Home studio, 2025
Selling on the streets of Tucson, 2024
Beautiful community members of Cehcum, Guatemala
Commercial Commission in Tucson, 2023
Personal Commission in Tucson, 2021
YeloMonki Works
I grew up a writer, singer and musician until the age of 38, even though, I had many secret passions my entire life. As a child, I was obsessed with indigenous cultures, paintings, ceramics, textiles, animals, plants, cuisine, herbal medicines, literature, architecture and science. I spent many of my formative school years slipping away from class to spend many hours in the library reading information about and memorizing pictures of such things. I wanted to experience and try so many things that were not available for me to physically explore in my suburban life that it almost drove me mad. I wanted most to be traveling the world, to be surrounded by animals, while painting and sculpting.
At age 38, I started College life in Chicago. I attended Truman City College and Northeastern Illinois University. I studied a plethora of subjects and really had no goal of graduating. I studied Socio-cultural Anthropology, Socio-Linguistics, Ceramics, T.E.S.L and African History. I was involved in Student Government and was an English Tutor. My favorite part of that time was meeting so many wonderful people and picking through the brains of some incredible professors and mentors. Their intelligence and passion fueled me.
Although, I have traveled for many years around the United States, I have only traveled out of the country once. At age 40, I traveled solo to study the iconography inside the back-strap -loom weaving of the Ke'che Maya in Cehcum, Guatemala. While there, I harvested honey from 250 yr old bee hives and delivered it to the locals, enjoyed indigenous live maya music, learned how to prepare local cuisine and taught painting classes to the community at night.
I still dream of going to foreign places and painting what I might discover. I sometimes think about actually getting a degree in something. Until then, I live each day grateful for my chosen family and for this beautiful planet.
A Conversation Tend To My Garden Now
Two paintings of mine featured in the Permanent Collection at the Presques Isle’s Reed Art Gallery at The University of Main. Courtesy of the late and amazing David Hitchcock and his family.
Ruthy Thmei Todd and Nora Vara. Two of my inspirations!
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Yellow Gray’s Art Timeline
1987 - The Mattress Factory Art Exposition ( inside the Cabbagetown Mill). Installation: “The Power Of Mask Media”. Atlanta, G.A.
1993 - Art of the Century Show at The Rebecca Shipley Gallery. “Exquisite Corpse” - A Collaboration of 20 Artists. Atlanta, G.A.
1996 - First published photograph in the “Best of Atlanta” Creative Loafing. Title: “Glorious Foot Solider” From the Gay and
Lesbian Festival, 1996.
1989-2003 - Created images for local bands in Atlanta, G.A.. Included: posters, flyers, album covers, invitation cards and
random merchandise.
2004-2008 - Attended Harry S. Truman College, DePaul Unv. and Northeastern Illinois Unv. in Chicago, I.L.
Disciplines In: Sociocultural Anthropology, Sociolinguistics, African History, TESL, Ceramics and Art History.
2008 - Studied culture and iconography inside the back-strap-loom weaving in Checam, Guatemala and conducted painting
classes for the community at night.
2020 - YeloMonki Works was formally established to sell paintings to the public.
2022 - Two of YeloMonki Works paintings were added to the Permanent collection of the Presque's Isle’s Reed Art Gallery
at The University of Main. Titles: “A Conversation” and “ Tend To My Garden Now…Old White Man”.
2023 - CSIRI.org (Computer Social Impact Research Institute) awarded YeloMonki Works as their featured Artist for the months of
January and February.
2024 - Featured four paintings in the Opening Show of The East Hive Community Gallery. Tucson, A.Z.
2025 - Volunteer Painting and Sculpture Teacher at The Armory Park Senior Center. Tucson, A.Z.
