Tiara Russell

Southern Belle

Mixed Media

30 × 30

Based on Tiara's lived experience of being raised by a biracial mother who was adopted into a predominantly Black Southern family, the work reflects on how expectations of femininity, respectability, and beauty can be shaped by proximity to whiteness. Childhood memories of being denied cornrows, high-top sneakers, or popular streetwear become symbols of a larger tension: the pressure to appear polished, graceful, and

"acceptable" while navigating Black girlhood in the South.

The magnolia flower becomes central to the piece as both a personal memory and a Southern symbol of femininity, grace, love, and dignity. By reclaiming the magnolia alongside Blackness, the artwork becomes a love letter to Tiara's younger self, affirming that femininity and authenticity can coexist. It challenges the idea that Blackness must be softened, hidden, or tamed in order to be beautiful.