Arris’ J. Cohen, also known as Sir’ra, is a multidisciplinary visual artist based in Ohio whosework explores Black fatherhood, masculinity, memory, and becoming. Working primarily inacrylic painting, Cohen blends realism, symbolism, and Afrosurrealist language to examineidentity under pressure and the quiet endurance of care. As a Husband and Father, Cohen’s work is deeply informed by lived experience. His figuresoften carry weight, both literal and metaphorical, reflecting responsibility, resilience, andinherited histories. Light, architecture, and symbolic objects recur as visual devices, pointingtoward interior life, generational continuity, and transformation.Cohen’s recent bodies of work investigate themes of time, labor, and emotional visibility,situating personal narrative within broader cultural and social frameworks. His practice resistsspectacle in favor of intimacy, inviting viewers to slow down and consider the unseen structuresthat shape who we become. In addition to his studio practice, Cohen is an educator and public artist, working with youth andcommunities through mural projects and arts programming. His work has been exhibitedregionally and nationally, including at the Elijah Pierce Gallery at the King Arts Complex andUrban Arts Space in Columbus, Ohio