A Baltimore native, Rodney “BUCK!” Herring, attended Hampton University where he majored in Art. At Hampton, BUCK! found his voice studying great visual artists and writers of the 20th century. After graduation, BUCK! found himself down the parkway from Baltimore, creating art in Washington, DC. A collage of words and impactful imagery, BUCK! describes his work as “an ongoing conversation with myself in regards to my many artistic influences gathered from daily life and also from seeking information. The viewer gets bits of everything in my head in the work including influences from impressionists, cartoonists, painters, graphic artists and more. The art is often interrupted by my logical/rational thoughts which are then reinterpreted back into a visual representation of its chaos.” expressive. The viewer is exposed to a range of influences in my work, including those of impressionists, cartoonists, classical painters, graphic artists, and more. My work emerges from the tension between creative impulse and analytical thought, which are then reinterpreted into a visual representation of their chaos.” A complex, layered collage of words and impactful imagery, BUCK! strives for his work to live in a world of its own.

ARTIST’S STATEMENT

My practice is a collision of abstraction, impressionism, graphic design, and written thought—a toolset used to explore the complex layers of the human experience. Through this visual language, my primary objective is to create a space that fosters dialogue and inspires positive action.
Each artwork is woven from personal narratives of self-actualization and collective efforts for liberation, inviting the viewer to reflect on their own role in the pursuit of freedom. By challenging the observer to thoroughly explore new or differing perspectives, this work aims to provoke deeper reflection on how our choices influence individual, community, and national pursuits of freedom or unfreedom. Ultimately, my work serves as a bridge between individual reflection and the shared human struggle for a more just and meaningful world.