Activism

Painter Carla J. Lawson Captures Black Elegance in Bold Prints for Oakland’s Black-Eyed Pea Festival

As a Black woman, Lawson values the connection between her art and her community. She said that her art “needs to feel like Black people to me,” in hopes that her art will culturally resonate with others. Many parts of the Black community inspire her, but often what stands out to her is history. She also talked about being inspired by Black children, by their laughter and joy.

Published

1 year ago

August 11, 2025

Oakland Post

Carla Lawson poses by one of her large canvas works. Courtesy photo.

By Daisha Williams

Vacaville painter Carla Lawson invites viewers to her web page with these words: “I create from a center of love and joy, bringing to life the rhythms of my mind through the usage of various mediums.”

Art was Lawson’s hobby when she was young. She worked in retail before devoting herself to painting 16 years ago, with the encouragement of her mother, who didn’t want Carla to have regrets.

For example, her Black ballerina-themed prints were initially made to make them look like they are actually dancing because of the way that ink flows and drips. Black ballerinas are often undervalued, but these pieces accurately capture their beauty and grace.

Lawson is almost entirely self-taught, with the exception of two classes at the Academy of Art in the summer of 2000. Lawson continues to attain skill, recently focusing on human anatomy to bring more accuracy to her work while also pushing experimentation with different paints, brushes, and other materials to see how they work together. It often takes her many hours to complete a painting, and sometimes multiple days.

With that devoted practice, she says, over time, the range of her work has grown, and the canvases have gotten bigger!

Lawson sells primarily at festivals and pop-up events in the Bay Area. Her work is also showcased at restaurants and cafes, and she is working toward securing a gallery showing. Prints are for sale on her website, carla-js-art.square.site.

Carla Lawson will be one of the artists at the 10^th Annual Black-Eyed Pea Festival, a celebration of traditional African American music, food, and art, on Sat. Sept. 13, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Marston Campbell Park, 17^th and West streets in West Oakland. For more info, go to Oakbepf.com or call 510-332-5851. Bring a chair or blanket for the lawn or reserve a table for six for $150 at https://www.tickettailor.com/events/omnirainstitute/1799229