Jerika Broussard
Current Occupation:
Full-time artist
Artist Statement
My art is an attempt to birth blessings into the world through each creation. Archetypal images such as the “Serpent” or use of relics represent some of the darker aspects of life and human suffering. However, I turn these images from suffering to beauty in an attempt to tame the dragon and bring light to the darkness.
The process of creating allows for me to see new perspectives, open up my mind to divine guidance, and navigate to positivity in my inner world with the intention of reflecting this to the outside world.
In my experiences, the works of art speak to me, guiding me to growth, transformation, and my highest self. Simultaneously, the art aspires to do the same for the viewer.
What are you up to these days? Working on?
I am working on several different projects.
Artrepreneur Works – millinery (hat-making), oil & acrylic painting, street mural art, prop building, sculpture, mix media works, primitive skills, jewelry line, clothing line, photoshoots.
It is currently mural season so I am in the thick of community development mural projects with local city officials along with business & residential mural commissions. A few other projects I currently have in the works are “Artist Jerika Broussard” clothing line, “Alter Ego” millinery hat collection, “Good JuJu” handmade jewelry series, and I am currently experimenting with hand-painted handbags & suitcases, all of these are available for purchase on my website at www.JerikaBroussard.com.
I have a number of ongoing art series one being my “Menstruation Series” a collection of mixed media pieces mostly made up of graphite, menstruation blood, & prisma color pencil on Rives BFK paper, all sized at 24″ x 36″. In this series, I explore the power of menstruation, conscious shedding, feminine empowerment & personal healing. Each piece in this series captures what I was going through in each of those specific months while also revealing prophetic visions of the future that I had not yet experienced until after they were created.
Another ongoing series is the “Skullpture Series.” This series is a body of 3D works made up of animal relics. Most pieces are on canvas, some in glass casings, all made up of animal’s bones, fur, feathers, etc. Molded and reassembled in plaster and resin creating what I coined as “Skullptures.” I developed an interest and felt called to primitive skills – skinning animals, decomposing the bodies, cleaning the bones, brain tanning the hides, preserving full wings & feathers. I prefer to develop a personal relationship with the materials I use in my work. I honor the animals in my work by having such a hands-on approach and using all of the carcass. I mostly use roadkill, scraps from hunters, or naturally molted materials. I do not kill any of these animals. I am happy to explain more of this process as I love to get into depth with this work form.
Furthermore, I found new inspiration in pop art, erotism & humor. I am creating the series “Banana Ramma” embodying those specific topics. This series is inspired by many great artists such as Ashley Longshore, Mr. Brainwash, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Stephanie Rose Freeman, & Damien Hirst. I am in the middle of this particular series and hope to have the courage to expose it to the world one day soon. I refer to it as the “Banana Ramma” series for now. The “Banana Ramma” series is an expansion of one of my menstruation pieces that I & others found quite potent. This specific menstruation piece revealed shocking reactions from the few who viewed it. I decided to push it further and made a full series spun from the original drawing. After all, successful art pulls a strong reaction no matter what that reaction may be. Even though, I find it important to carry a message of hope and faith in all of my creations.
This repetitive “Banana Ramma” image represents “opening up” to all opportunities in life – relationship, career, sexual expression, awakening the divine feminine and so much more. This is another series I would love to go into depth about. The image is of a nude woman swallowing a banana and fingering a flower. I feel this series is also a representation of me stepping out into the art world as a full-time artist and not allowing others opinions of my expression cripple me from sharing the creations with the world. It has taken a lot of inner work to get to a place to share these vulnerable expressions with the public, and I inspire to do that boldly.
You can follow me on Instagram @Lovevitality and Facebook!