Felicia Greenlee

Felicia Greenlee was born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania until the age of eight. Her family, originally from South Carolina, would move back in 1979. In high school of 1988, Felicia became one of the first students to participate in South Carolina’s new “Gifted and Talented” program. Graduating in 1989, Felicia continued her art studies in college. Felicia’s college work consisted of pencil drawings and oil paintings, and she received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Clemson University in 1993.

After graduating from Clemson University, Felicia began working as a textile designer with LaFrance Industries. She would marry her high school sweetheart in 1995 and give birth to their son in 1997. After the birth of her son, Felicia would decide to become a freelance textile designer and work from home. Freelancing led to the creation of her own home décor line based on her color pencil drawings depicting African American figures. Expanding her home décor line, she entered a licensing agreement in 2003 with the textile company The Rug Barn. She would expand her presence in the home décor market and entered licensing agreements with two other companies. Later, Felicia would step away from licensing and devote more time to her newfound love of working with wood.

Today, Felicia devotes her time to creating “wood collages.” She still resides in South Carolina with her husband and continues to do what she loves, creating art that encourages social change. 

Artist Statement

As a Black woman, my art becomes my voice. I convey life experiences through portraits using the techniques of relief and collage. I may incorporate paper and other mixed media in my work, but my collages are predominantly constructed of wood. I enjoy using pine because it is a very versatile and light material that can be manipulated with various techniques. I use various saws and chisels to cut and layer individual pieces of wood that are sanded, painted and stained before they are joined together using wooden dowels, screws, brad nails and glue.  

My wood collages address systemic racism deeply embedded in American society. I articulate these social indifferences with the use of the chain. The chain becomes a symbol of strength and endurance. The target implies cross hairs of a camera’s lens or gunsight to define the line of sight for the viewer.  

In my work, I make reference to America, whether it is in the name of the piece, or with the image of the American flag or its colors. America is a diverse nation that struggles to acknowledge the contributions of Black Americans, and it is my mission to change this narrative.