"Ms. Juanita's Nosey Ass..."

Gouache on Canvas Panel| SKing 2024
Good Times Collection

Paying homage to the artists neighborhood in The Bronx, New York.  Growing up, her grandmother was Ms. Juanita who is on her daily watch. Wrapped in a bathrobe sprinkled with yellow flowers and crowned with her signature pink foam rollers, she leans on the windowsill with equal parts judgment and curiosity. Her eyes squint just enough to let you know she sees everything — and we will talk about it later.

This piece is a masterclass in storytelling through stillness. The red brick framing her window suggests a tight-knit apartment community, the kind where front steps double as barbershops and porches become confessionals. And right in the heart of it is Ms. Juanita — unofficial mayor and neighborhood morning news anchor.

Her expression? A mix of suspicion and sass.  Her business is everybody’s business.

But beneath the comedy lies something sacred — a tribute to the role Black women like Ms. Juanita have always played in our communities. Watchful. Wise. A little messy, but mostly protective. She may talk about you, but best believe she’ll be the first to show up if you need her.