Bio
Omari Booker, multidisciplinary artist based in Nashville, TN and Los Angeles, CA, began his journey as an artist his senior year of high school at Montgomery Bell Academy. While attending Belmont University, Omari studied Mathematics and other more traditional curricula before he finally focused on studio art and graphic design. He later earned his B.S. in Graphic Design from Tennessee State University. Oil paintings are Omari’s predominant medium, but mixed media including charcoal, ink, and found objects are essential building blocks of his work, and are used to create finished pieces. Large scale work has been a constant creative outlet for Omari, and murals have also become a consistent part of his creative practice. Storytelling in the form of poetry, prose, and children’s books are also creative outlets.

Omari takes a process-oriented approach to his art, embracing it as a therapeutic modality through which he is able to express his passion for the freedom and independence that the creative process allows him to experience. His art is his personal therapy, and his desire is that those viewing it will have personal experiences of catharsis. The philosophy that undergirds Omari’s work is FREEDOM THROUGH ART and he aspires to create work that communicates to his audience their unique and intrinsic ability to be free. see more work @omaribooker.com

Statement
I paint to visually express the concepts in my mind. The freeing of my spirit is the gift that makes me continue to produce work. The level of intense presence that I slip into while painting provides a cathartic experience. Painting allows me to both deal with the world and escape it
simultaneously.

I focus on oil painting, but consistently work in other media. The color palate is free, and the brush strokes are thick and chunky. Found objects are often incorporated into my work. I create murals and large scale public artwork as well.

The creative process drives my spiritual growth. Painting is my personal therapy, and as important as the result may be, it is secondary to the joy I find in creating.