Sheila C. | Uhura “Star Trek”
“It's a challenge to try to summarize what this phenomenal character represents for me, and so many others, without gushing for pages, but will attempt to!
She was the first "science fiction woman" I was aware of as a child. As a biracial kid, it was exciting to see a Black woman on the bridge, along with the other senior officers of the Enterprise.
Nichelle Nichols was perfect as Lieutenant Nyota Uhura. The depiction of an intelligent, brave, kind, and tough officer, embodied in a graceful and beautiful Black woman, was iconic. Nichols broke further ground by volunteering with NASA, and creating Women in Motion, Inc., successfully increasing diversity in the American space program.
It was a joy to draw such a remarkable woman, and important science fiction character. It's titled "Star", which is the English translation of her Swahili first name, Nyota.”
— Sheila C.
Sheila’s Bio:
I was born in San Francisco, California and am a primarily self-taught artist. I draw in pencil, charcoal, ink, and sometimes use watercolor.
What inspires my art the most is my deep appreciation of pop culture and film. I love to capture the moments on screen that really stand out to me, particularly when the actor reveals a core part of their character.
My goal is to illustrate characters in a unique way that hasn't been seen before, and I particularly love to draw strong female characters.
My work is shown at Gallery 1988 and Hero Complex Gallery, and has been published in Printed in Blood's Artbook series.