Artist Camille Baldwin Almost Quit Painting - Now Her Work Is a D Smoke Album Cover | KQED

"On the left-hand side of piece is the album's title. Toward the bottom is D Smoke's signature. And on the neck of the person in the painting is a tattoo that reads "J Gouche." "He asked me to add the tattoo of his mother's name to the painting," says artist Camille Baldwin, noting that the piece especially resonated with the musician after he lost his mom last year."

"Baldwin, an artist from East Oakland, made this piece while also experiencing a bit of grief, and simultaneously balancing the hope of a brighter tomorrow. The image was birthed from a sketch Baldwin conjured up while riding through the Midwest with her husband, Markell. Pregnant with their second child and en route to say their final words to her husband's ailing sister, Baldwin was quietly on a emotional and professional rollercoaster most artists can relate to."

Camille Baldwin, an artist from East Oakland, created a painting during a period of grief while balancing hope for the future. The image began as a sketch made while traveling through the Midwest with her husband, inspired by Oakland, Chicago and Indiana communities. The painting depicts a hoodie-wearing child with a backpack and two doves symbolizing hope and mourning. D Smoke purchased the completed piece, asked Baldwin to add a tattoo of his mother's name, and used the work as his album cover. The two did not meet until after the sale, shipment, and completion of the album artwork.

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