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http://www.AmericanArtCollector.com 173
through June 17. Her series, Ain’t Nobody
Prayin’ for Me, depicts young girls as
famous rappers. “The collection is kind of
a way for me to vent through these paint-
ings about having to grow up too fast,” she
says. “In a way, it’s me venting onto the
canvas. People take a look at it and they
think that it’s about everything but what
it really is.” Cauley also documented her
experience creating the series for her fi rst
documentary fi lm, soon to be released.
Cauley recently became represented by
monOrchid, a popular neighborhood gath-
ering place in Roosevelt Row. The gallery/
coff ee shop/restaurant/co-working space/
event venue has been an integral part of
the arts community since 1999. Since
then, the multipurpose space has led the
way in revitalizing the area and making it
an arts centric community. As an Arizona
native and an active member of the city’s
arts and hip-hop community, Cauley has
witnessed Phoenix’s growth firsthand
throughout the years.
“It’s been crazy to watch” she says. “The
hard part has been watching some families
and businesses get pushed out due to high-
rise development. It’s going to be really
interesting to watch the next fi ve years and
see how things change. I’m really curious.”
Cauley isn’t alone in her concerns. While
the city’s growth has been great in many
ways, it’s not without its setbacks. On one
hand, Phoenix’s development has been
essential to creating more jobs and oppor-
tunities by bringing more businesses and
companies to the area. However, as housing
costs go up and expensive high-rises
become more prevalent, some community
members are being pushed out.
“It’s important that we keep our foot on
the gas by lifting up the arts community as
much as we can and evangelizing for the
community,” Price advises. “We have to be
their advocates. We believe in leading by