Some art just runs warmer. This edit from Inkwell Fine Art Prints pulls together five pieces from across the African diaspora — two Caribbean celebration totes, a Cartagena market portrait reimagined as framed canvas wall art, a nostalgic beach scene, and a trio of affirmation journals built for daily reflection. Bold color, cultural storytelling, and Black-owned artistry, all in one sun-soaked collection.
Dance of the Dougla: A Trinidad and Tobago-Inspired Gallery Tote
Artist Antionette Simmons Hodges was in the audience at the Kennedy Center when Dance Theater of Harlem performed Geoffrey Holder's "Dance of the Dougla" — and the memory never left her. She painted the moment from feeling: three figures in sweeping geometric robes, bold circles of red, white, and blue against a deep cobalt sky and ochre earth.
The Dougla people of Trinidad and Tobago carry both African and South Asian heritage — a community born at the intersection of diaspora, culture, and spirit. This piece honors that legacy, now available as an 18"×18" Gallery Tote — the artwork printed in vivid, permanent dye-sublimation color across the front panel, with a solid cobalt blue back, in colors that won't crack, peel, or fade.
Shop the Dance of the Dougla Gallery Tote →
Carnival: A Caribbean Celebration Canvas Tote
A central figure in a flowing green dress stands with arms outstretched, ribbons of color streaming through the air around her, a large white flower rising still and peaceful behind her against a warm golden and blue backdrop. "Carnival" is Antionette Simmons Hodges' celebration of Black joy, cultural freedom, and the infectious rhythm of Caribbean festival traditions — the body as a vessel for memory and motion.
This design lives on a 14.5"×15.5" 100% cotton Canvas Tote, sturdy enough for groceries and books, colorful enough to carry the whole feeling of carnival season with you.
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Hey Lady: Afro-Colombian Art From Cartagena as Framed Canvas Wall Art
A palenquera in her red turban, fruit basket balanced with a lifetime of practice — "Hey Lady" is a portrait of labor, beauty, and Afro-Colombian cultural pride, inspired by the artist's travels to Cartagena. The palenqueras are descendants of San Basilio de Palenque, one of the first free Black communities in the Americas, and their image has become an enduring symbol of Cartagena itself.
This piece is available as a framed stretched canvas — gallery-wrapped and mounted in a premium floater frame, ready to hang straight out of the box.
Shop the Hey Lady Framed Canvas →
Mommy Said: A Nostalgic Black Family Beach Fine Art Print
Two children on a beach, wet from the water, caught in the particular logic of a summer day when the rules and the joy are in productive tension — "Mommy Said" captures childhood at its most unselfconscious. The beach holds a specific weight in Black American cultural history, a site of summer pleasure once actively denied to Black families, which makes the simple sight of children running into waves all the more precious. Antionette Simmons Hodges paints the scene without heaviness — just warmth, humor, and joy.
Printed as an archival giclée on premium cotton rag paper, this unframed fine art print is available from 11"×9" up to 24"×20", ready for your own frame.
Shop the Mommy Said Fine Art Print →
Radiant, Resilient, Awaken: Afrocentric Affirmation Journals
Three words to carry with you, three faces that hold them. This set of spiral-bound ruled journals turns bold Afrocentric portraiture into a daily writing ritual — part art object, part affirmation practice.
Radiant
A warm, sunlit portrait paired with bold graphic type — this journal is built for anyone who needs a daily reminder to shine on their own terms.
Resilient
A serene, introspective portrait in mixed-media collage style — this ruled notebook carries quiet strength for anyone journaling through healing, recovery, or growth.
Awaken
A vivid, stylized portrait framed by warm ochre and magenta color blocks — this journal brings bold, soulful art to everyday writing and creative reflection.
Looking for more affirmation journals? Browse the full Notebooks collection for the rest of the Afrocentric spiral notebook line.
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Every piece in this collection is designed and sold by Inkwell Fine Art Prints, a Black-owned art business built around the original paintings of Antionette Simmons Hodges. From Caribbean carnival scenes to Afro-Colombian portraiture to nostalgic family beach days to everyday affirmation journals, each product carries a real story of Black diasporic identity, culture, and craft.
Follow the artist on Instagram @artbyashodges to see new work first, and sign up for our mailing list to get 15% off your first order.