“The Tree of Life” By Dominique Tull 24 x 36 Acrylic & Pastels on Canvas

As I continue to create from a space of reverence for our Ancestors, I was led to an earthly depiction of Jesus Christ. When I reflect on my upbringing, the presence of Christ was always there, no matter where my mind or spirit may have wandered. As I became more intellectualized, I found myself deeply questioning my faith and, at times, feeling as if textbooks had become my master rather than the Spirit.

In a world where my people have been consistently downtrodden, my spirit finds comfort in the image of Jesus as a man of dark complexion, one who delivered the Beatitudes to his disciples during the Sermon on the Mount. I see Him as the Tree of Life, rooted in the beginning and revealed in fullness, offering healing, wisdom, and restoration.