Portrait of blues musician Lead Belly, a troubled expression on his face, his brow furrowed. Tommy Cheng writes more on the background of Lead Belly on the back of the painting, like how he was "convicted of murder" and "sang his way out of prison twice!"

Tommy Cheng is a contemporary outsider and folk artist who lives and paints in Washington Heights. His unique style of portraiture has attracted gallery shows in New York, San Francisco, Washington D.C., Atlanta, and Paris. Cheng's portraits are inspired by pop culture and celebrities. With its wide open eyes, deceivingly expressive faces, and modernly flat construction a Cheng portrait is instantly identifiable.

Artist: Tommy Cheng

Material: Paint on plywood

TC-#34