HOPE ♡

HOPE (Tonisha Hope McCorkle) is an award-winning transdisciplinary artist, performer, and educator whose canvas is not just a surface, but a portal for healing. She creates transformative and emotionally sensual works of art through painting, collage, movement, and sculpture. Weaving together motifs of memories, mental health, and shadow work, HOPE communicates the intricacies of divine femininity through the lens of self-portraiture, sacred feminine symbolism, and the female gaze. Her creations provide a space for introspection, inviting viewers to explore the profound processes of transformation, intimacy, healing, self-discovery, and hope.

Born in Washington, D.C. and raised in Prince George's County, MD, HOPE holds a BFA in Studio Art with a concentration in Psychology from New York University. HOPE has received various awards and recognitions, including MSAC Creativity Grants, a DC CAH Art Bank Grant, a 2024 Andy Warhol Foundation’s GritFund Grant, and a feature in BmoreArt Magazine. Her work has been exhibited in renowned institutions and includes permanent installations at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library in Washington, D.C., as well as a mural at the Baltimore Convention Center.

HOPE makes up half of the artist collective Hope and Faith ♡, an interdisciplinary art collaborative formed with twin sibling, FAITH (Eleisha Faith McCorkle). Their work serves as testaments to healing by example, honoring the Black mother, spirit, food, and childlike wonder in the stories told through their scrolls, films, installations, and other creations. Currently living and working in Baltimore, Maryland, HOPE serves as an Educator at the American Visionary Art Museum and as an Artist-in-Residence with Creative Alliance. Her vision extends beyond herself, embracing a higher purpose that dives deep into the soul and invites others to join her on a journey of hope, healing, and self-exploration.

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ARTIST STATEMENT ♡

The canvas is not just a surface—it is a portal for healing and self-discovery. Through painting, sculpture, collage, and movement, I create emotionally charged and transformative works that encourage deep introspection and connection. My practice honors the profound relationship between spirit and form.

I weave together motifs of memory, mental health, and shadow work, exploring the complexities of divine femininity through self-portraiture, sacred feminine symbolism, and the female gaze. Each piece reflects my journey—a visual language that speaks to themes of transformation, intimacy, healing, and hope. Painting and collage allow me to layer textures and emotions, while clay, large-scale murals, and installations bring tactile dimensions that engage both the viewer’s senses and the physical space. Through movement and performance, I breathe life into my themes, embodying their energy and vulnerability in real time.

My connection to the moon—its cycles, pull, and quiet power—deeply influences my creative expression, guiding the ebb and flow of emotions I channel into my work. This connection is embodied in LUNA LEVITATE, a manifestation of my desire to explore the sensuality and sacredness of the mind and body. Each piece becomes a meditation on intimacy, transformation, and the strength found in vulnerability.

Rooted in the belief that art has the power to heal—not just the artist but also those who engage with it—I strive to create spaces for reflection and growth. By diving into the sensuality and sacredness of our inner worlds, my creations reveal how the mind and body hold stories of resilience, desire, and healing. They extend an opportunity to journey inward, embrace the rhythms of our emotions, and reconnect with the sacred essence that resides within us all.