Inspired by her father’s sharp style and presence, Tulsa-based artist Charisa Dené Jacobs explores the power and complexity of Black male identity through professional dress in her solo exhibit, The Professional and Other Works. Opening September 5 at the Tulsa Artists’ Coalition gallery, the show features life-sized oil portraits of imagined Black men dressed in timeless suits and western wear—each piece a statement on pride, presence, and personal expression.

One day, she burst out laughing about the idea of a tiger in a business suit—and that bizarre, funny image kept resurfacing in our conversations. We built whole scenarios around it and eventually said, “We should draw this!” That was the spark.

Becoming an artist was not something I envisioned. It crept up on me as impressions other people had about me. Art was just something I did, which friends and family encouraged me to share. When I began to be accepted into art shows and sell my work, I gained more confidence to transition from being artistic to artist. My first one- woman show at a respected art gallery sealed my sense that what I was doing was appreciated by others.