Jaimee Todd

ArtCrawl Harlem welcomes @jaimeetodd as a 2026 Boundaries & Connections Artist in Residence on Governors Island. Jaimee will advance a new body of work—Creation Stories, a series of dimensional floating collages inspired by The Creation by James Weldon Johnson, my late mother’s favorite poem. The poem’s vivid retelling of the universe coming into being was a source of profound comfort to her in the final years of her life, as she lived with Parkinson’s disease. Through this series, she aims to honor that connection by reimagining the poetic origins of the world alongside and within the origins of her own life. During the residency, she will continue her practice of working with painted paper, layering fields of vibrating color and abstracted form to evoke myth-making, memory, and the sensation of something just coming into existence. She also plan to incorporate textiles her mother gathered over decades, each swatch a small archive of her aesthetic sensibility, resourcefulness, and joy. Integrating these materials will allow her to create work that does not merely reference her life, but physically contains it. In exploring the birth of light, land, and humanity as described in the poem, she will parallel these cosmic beginnings with stories from her mother’s childhood—her first friendships, early imaginings, the worlds she built for herself before Jaimee was ever in them. #afrofuturism #newworldbuilding

Hey folks! In two weeks I’ll be on Nantucket Island teaching workshops through @ackartists , including this Mixed Media Magnet Collage class on Thursday, May 28th from 6-8 pm. To register, click the link in @ackartists page and register online!

Collage play with metallic and monotype print patterns.

Even though this is my first Mother’s Day without my mother, I feel immense peace and gratitude for having had her in my life. I think of her constantly, drawing on her many lessons and dancing to her favorite songs to celebrate her zest for life. Because of this, I know she is always with me. This beautiful portrait was created by my dear friend @vixharrisart , who captured her vibrant spirit perfectly in this background rendering. She sent it to me all the way from the UK when I needed it the most a few months ago. The original photo was taken by my dad when he and Mom were in NYC in 1964. Happy Mother’s Day, Mom.

Where every printmaking “mistake” is a potential for something interesting.

Saturday was our kick-off meeting for the @artcrawlharlem residency on Governors Island. We had a wonderful time going around the room discussing our art practices and inspiration. Here, I’m explaining the origins of my Creation Stories series, which was inspired by mother’s love of the poem The Creation by James Weldon Johnson. My cohort will begin later this summer starting in July at 403 Colonels Row.

My latest commission went up on my client’s walls today and we’re both elated with how it came out! This was one of my most “stacked” 3D floating collages and big thank you to @solasstudionyc for the gorgeous framing. The final work ended up being the perfect complement to the other vibrant elements of the apartment as well as the beautiful woodwork. Untitled 22x30” Mixed media floating collages

One of the sweetest pleasures of our recent trip to NYC was a visit with @jaimeetodd in her Brooklyn Art Studio. It is such a good feeling seeing your artist friends doing what they love and thriving in their own creative spaces! You probably already know but @jaimeetodd is also the sister of another dear friend and amazing artist @anidrawsoutloud

Adventures in gel plate print making—over the past week I’ve been experimenting with this process. I’m fascinated by the potential for pattern making and layering. Today I ripped up my less successful orints and layered them in a number of collage arrangements.

[update: SOLD OUT] So…I was gonna wait another day to post these but since my newsletter subscribers snatched all but one so quickly, I wanted to share my first embellished journal collection! Each hardcover notebook contains features an original abstract collage on the front, has 160 lined pages and an inside pocket, also and a ribbon placeholder. These practically sold out within the first 30 minutes of my newsletter going out so be sure to subscribe to get the next drop (link in bio).

If your days need brightening and you’re on a budget, my new postcard set is here for you for under $25! Featuring images from my most recent 3D collages, Into Creation, Escape Routes and Spellcasting On Queens Blvd and 48th St. Measuring at 5”x7”, they can easily be popped into a mat and frame just for your wall. Click the link in my bio to get yours. I’ll be adding more budget friendly works in the coming days, so stay tuned!

A visual representation of how my brain feels in the midst of all this global chaos. Fuck this war.