Marla McLeod is a mixed-race (African-American, White, and Native) artist born in California and based in New Haven, Connecticut. Her portraits and textiles raise questions about power, privilege, and identity while highlighting the absence or marginalization of people of color and LGBTQ+ individuals within the canons of American and European art. 

McLeod grew up living with several African-American families within the foster care system in the 1980s. One of her long-term homes was with a pastor and his wife, a seamstress who would sew quilts, curtains, and the family's fancier dresses for church. A self-described 'tomboy,' McLeod would only help the pastor's wife with sewing tasks when 'forced' to do so. Years later, the artist drew from these experiences during her graduate studies at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts at Tufts University, when she designed a drag ballroom performance. 

Drag ball culture is a vibrant LGBTQ+ subculture in which participants don dramatic costumes and walk on a stage or runway in competition for prizes and pride. Inspired by her work as an event photographer at several drag balls in New York City, McLeod began researching garments linked to the complex portrayals of various personae throughout American history, including the Mexican folklórico and the Aggressor from LGBTQ+ culture. 

Since then, clothing and textiles have become an integral part of McLeod's practice, initiating dialogues about who we are and how we define ourselves. Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood is the largest solo exhibition to take place at Essex Art Center, with McLeod's paintings, textiles, and garments taking over both the Sidell Gallery and the Beland Gallery. The show is co-curated by the Center's Executive Director, Monica Manoski, and Deputy Director, Gabriel Sosa, and is presented as part of McLeod's Walter Feldman Fellowship for Emerging Artists, which she was granted in 2021.