Have you ever watched a film and noticed that you were more captivated by the costume or set design than the actual storyline? How about the feast during the dinner scene that left you salivating over artificially buttered popcorn in the theater? Yes, I too have experienced film in this unexpected way. But in the case of the 2005 movie, Prime, with lead actress, Uma Thurman, it was not the cab scene with Biggie Small's "Get Money" echoing in the background nor was it the pie face "doorbell ditch" that commanded my attention, but it was instead the featured art of Tim Okamura.

Tim Okamura is a Canadian-born painter that has a natural talent for capturing the humanity and pulse of inner-city communities, unparalleled to none. Okamura uses a layering technique that creates dimension and presence, allowing the tenacity of his subjects to resonate well beyond the surface of his canvases.

When I first saw Okamura's paintings, they reminded me of friends from high school, the regulars on my bus route, my mentors, my sister, and my college classmates. Even more, they reminded me of "me"...the fearless, empowered and lovely "me". Thank you Mr. Okamura.