black history increasingly under threat, raising the truth feels more urgent than ever.

I don’t have the answers, but I can do what I do best.

Portraits of Excellence is my tribute to the Black creators whose work built the culture we share today. Each portrait is paired with brief highlight summaries, creating an “art gallery in a book” that celebrates and preserves these creators and their contributions for generations to come.

Getting It Right

I know the optics of a white artist taking on this work can raise questions, and I completely get that. I think about it every day (and plenty of sleepless nights). My goal is simple: to add more affirming images to the historical record and to support the people and institutions already doing this critical cultural work.

Why I’m Self-Publishing

I’ve chosen a self-publishing approach because these creators deserve permanence beyond the limited, grainy photos scattered online. I want their stories and likenesses to be accessible to everyone in classrooms, libraries, and personal collections, without waiting years for traditional gatekeepers to catch up to the moment.

I don’t know if I’ll sell two copies or two million, but I do know this: half of the net proceeds from the book will be directed back to Black-led cultural institutions, ensuring resources are dedicated to the community this work celebrates.

More Than Just a Book

For me, this is more than a book. It’s a 30 year journey, a preservation effort, and a love letter to the cultural icons whose creativity shaped our world and inspired me personally.

For you, I hope this serves as an invitation to stand with me and these creators, to celebrate their work, educate our youth, and push back against erasure.

Your Support Matters More Than Ever

For three decades, I’ve shared my portraits freely online. This is the first time I’m asking you to stand with me in a new way. Creating Portraits of Excellence as a hardcover book means these images and stories will finally have a permanent, physical home.

Asking for your support doesn’t come easy to me. I’ve always let the work speak for itself. But I know that if this project is going to generate resources, reach classrooms, libraries, and the next generation of creators, I can’t do it quietly.

Your help, whether by preordering a copy, sharing a post, or simply telling a friend, every bit of support helps keep these stories visible and it would mean the world to me.

Thank you, truly, for helping me honor the creators who shaped our culture, and for being part of this next chapter.