Meet Jaylynn.

 

Jaylynn Powe (b. 2005) is a painter born and raised in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Growing up navigating a highly sensitive childhood, she quickly realized that navigating the world as a young Black girl felt ten times harder.

 

In a world that often masculinizes Black features, Jaylynn faced bullying for her looks, her alternative style, and her "weird kid" interests like anime(things society dictates Black girls aren't “supposed” to like). For years, she battled deep self-image and self-worth issues, hiding her textured hair under wigs and beanies, fighting destructive internal thoughts.

 

Everything shifted during a transformative five-month study abroad program in Florence, Italy. Forced into absolute independence, Jaylynn discovered a radical, unapologetic confidence. She began to deeply love being a Black woman with a big nose, full lips, textured hair, and gap teeth, which she now views as a profound symbol of free, uninhibited self-expression.

 

Today, Jaylynn is an Afro-Surrealist artist who documents her lived experiences, internal thoughts, and the nuances of Black womanhood through the color blue. Operating as a blue expressionist painter, she treats blue not just as a symbol of sadness but as a vibrant, optimistic lens for viewing the mood of her life.

 

Powenique is an unfiltered, messy, and intensely honest exploration of the Black identity. Through her work of expressive Black faces and blue people, Jaylynn visually translates the intricate lives of Black women navigating their own coming-of-age eras.