Oshun by Geraldine Gaines

Oshun by Geraldine Gaines, oil paint on carved wooden door, 18.25 x 36 x 0.75 inches.

Ms. Gaines is a native and long –time resident of Jersey City. She’s also an alumnus of New Jersey City University, where she received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in painting and drawing in 2009. Ms. Gaines, who has performed the art of traditional African drumming and dancing, has added mask carving to her portfolio. She uses old and new wooden doors as her canvas recreating elaborate African mask images on her doors. Resulting, Doors to the Past.​ The collection consists of several doors with mask-themed carvings overlying African-inspired fabric wax prints. Gaines creates her own original designs using geometric shapes similar to the wax prints. Gaines completes her carving by adding dark contrasting color, which allows the image to pop off the surface.