"We Hear You Wanza, a Portrait of Tywanza Sanders," my oil portrait for Tribute to the Emanuel Nine Portrait Project hosted by Principle Gallery Charleston. I used a vocal graph from his Sound Cloud recording of one of his poems for the small gray bar in the background and faint echoes and reflections of it in pale gray in the distance. It was my way to represent his voice and his thoughts. Tywanza, 26, was one of nine victims, murdered by a white supremacist last summer during their bible study at Mother Emanuel Church. This devastating event is further evidence that the story of racism and hatred is not over in America. I am honored to have gotten to paint this beautiful young man, and to be invited into this project. You may read more about the project at Emanuel Nine Tribute on tumblr. #emanuelnine #tywanzasanders #stopracism Thank you @principle_charleston @laurentildenart @judytakacs @catherineprescott ricky mujica @marioarobinson #stephaniedeshpande @gregorymortenson @paul_mccormac