Wet Paint Barack Obama Print

This artwork is a mixed media portrait created using a pointillism technique with thousands of pushpins that form President Barack Obama's face. The portrait is composed of various shades of brown, gold, black, bronze and white that create the facial features.

At the bottom of the portrait, there's a dripping effect in shades of brown and beige that resembles paint dripping downward, representing his impact on society has still yet to fully be complete. 

Combining technical precision with artistic flair, this piece showcases the artist's unique artistic vision and masterful execution. A captivating contemporary artwork that makes a powerful statement in any collection.

The Story Behind the Art

By the time I created this piece, I had already been deep into my pushpin journey. But I wanted to push the limits—how could I create rich, dark skin tones using only the limited color range available in pushpins? That challenge led me to experiment with a blend of metallic palettes, and somehow, it worked.

The result was a large-scale portrait of the President that felt powerful and proud. It was summer, just before the end of his first term, and I had no idea how timely this piece would become. I showed it once in a group exhibition, and I remember people gathering around it just staring. Hovering. Feeling something.

Then came November 6th. Election night. The streets of Harlem were alive. It was crowded, buzzing, filled with hope. And when the results came in. Pure joy. Celebration. Tears. That moment will always live in my memory.

Later early in the morning, I got an email from a collector who had seen the work weeks earlier in that group show. The energy of the night moved her, and she knew she had to have it. That sale became one of my first five-figure pieces—and marked a major moment in my pushpin series.

This isn’t just a portrait—it’s a piece of history. A symbol of pride, progress, and possibility.