Chapter 510 Poet - Leila

This young lady is Oakland's new Poet Laureate. This is maybe the 8th or 9th time I've painted a portrait for Chapter 510 and the Oakland Public Library's annual poet laureate program. It's an honor to paint these rising and shining minds and an honor to be commissioned by Chapter 510.

You can read her work HERE

Update: This young poet just got her novel "Nightcrawling" featured by Oprah Winfrey!! 

Dig this? Check out some of the other portraits I've painted:
Journalist Jamilah King

Poet Lucy

Self Portrait 

Chapter 510, Oakland Poets, and Portrait illustrations

Just picked up my posters for the Oakland Youth Poet Laureates last night at the Chapter 510 event promoting a new venture and collaboration. Its is a collaboration between Pro Arts Gallery, Oakland Public Library, and Youth Speaks. The event featured the four poets seen below and poet/artist Freddy Gutierrez. Folks also got to meet many of the volunteers such as Max Gibson that make the programs work and Chapter 510 founders

Janet Heller, Erica Lorraine Scheidt, and Mariah Landers. The event was great hearing all of the super talented poets spin their tales of emotion, love, struggle, and life. And it was an honor to meet them and share the artwork with them; secretly hoping that they would approve, which they did.

Stephanie Yun

Olivia Hoffman

Francesca Paris

Obasi Davis

Check out the new site where there will be a magazine made of poems by the Oakland Poets and several other Oakland Youth. Chapter 510 is doing great work to further literacy, creative writing, and stories here in Oakland needs your support. So please check out the site, give if you can, and definitely share with folks or volunteer with them.

Dig this? Check out this portrait of poet Azariah