1- EXPANDERS | $700
Acrylic on canvas
30″ x 40″
“I was blessed with four wonderful aunties on my dad’s side. The most impactful lesson that they collectively left on me is how to unapologetically expand in any room I’m in. So much patriarchal messaging in our world encourages women to be smaller, quiet, and take up as little space as possible. However, these four women demonstrated that femininity can be the exact opposite—proud, loud, and bold. My aunties served as role models to me that beauty isn’t inherently skinny or thin. If they ever had an opinion, they made sure you heard it. If something is funny, you can forget a giggle from them; they’re cackling. In a world that shames women for anything, they showed me how to be shameless.” –Sylvia Sykes  

2- REALISTS | $700
Acrylic on canvas
30″ x 40″
“A core lesson from an auntie as quoted by Joy Twitty: ‘You got to put on your ‘Big Girl Drawers’ and handle your business.’ This highlights the role of aunties as realists. During times that we may be tempted to wallow in self-pity or get lazy about our responsibilities, aunties often show up to deliver a dose of honesty, inspire us to accept the situation as it is, and encourage us to deal with things accordingly. Sometimes we just need to hear it said plainly.” -Sylvia Sykes 

3- ADVOCATES | $700
Acrylic on canvas
30″ x 40″
“According to Sharlia Sykes her auntie would often say, ‘That’s your little red wagon. You can push it or pull it.’ This is a metaphor to hold people accountable for their own baggage or responsibilities. It is asserting to the recipient that this is your load to carry, not mine. You can deal with it as you see fit, but regardless, you will be the one dealing with it. This highlights the auntie figure as an advocate for accountability, justice, and balance within social boundaries. By holding loved ones accountable, aunties support our emotional development, mental maturity and combined strength as a whole family unit.” -Sylvia Sykes 

4- GOURMANDS | $700
Acrylic on canvas
30″ x 40″
“My Dad has always been very proud of his cooking and especially his egg sandwiches. No one can tell him anything in the kitchen but one morning my Aunt Jonetta challenged all that. When my dad asked if she wanted an egg sandwich, she confirmed but motioned with her hand like she was holding a spatula: ‘Just make sure you pop the yolk and push it all the way and evenly to the edge of the egg.’ She did the motion a couple of times to be sure he understood. My Dad was clearly annoyed that someone would dare direct him on his specialty, but I loved this interaction. It showed me that it’s okay to have high standards and to voice them–especially when it comes to our food!” -Sylvia Sykes  

5- RISK-TAKERS | $700
Acrylic on canvas
30″ x 40″
“According to Fallon Sykes, her aunties taught her that ’Scared money, don’t make money!’ This highlights how aunties often encourage us to take risks and be courageous in our ambitions. Parents commonly get stuck on the ‘safe’ route and advise more caution, while aunts serve as a counterweight to that. I think you especially see this from aunts who never have children of their own. Parenthood has a way of humbling adults and making us more modest. Whether this is wise or not, the wild and fearless auntie figure frequently serves as a relief to youth who may think that all adults lose their intrepid spirit. Perhaps parents must worry that if they steer you wrong, your shortcomings will be attributed to poor parenting. Aunts don’t have that burden and so they can support you chasing a broader horizon.” -Sylvia Sykes 

6- THERAPISTS | $700
Acrylic on canvas
30″ x 40″
“’My Aunt Rozsa has always let me talk freely when I’m sad, so she’s kind of like my therapist,’ notes Kaden Daniel. Of course, only trained and licensed professionals can deliver actual therapy however this entry spoke volumes because it came from a 14-year-old Black boy. This highlights that auntie figures not only teach us about femininity, but they are also helping heal toxic masculinity and fight the stigma on mental illness. This auntie providing a space for her Black nephew to be soft, vulnerable, and honest about his emotions is truly fighting generational trauma. This wouldn’t have been so freely shared fifty years ago from the same demographic.” -Sylvia Sykes  

7- AA BOUL | $700
Acrylic on canvas
30″ x 40″
“There are many ways to say aunt in Lao such as ‘Na Saao,’ ‘Bpaa,’ or ‘Aa.’ If you have an aunt who is on your mother’s side and younger than your mom, you’d refer to her as ‘Na Saao.’ But if she’s older than your mom, you’d refer to her as ‘Bpaa.’ If your aunt is on your father’s side, no matter the age, you’d refer to her as ‘Aa.’ If you’re unsure, ‘Bpaa’ is acceptable regardless of relation. There are many ways to say aunt—but I only have one aunt in my life that raised me to be the woman I am, and that is Aa Boul.” –Angela Xayavong 

8- CONNECTERS | $700
Acrylic on canvas
30″ x 40″
“The best memory about an auntie, according to 10-year-old Jaleah Henderson, is her auntie Janice bringing her to visit family in Columbus where they watched TV. This recall is important because it highlights the auntie figure as a connector. This family moment, however mundane, was a gathering of four generations of Black women. This was a kind of social setting that neither of Jaleah’s parents could have necessarily facilitated given the varying family dynamics of everyone involved. More so than parents, aunties often have more time, connections, experiences, energy, and drive to keep multiple generations engaged and bonded. Aunties are the glue.” -Sylvia Sykes 

9- DISCIPLINARIANS | $700
Acrylic on canvas
30″ x 40″
“My Aunt Donna always embodied the spirit of tough love. I never saw her coddling anyone. She would be aggressive, loud, and challenging but I never had a doubt in my mind that it was anything besides love. My cousins and I all just knew— if she was pushing you, she was doing it for your own good even if it upset you. Ironically, when I asked her daughter Chylece for her favorite photo of her mom, she provided this image of Donna stoically doing her hair despite her cries in protest. I was amazed at how well this image represented my biggest gain from her. Love isn’t always sweet and friendly. Sometimes it’s coarse and stern. Both kinds of love are needed.” -Sylvia Sykes 

10- TEACHERS | $700
Acrylic on canvas
30″ x 40″
“The biggest lesson I learned from an auntie when I was young was make sure you come to an agreement before you do anything. This one day, I was over at her house for probably 10 hours doing all kinds of yard work. At the end of the day, I said, ‘Alright auntie I’m all done.’ She said, ‘Alright, thank you Lil Joe.’ I stood there for a minute; I was confused so I asked her if I did everything right? She said, ‘Yeah it looks great, you can come back over in two weeks if you want to do some more work.’ I really wasn’t trying to be rude, but I finally said, ‘Are you going to pay me?’ She looked at me sideways and said, ‘No, I thought you said you like doing yard work Lil Joe?’ I was pissed.” -Joe T. Sykes III (Pissed but also smarter from the experience) 

11- ADVISORS | $700
Acrylic on canvas
30″ x 40″
“When I got my first job at 16 my Aunt Janice gave me a piece of advice that stuck with me, ‘Work that job, don’t let that job work you.’ It sounded good but I wasn’t entirely sure what it meant. When I asked for clarification, she said, ‘Start working. You’ll get what I mean soon enough.’ This cryptic response proved to be relevant to every job I’ve had since. If you stay watchful, you will always know when a job is not serving you anymore. Keeping this mission statement in mind serves as protection against burnout by ensuring that you are not giving a company an unhealthy portion of yourself. This is a necessary safeguard in any capitalist society but especially one that was built on a history of slavery and exploitation.” -Sylvia Sykes 

12- EXPLORERS | $700
Acrylic on canvas
30″ x 40″
“Several entries to this exhibition included reference to an auntie during car travel. Keya McLaughlin recalls looking forward to running errands with her aunties despite the full knowledge that it would result in her being in the car for hours. Rozsa Sykes reflected on the impact of an aunt who demonstrated the value of praying before every car journey. Kayla Sykes explained that one of her aunts kept a slipper on the dash for easy disciplining to misbehaving backseat riders— mostly her own children. While this was intimidating, it also gave her a sense of security. This let her know that no one could hurt her when this aunt was around. These all demonstrate the role of auntie as a trusted guide, especially during transitional states when we are all more vulnerable. In this way, they provide us with a safe space to nurture our sense of exploration and adventure. It may start with car rides, but it later extends to other states of transition in our life as well.” -Sylvia Sykes  

13- ORATORS | $700
Acrylic on canvas
30″ x 40″
“My Aunt Sandy has always been a role model for me on how to say difficult things in a gentle way. I believe this is compounded by the fact that she is only one of just two female ordained ministers who I know of, personally. Ministry teaches people the power of words and they move followers to be more responsible with how to use them. I think this pairs nicely with her wisdom and communication strengths as a woman in general. I have so many memories of her correcting or ‘checking’ family members through a completely appropriate time, place, and manner that was full of grace and poise. She’s also shown me times when it’s best to stay silent. I will forever strive to have her level of verbal finesse during times of conflict.” -Sylvia Sykes  

14- COMPANIONS | $700
Acrylic on canvas
30″ x 40″
“Aunties have a special bond that ‘hits different’ from mommies. As an auntie, we’re entrusted with stories and secrets that kids can’t tell their parents. We are the ones they send a picture to of a rock they found using their parent’s phone. We’re the unlimited supply of cash that we probably should save but spend on the nieces and nephews while telling them not to tell mom or dad. I brush their hair and they brush mine as we complain about their parents together. ‘Yeah, well that’s your mom,’ I’ll mutter with a sigh. Their response is, ‘Well, that’s your sister.’ Parents only wish they could have a bond like ours.” – Anna Koduru