Venise Keys

Yam & Tree Spirit
pen on paper
12 x 9 in.

Break Generational Trauma
pen on paper
12 x 9 in.

Our truth, as American people of African descent, is something we have to dig deep to uncover. Our ancestors used dreams/altered states of being, domestic objects, and the natural world to navigate their daily lives through a spirituality described as “rootwork.” These drawings are a connection to my ancestors who want to speak to you.

“Yam & Tree Spirit” is an actual account of a meditation transporting me into another realm where I became a yam buried in dirt and was declared a tree spirit by shadowy ethereal forms. “Break Generational Trauma” was created during an actual panic attack, the process of drawing and visualization guided me back to a state of calm. Trauma is passed through generations physiologically and emotionally from years of systematic subjugation and institutional programming. Lifestyle changes like deep breathing, mindfulness, plant-based eating, growing food, and increasing outdoor activity will bring Us back to communing with our ancestors to reach our higher selves.

© Venise Keys