Otis kwame kye Quaicoe

08/31/2026

08/29/2026

Oil sticks have become one of my favorite mediums to draw with. There’s something about the rawness of the texture, the way they move across the surface, that takes me back to being a child, when drawing was simply about curiosity, freedom, and expression.
Before I learned to question every line or think about what a drawing should become, I would just draw whatever I felt.
Oil sticks bring me back to that place. A place where there are no rules, no expectations just me, the surface, and the freedom to make something.
Sometimes, the best part of being an artist is remembering how to play. 🥰
I just love them. Happy weekend.

08/19/2026

08/16/2026

My love for Western movies growing up as a kid in Ghana first drew my attention to the red farm barns I saw on screen. There was always something about their structures that captivated me, especially in horror films. Barns seemed to hold a sense of life, history, and growth, while at the same time carrying something haunting and mysterious.
Moving to the United States and seeing these barns in person felt like a full-circle moment for me. Whenever I come across one, I photograph it. One of the things that has always caught my attention is their traditional red color. I often wondered why red became so closely associated with barns, until I learned that early farmers used inexpensive, homemade sealants made with iron oxide (rust) and linseed oil to protect the wood from rot, mold, and fungi. The mixture naturally dried to a rust-red color, and over time, what began as a practical and affordable solution became a lasting agricultural tradition.
This painting is inspired by a barn on my former home. It use to be a place i go to have a quiet time to reflect with my dog, and whiles in there, it always made me wonder about the life it once held, the animals that lived there, the people who cared for them, and the stories that had unfolded within its walls. For me, the barn became more than a structure; it became a symbol of time, memory, life, and the quiet traces that history leaves behind. And so I painted "The Barn" a structure full of life and memories. Enjoy.

08/11/2026

"GAZING"

There is a particular look you learn to recognize when you are Black and living in a place where you are made to feel like you don’t belong.
It is in the eyes that follow you.
The silence that changes when you enter a room.
The glance that asks, “What are you doing here?” without saying a word.
I have experienced that gaze many times not always loudly, not always openly, but enough to feel it.
Gazing is about that moment of looking back.
Not with anger, not with fear, but with an awareness that says, I see you seeing me.
As a Black person living in the United States, I have often found myself navigating spaces where my presence can feel questioned or unwanted. But over time, I have learned that I don't have to shrink myself to make other people comfortable.
So I paint the gaze. I paint the tension, the vulnerability, the dignity, and the quiet strength of simply existing as myself.
Sometimes the most powerful response to being made to feel invisible is to look back and remind the world: I am here. I belong here.

The painting’s direct gaze, the yellow glasses, and the contrast between the pink and gray create a strong feeling of being watched while also refusing to look away.