“Meet Deryl. Keep your eye on him”
Instead of merely depicting figures, my work reveals what they carry.
The body holds growth and knowledge.
The landscape remembers.
The image becomes a psychological field.
The audience becomes a witness within the encounter.
Mixed media on canvas
31 × 32 in
2026
#MeetDeryl #BlackFiguration #PsychologicalField #ArtAsWitness #ContemporaryPainting
Instead of merely depicting figures, my work reveals what they carry.
The body holds growth and knowledge.
The landscape remembers.
The image becomes a psychological field.
The audience becomes a witness within the encounter.
Title : 12.5 M
Medium: Oil sticks, acrylic paints, dyes, pencil, and pastels on found material
Dimensions: 6’ x 3’4”
Improvised on found material, this work layers figures, a fractured, divided Africa, and the haunting number 12.5 million — evoking the lives displaced during the transatlantic slave trade. The surface, already carrying its own history, becomes a stage where colonial power, cultural memory, and African identity collide. In this collision, the work asks how African identity might exist beyond European influence, asserting a vision that resists inherited dominance and claims its own psychic ground.
Work in progress — addressing displacement and plight of African people to Europe during the Transatlantic slave trade.
🚨 New Music Alert 🚨
“JUNE” by Martin Peeves is now streaming on all digital platforms — Spotify, Apple Music, and more.
🎧 Tap in for a sound that blends raw emotion, style, and pulse — straight from the margins to the mainframe.
🌐 Listen now & share:
[https://open.spotify.com/album/69sGAxtdA7AQJqP325LrTi?si=ZVGmJ3LERPGMqyqTEEVVWQ]
🖼️: Original artwork by Martin Peeves
#MartinPeeves #NewMusic #AfrofuturistWave #Peeveskotek #JuneDrop #DIYMusic #EDM
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My new artwork celebrating #IbrahimTraore of #BurkinaFaso is coming along quite exciting
I’ve been creating artwork for my cohort exhibition, which has a theme of autoethnography. Since this exhibition aligns so well with my research study, it’s been a valuable prompt for me to consider different ways of presenting my research findings (artifacts). My artwork for the exhibition reflects my research on Wholly Drawing. Check out this animation in progress.…
Title: Vertical Implementation of Wholly Drawing Method: A Case Study in Perceptual Adaptation
Abstract:
This report examines an experimental application of the Wholly Drawing method in a vertical orientation, departing from traditional horizontal drawing surfaces. The study demonstrates how spatial reorientation affects observational drawing practice and challenges established perceptual habits.
Methodology:
The experiment employed a series of observational drawings created from a single photographic reference, executed on various media including:
Observations and Analysis:
Findings:
The vertical orientation initially created perceptual challenges but ultimately led to:
The experiment aligns with Wholly Drawing principles through:
Conclusion:
The vertical application of Wholly Drawing methodology demonstrates the method’s adaptability while challenging conventional drawing practices. The progression from initial discomfort to confident execution suggests potential benefits in varying spatial orientation for developing observational skills and expanding artistic practice.
Implications:
This experiment suggests valuable applications for:
The findings support further investigation into spatial variation in observational drawing practices and its impact on artistic development.
Keywords: Wholly Drawing, observational drawing, vertical orientation, perceptual adaptation, artistic methodology, spatial cognition
These pieces are part of an ongoing exploration of colonialism, slavery, racial violence, and systemic oppression.
In the first piece, I’m thinking through the dynamic between power and suffering. The colonial figures, dressed in red coats, smirk and point while a Black body hangs upside down. Their exaggerated expressions feel almost cartoonish, which contrasts with the weight of the moment. The shadowy figures in the background suggest agonizing fate of defeat.
The second piece expands on these themes. The central Black figure, bound and exposed, looms over two colonial characters who seem to be mocking …
I’m still working through these ideas, pushing myself to see where they lead.
Coming 2 Amerikkka(WIP)
This series of works emerges from my exploration of storytelling through raw materials and expressive forms. Using cardboard as my canvas, I embrace its imperfections—each crease, tear, and texture becomes an essential part of the narrative, shaping the imagery and deepening its resonance.
The figures depicted—indentured servants, slave owners, silhouettes, and bound bodies—occupy a charged space where history and personal interpretation intersect. Bold strokes and gestural lines evoke movement and tension, while fragmented layers of text suggest untold stories, inviting viewers to construct their own understanding.
This work transcends visual expression; it seeks to foster dialogue. The cardboard, with its unassuming familiarity, transforms into a stage where themes of power, struggle, and identity take shape. Each panel represents my journey of confronting and engaging with the history of the transatlantic slave trade—a tactile process of layering, observing, and responding to both the medium and the subject. The setting of production, with its exposed beams and unfinished backdrop, serves as an extension of the work itself, grounding it in a space of experimentation, reflection, and raw honesty.
Coming To America….life on the ship….hanging with White men…circa the Transatlantic slave trade…
I have revisited my ongoing body of work by transforming repurposed sardine cans into heads, creating full figures that explore the phenomenon of seeing faces and forms in everyday materials. After much experimentation, I have finally devised a way to construct bodies that seamlessly integrate with the sardine can heads, allowing the entire figure to come together cohesively. This sculptural series is a work in progress, inviting viewers to engage with the interplay between the mundane and the imaginative. Each figure embodies the essence of human connection, challenging perceptions and highlighting the beauty of transformation. Through this innovative approach, I aim to evoke a sense of wonder and reflection on how we find identity and meaning in the objects that surround us.
In my new body of work, I explore representational portraiture and figure art through the lens of everyday interactions. Drawing inspiration from the “new old master” concept, I embrace the resurgence of traditional materials, particularly color pencils. This medium allows me to carve out figures with a painterly quality, revealing the intricate psychology underlying casual meetings. Each piece captures the nuances of human connection, transforming fleeting moments into expressive narratives that invite viewers to reflect on the complexity of interpersonal dynamics.
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I am currently working on writing a short story that places
Wholly Drawing in a familiar everyday setting.
The story takes place in a classroom, with an Art teacher
introducing Wholly Drawing as the lesson for the day.
Through this narrative, readers will be able to gain a
better understanding of the theory and process behind
Wholly Drawing. The story aims to delve deeper into
the subject and provide clearer insights. Additionally, it
addresses common questions or speculations about the
drawing process, offering a more comprehensive and
general explanation.
During the initial phases of the Wholly Drawing research,
a study was done on the brain to identify distinct regions
that are activated during engagement in observational drawing.
The primary focus of this investigation was to determine the
origins of visual impressions and their corresponding neural
mappings in the brain. Additionally, the study aimed to identify
the mechanisms responsible for generating involuntary
motor actions by the body in response to (an observed) stimuli.
Diagram illustrating the processes(mental) involved in engaging in an activity of drawing from an observation.
Self: The Brain(mind): The Eye: Motor-signal action: Will/motive: Desire: Sensation: Object/subject: Attention: Contact: Render: Reproduction of object image: