Intertwined
Intertwined was inspired by the artist searching through her childhood photos. The central figure was pulled from one of Roebuck’s family photos, that featured her has a child, wearing her hair down—natural and carefree. The figures on either side of the central figure, inspired from another childhood photo of Roebuck swinging on their family farm. Intertwined captures the pure joy Roebuck had for her natural curly hair growing up and her re-found joy. The hair cascades off the canvas while simultaneously zigzagging and weaving through and around the figures and canvas, to further depict the celebration of the uniqueness of Roebuck’s natural curls. They are unapologetic as they camouflage parts of the canvas and figures to further honor of Roebuck’s hair.
Not Enough
This piece depicts the artist and her younger brother, specifically examining their racial impostor syndrome as biracial siblings adopted by an all-white family. Their racial impostor syndrome stems from multiple things, but in the past, they shared one thing in common: not being enough. Growing up, the artist and her brother, specifically in high school and first year of college (artist), they received comments from other individuals stating, “you are not white enough,” and “you are not black enough.” These comments fueled their racial impostor syndrome, causing them to not feel deserving of their biracial identity. While this piece is examining the concurrent feeling of growing up biracial and not feeling deserving of both halves, it is also depicting a joyous moment. Not Enough, depicts the artist and her brother leaning against one in another and surrounded by embroidered roses; specifically sharing a moment of embracing their true selves.
Interconnectedness Series
This series specifically examines how the artist has been piecing together her racial wholeness. Through exploring her racial impostor syndrome in connection to not being enough, others asking if she can pass (as just being white or black), being raised by an all- white family, and navigating through a racially divided society. The artist has been continuously searching for her racial wholeness by specifically piecing together the hardship and joys thrust on her life as a biracial person. Being adopted by an all-white family and a society that thrives on racial divide, the artist believed she needed to deny half of herself just to find belonging in the world. Interconnectedness series is celebrating oneself by embracing all that is thrown onto you by life, specifically how everything is intertwined to form one’s racial wholeness.
He Is Biracial Series
Throughout He Is Biracial, Roebuck has sewn three portraits that depict three different ages (Middle School, High School, and College), that address her younger brother’s identity. This series focuses on a DNA test taken through ancestry to discover her brother’s ethnic backgrounds. In these portraits Roebuck infuses her canvas with patchwork, fiber, colorful oil pastel, buttons, and screen-print ink to piece together his racial identity. As a biracial man, her younger brother has felt like an outsider, feeling like he is not part of both of his identities. This work reveals that Roebuck’s brother is not an outsider, and he is deserving of both of his halves. While He Is Biracial is depicting that her little brother is deserving, it also takes inspiration from Roebuck’s I Am Biracial Series. Specifically, revealing that he is more than his skin color, and that he deservesmore than assumptions.​
Deserving I
Deserving I, explores the upbringing of her biracial brother and the different experiences the two siblings faced by being adopted by a Caucasian family. With this piece, Roebuck reflects on family photos to piece together lost childhood memories, that explore the joy and celebration of growing up on a farm. Additionally, investigating moments of the past where the two siblings embraced their true selves, that of being biracial, and not questioning their existence within society or their family. ​