UV: Are you a native of the Bay Area?
CE: Having been born in England during a time when there were few people of color, I was drawn to the Bay Area here in California for its diversity. We are also blessed with a beautiful climate, and I love Oakland.

UV: Who are three other Bay Area artists that inspire you?
CE: I really enjoy the work of Mildred Howard, Raymond Saunders, and Barry McGee.

UV: Tell us about your studio.
CE: I wish I had one. I work in my apartment, which is really dark, so it is only when the show goes up that I really get to see my work properly.

UV: What kind of music do you like?
CE: I love music, couldn't live without it. My passion is for the great Reggae artists of the U.K. - especially Peter Hunnigale and Michael Gordon. I also listen to Miles Davis and Billie Holiday. Music helps me paint and renews my enthusiasm for life.

UV: Where would your ideal show be held?
CE: The Guggenheim Museum of Art. The ideal show for me in the past was to show in a gallery, any gallery, and it took years to achieve that. I have hung my work in restaurants, inns, book stores, and even ice cream parlors. Places like that were great for me in the beginning. It was important to have people see my paintings and it is good practice to show your work. You need the feedback. I even had shows where nothing was for sale, just for the exposure, and I learned a lot. But a proper gallery with walls and lighting specifically designed to exhibit art: Now that's entertainment!

UV: Is your art, your life as an artist, compulsory? If so, explain.
CE: I have always been an artist, starting from my earliest memories. Considering how much I loved to paint and draw, my future became obvious.

It helps me heal from my past, and inspires me to be the best that I can be. Creativity is so essential and rewarding, I especially want to be important to underprivileged kids like I was, who in seeing my determination, will know that they too can realize their dream with hard work and determination.