Slowly, Slowly: Jamilla Okubo Reflects on Mixed Media Portrait Series

Jamilla Okubo is a painter and interdisciplinary artist whose work centers Black women, exploring how they love, grieve, dress, and move through the world. She was the “Summer at the Stew” resident in August 2026. Summer at the Stew was created to support and invest in DC’s vibrant art community, offering one artist the opportunity to grow by providing dedicated space (in Rose’s studio, ‘The Stew’) and funding to build their portfolio.

Jamilla Okubo used her time at The Stew to create a series of self-portraits painted in acrylic in combination with cut linoblock-printed raw canvas. The resulting series of works are titled Pole, Pole [Pul-ee Pul-ee], meaning “slowly, slowly”- a phrase that emphasizes the importance of remaining present despite pressures to create nonstop.

In addition to providing the time to explore using new art mediums, Jamilla notes that time spent at The Stew was especially valuable because she was able to create alongside fellow artist, Autumn Spears, who calls The Stew her creative home year-round. Even while creating work that specifically reflected on time spent in solitude, Okubo felt there was immense value to creating in community: “working in proximity to Autumn gave me the opportunity to not only get feedback on my work, but to try new mediums together,” she says as she reflects upon the shared experience. Spears will moderate the artist talk with Jamilla at The Stew on Wednesday, September 16th, as part of an event that reflects upon her residency experience.

When asked what is next for her art practice, Jamilla shared that the time spent at the Stew has inspired her to explore other mixed media art methods, perhaps incorporating beadwork into her future paintings - understanding that steady, intentional work is some of the strongest.

Pole, pole. Slowly, slowly.