Undra Williams

 Ms. Undra Williams is a native of Rosedale, MS; a small town in the heart of the Mississippi Delta. Although Rosedale is considered small by most people’s standards, the town is filled with deep history and is rich in culture. In highlighting pieces of Rosedale’s history, I must mention the following: 

• The cultural development of the musical forms of blues and jazz are rich in Rosedale. Rosedale was immortalized in Robert Johnson’s 1937 recording Traveling Riverside Blues. In addition, several others have recorded and made their mark on the town. 

• Rosedale is known as “The Delta City of Brotherly Love” due to the collectivist society in which it was founded on. 

• Rosedale is noted for Joe’s Hot Tamales AKA the White Front Café which was founded in the 1970’s by Joe Pope. 

• In 1968 Mildrette Netter Graves competed in the Mexico City Summer Olympics and brought home a gold medal in the 4x100 meter relay. 

Rosedale, MS is twenty miles from the next largest town, Cleveland, MS. Cleveland, who just recently gained even more notoriety for the opening of the Delta’s first Grammy Museum, also has a culture rich in music hence the famous “Mississippi Blues Trail.” The Grammy Museum is the most popular tourist attraction in the Mississippi Delta and its’ purpose is to provide unique learning opportunities based on the legacies of all forms of music; create awareness for the entire creative and technological processes of recording; and the history of the GRAMMY Awards with a focus on the continuing achievements of Mississippians. 

As a driven teenager, Undra worked on her family’s farm. The Williams Brothers Farm was owned by her father and uncle, and she spent her days chopping and hand “picking” cotton. Although she worked with her family to maintain the family business, Undra always had a love for art. Her creativity derived from shadowing and mimicking an uncle’s artistic work. Undra works predominantly in the medium of acrylic painting and a dash of mixed media. Folk art mostly describes her artistic style; her vibrant, colorful art paints a story that most can relate to without hesitation. 

After a break from artistry, in 2013, Undra traded her pen for a paint brush – just to see if she still had any artistic skills left. She soon realized that art was something that she truly loved and began to actively pursue it again. In November 2014, Undra presented her first art exhibit at the Real Delta in Clarksdale, Mississippi. Due to the success of the event, on April 15, 2016, the Real Delta hosted her again for a second exhibit. 

I've always been drawn to the simplicity and beauty of folk art, and growing up in Rosedale, MS, a small-town rich in cultural traditions, heavily influenced my artistic style. I love exploring the vibrant colors and textures found in the natural world and translating them into my abstract pieces. My work reflects my personal experiences and emotions, with each brushstroke representing a piece of my identity. By combining elements of folk art with abstract expression, I hope to create a unique and immersive experience for viewers, evoking a sense of nostalgia and familiarity while also challenging conventional notions of art. Through my art, I aim to celebrate the beauty and diversity of the world around us.

A few of my key influencers are Ms. Annie Lee, Mr. Leroy Campbell, and the Gullah artists.  But the most influential one of all was my late uncle, Mr. Louis Green, II whom I studied under as a child and teenager. 

It’s never too late to follow your dreams, no matter what age.