Meet Visual Artist, Lillian Cotton

Her pieces are hauntingly beautiful. Read on to find out more about her...

Describe your art work in your own words

Decorative, figurative abstractions best describe my work. I love patterns, particularly African wax print fabric and lace. However, I am also highly influenced by the Art Nouveau era, not only for the style but its concepts as well.

Tell me a bit about your background: Where are you from? What was it like growing up there?

I was born in Lithia Springs, GA and raised in Atlanta, GA. I also lived in Albany, New York; Miami, Florida; and Rock Hill, South Carolina. In Atlanta I started karate classes and I

continued after we moved to Miami. I also took modern dance classes and participated in the Girl Scouts. 

 In middle school I was accepted into a magnet art program for visual art where I learned how to draw and paint. I spent most of my summers in South Carolina with my grandparents until their deaths. When I started eighth grade we moved back to South Carolina, and I became very active in the youth department of our church. In my spare time I hung out with my cousins, and we spent a great deal of time styling and braiding each other’s hair.

Do you think your background has influenced your work? If yes, how so.

Yes. I enjoyed the creative aspects of styling hair with my cousins, as I continued with my passion for drawing and painting. As I began to collect and read books and magazines on hair and hairstyles I became interested in hair from a social and cultural perspective. Women, especially African-American women, use their hair to define who they are and to make interesting statements about themselves. 

 I began to paint women’s hair as I began to better understand how it is used to judge and determine their wealth, identity, social class, ethnicity, religion and sexuality.

While well-kept-hair denotes upper social class, wealth, and prominence; unkempt hair may denote poverty, derangement, and low self-esteem which may come as a result of negligence and abuse. Therefore I decided to incorporate the concept of hair into my paintings and let the woman’s hair tell the story of her state of mind. 

 Also, I capitalized on the sculptural, organic, textural qualities of hair as a medium to portray and convey the emotional and psychological conditions of the contemporary woman. I wanted to capture, on canvas, the essence of the woman as it is depicted through her hair, whether it represents the boldness of her nature or the depth of her sorrow.

What are the main themes/ ideas behind your work?

One of the main themes of my work is the acknowledgement of the pain and suffering women endure as a result of their involvement in abusive situations. Primarily, I am focusing on sexual abuse because sexually abused people also suffer from psychological and emotional trauma. 

I use hair, in its extreme, as a means or vehicle to depict the hardships and struggles of women who have been abused. Also, I create art that I hope will speak to their pain and inspire them to reclaim their right to a healthy and wholesome identity as they seek to recover from the tragic and catastrophic events in their lives.

 Do you seek to convey a particular message with each piece? Is that a part of your creative process?

Yes. In my work I do seek to convey a particular message in each piece. For example, when my work is done in a series each piece captures a particular idea or mood of the whole situation. I try to present a number of positions or point of view of the same situation. When the viewers view all of the pieces of the series they get a greater representation of the thoughts, ideas, and the range of emotions that the victims may experience. The idea is that the viewers will be able to see the victims’ evolvement as they progress from the initial stages of their recovery to the final stages of the healing process.

Any favorite artists? How have they influenced you?

One of my favorite visual artists is Jenny Saville, a contemporary British artist. She has influenced me with her paint application wherein she uses hard and loose brush strokes that create the effect of an unfinished look in her work. Another favorite artist of mine is Gustav Klimt, an Austrian painter of the Art Nouveau era. I incorporated his style of using the decorative floral and abstract patterns into the composition of my own artwork. This technique adds a dimensional element to the work which enhances the femininity of each piece.

What's your vision for where you'd like your work to be in 5, 10 and 20 years?

My vision for my work within the next five years includes (1) exhibitions in major art galleries in New York, Philadelphia, and Chicago, (2) collaboration with several musical and visual artists, (3) corroboration with charitable organizations, and (4) participation in artist residencies. In the next ten years 

I would like to travel with my exhibitions to colleges, high schools, and middle schools across the nation to help raise the level of awareness of sexual abuse and give a voice to the victims. I would like to have completed my MFA in either: Fiber Arts, Costume Design, or Mixed Media/Performance. 

 In the next twenty years I would like to have pieces displayed in the major museums around the world, such as the MOMA, Guggenheim, and the Saatchi Gallery. Also, I would like to create my own non-profit organization to help and support women who suffer from abuse.

Where can we see more of your artwork?

My work can be seen at the Dupree Gallery in the show, Adopt-A-Pig, which is a fundraiser for young patients with cancer. A percentage of the proceeds from each piece sold will be donated to the young patients.

One of my paintings can be found in the Rohm and Haas art collection in the Rohm and Haas office in the Delaware Valley. Also anyone can visit my website at www.lilliancotton.com.

Parting Words/Thoughts?

I give all glory to God because without Him nothing is possible.


Woman of Colour is dedicated to showcasing the work of female visual artists from diverse backgrounds. If you would like to be featured or would like to recommend someone, email me at womanofcolourtheblog@gmail.com.