Latoya Hobbs creates mixed-media works that seamlessly marry traditional painting and relief printmaking techniques on a single surface. These hybrid works employ the use of pattern, color, and texture to provide a visceral experience that is both universal and specific. Her most recent series, Salt of the Earth, explores the personification of women as salt with relation to their function as preservers of family, culture, and community. Major components of the series include: Carving Out Time, an elaborately detailed wood carving depicting the span of a day in her life as a mother and practicing artist; Morning, Homeschool and Housework; Dinner Time; Bedtime for the Boys; and the Studio. Rich and layered in meaning, this work touches on the themes of motherhood, family, and connection to home.
Image: LaToya Hobbs, Carving Out Time, Scene 5: The Studio, 2020-2021. Oil-based ink, acrylic, and relief carving on wood panel. 96 X 144 in. Courtesy of the artist.