Genesis Tramaine (b. 1983) is a self-taught artist, and self-described “devotional painter,” known for her striking expressionist portraits, many of which depict subjects inspired by her Christian faith. Tramaine considers her portraits—which depict Black faces in myriad ways—to function much like gospel hymns, forms of praise that can uplift viewers and intensify spiritual connections. Prayer and gospel music are, in fact, an integral part of Tramaine’s studio practice. Through them, she allows herself to become a vessel, receiving images that she then develops into large-scale portraits. Tramaine is outspoken about her faith. The edges of her canvases often feature short sermon-like phrases while the material descriptions of her work include words such as “Holy Spirit” or  “Yeshua”—the Hebrew name for Jesus. According to the artist, “It’s not my hand alone that delivers the work….Without Yeshua, it’s just paint.”

While Tramaine’s art is founded in spiritual practice, it is also shaped by her identity and personal history. Her mature work, which is influenced by biblical verses and other religious texts, evolved from a childhood practice of sketching in hymn books and Bibles while attending church. Her abstract portraits of Black subjects—which are meant to transcend race, gender, and class—reflect a keen social and political awareness. Through shape, definition, color, exaggerated features and multiple perspectives, Tramaine attempts to capture the spirit of an underrepresented population. By depicting Christian subjects, especially, with Black faces, she also questions the history of representation. Narrative is just as important as color, line, and form. The artist studies and absorbs the details of various biblical stories and characters, finding ways to visually translate such emotions as fear, love, judgment, acceptance or non-acceptance. These she offers to viewers as models of perseverance, inspiration, fortitude, and encouragement. 

In Charleston, Tramaine produced an extraordinary variety and number of artworks, ranging from found objects to text-based wall and textile art. Known for her powerful use of color, in Charleston she explored the emotional weight and suggestive power of indigo blue. In an interesting parallel, self-expression through word and color became the main focus of three workshops that she held for local Burke High School students. While Tramaine continued her portrait practice, she approached it in novel ways—experimenting with scale, full-length forms, self-portraiture, and applications of untraditional media. In many ways, these diverse works were documents of her residency—of her daily prayers, intense self-reflection, attendance at local churches, personal interactions, confrontations with Southern history, and recollections of her own ancestral roots in South Carolina.