In her acclaimed Art of Black Cover Contest entry, “The Tribe,” Miami-based artist and newly retired nonprofit executive Dionne Polite created more than a portrait of elephants. She painted a family history. Polite says the inspiration began with her mother, whose favorite animal was the elephant and whose membership in a Divine Nine organization filled their home with symbols of dignity, tradition and resilience.
“Creating that piece was two-fold,” she explains. “It allowed me to honor her memory, as well as depict an image of the strength and the importance of family.” That layered emotion—grief, gratitude and the quiet power of lineage—became the emotional architecture of Tribe. She hoped viewers would feel the blessing of intergenerational connection: “There is a great blessing to be able to interact with family and friends who are of various ages and stages of life.”
Visually, “The Tribe” marks a bold step in Polite’s artistic evolution. The piece is her first large-scale canvas, built through a mosaic-like technique: she poured and blended her background, then handcrafted the elephants, her “family/tribe,” on top. The textured layers reflect her Caribbean roots. As a Guyanese American, Polite gravitates toward bold color, tropical imagery, and storytelling that embraces complexity. “I dream in color,” she says—an expression of culture and faith.
This evolution did not go unnoticed. Being named second runner-up in the Art of Black competition—a platform that has elevated emerging and established Black artists across South Florida—was “great validation,” especially as a self-taught artist. “The work that I create is truly ‘heArt work,’” she says. “To have others connect with it—I feel seen.”
Polite began painting during the COVID-19 shutdown, after her husband surprised her with canvases when she exhausted an artist kit gifted by a friend. That small gesture opened a new world. Sketching and painting became her “happy space,” a place where emotion, memory, and faith converge. “I am led by my Faith,” she says. “I trust what my heart and brain develop, which allows me to create on canvas.”
With newfound recognition, Polite is leaning into purpose. She hopes her journey inspires others—especially those told their passions were “frivolous”—to leap anyway. She is already exploring new themes rooted in personal storytelling and cultural celebration. “Creating images that resonate with me is an opportunity to honor my creative gifts, which are blessings from GOD,” she reflects.
She hopes viewers first notice “the unspoken message of celebration—of rich diversity, eclectic nuances, and my perspective on life and my culture.”
Her work and story can be explored at www.5iveTalentsLLC.com.
