My City...Heartbreak

On the last Monday of last month (April 2015), I watched a part of my city burn. It seemed really surreal. Especially since most of the places that were front and center was in places that I frequently passed through in my youth, early adulthood and before I left Baltimore; most of the time for work.

As I watched coverage on a national media conglomerate, I couldn’t quite place the feeling I was feeling. Didn’t know if it was empathy, fear, shock or sadness…It wasn’t until the next day when I read a quote from a young lady who lived in one of the neighborhoods that I figured out what it was…Heartbreak.

I’ve always said over the last few years living in Baltimore, that the youth of today have become reckless.  Most of them are coming from broken homes and also are subjected to a school system that is really bad when it comes to education. Some of them were raised by children themselves so they have no sense of respect for themselves or others. No sense of right or wrong…no moral compass…no moral ambiguity if you will.

Whenever I travel anywhere and strike up a convo with anyone and I tell them I’m from Baltimore, those familiar with Baltimore go, “The Wire made the city look like its bad and dangerous…” My response has always been Baltimore is way worse than what you see on The Wire. Now the world as a whole knows it too.

Baltimore is one of the many cities in America that we need to fix at the grassroots level. We can’t wait until we send them to our poor school systems to try and nurture them…we need to get to them before they leave the home. Show them that with hard work and motivation things can be better. We need to show them that there is more to life and this world other than what you see outside of your window. We need to show them how to dream again…

-Namaste
 

This Week...

Hello faithful few. I have been watching the happenings in my hometown of Baltimore this past week and let's just saw WOW...

I have an essay that I started this week but I didn't get it finished in time for this week's post because of my hectic work schedule. I will try to get it finished and posted for next week by Thursday. I'm not making any promises but that's my goal.

Until next week...

-Namaste

Accountability helps...

I failed you guys this week. I have nothing to show...zilch...nada...zero.....I did pull my sketchbook out and tomorrow between my job hunting and resting I will be drawing in my sketchbook.

My art accountability partner told me something this week that I totally forgot about sketchbooks. She told me I just need to draw. Even if I don't like what comes out...just DRAW. It also doesn't help that every week she is showing me something new that she started or finished LOL. But that's what accountability partners are for. Well that's it for this week.

Until next week...


-Namaste

One Year Ago on this Date...

One year ago on this very date (Sep 26), I took a giant leap of faith. I packed up and in the early morning of this date one year ago, I left Baltimore for Charlotte. It has been a very trying year for me...especially the last few months. In some ways I feel as though that's OK. I didn't quite know what to expect when I embarked on this undertaking. This was new territory to me. I left my comfort zone and started anew.

In a way, I usually feel like I'm still just visiting but every time I get paid I brought back to the reality that I'm not still a visitor. (I'm paying NC taxes, lol) I am finding being from somewhere else is also a good conversation starter as well. I've had small talk(which is weird because I hate small talk) with people who almost always immediately pick up on my accent. I proudly say I am from Baltimore.

I miss Baltimore...I'm not going to lie. I miss my family, I miss my friends...I miss that energy Baltimore has and one about my O's...Eutaw Street is going to be rocking next month. I think once I get back on track, I'll go back to visit for a few days. Or I will make it my mission to get back at least twice a year.

Well as I begin year 2 of my transition, I hope things look much brighter on the other side of the trees. That's all I have for you guys this week.

Until next week...



-Namaste

I leaped without looking and I loved it...

In another couple of weeks, it will be a year since I walked away from job and then 2 weeks later; I left Baltimore. It's still quite surreal when I think about it. One of the things I used to talk about when I first started this blog was taking chances and my hesistance to do so often. But lo and behold, I go and take a giant leap of faith. Talk about taking chances!

Now don't get me wrong, it definitely hasn't been a cakewalk or easy. I can say that it truly has been a learning experience for me, as well as a trying time. (Man, I've used a lot of commas so far in this post). I feeling pretty optimistic about my future and future prospects. Adult Choices is something I have dwelled on in the past and I find myself increasingly making more and more of them. I guess I am finally starting to lose that contentment quality that I have had all those years. I've never been a free spirit so to speak but I will latch onto something if it feels real comfortable. I guess that's the main reason that I'm feeling good about my situation because it's ever-ever-changing. Nothing is stagnant or comfortable. Almost everyday is a new adventure, a new struggle,  a new learning experience and I am kind of loving every minute of it just a little bit in the back of my mind. The rest of my mind thinks I'm just strange, lol. That's it for this week guys.

Until next week...

-Namaste

Six Months and No Regrets...

Last week I talked about Adult Choices. This weeks post is more of a continuation of that post but it's more of a State of the Moment kind of post...

Six months ago to the day I walked away from my job. A job I may added, while having reached the proverbial glass ceiling; paid pretty good. I packed up my things and walked away from somewhat comfortable but boring life and I left Baltimore. I choose to take a leap of faith and pretty much walk away from it all. For all intents and purposes right now, I feel like an alien in a strange land (For some reason Sting is in my head right now, for the uninformed, Englishman in New York).

I am just getting my life really going in my new state of residency. Things are still really new to me but I am finally working again and moving in the right direction. This has probably been one of the hardest things I have ever done in my life.

Every now and then I might feel a little discouraged but something will happen that changes all of that. This past week I was texting with one of my ex-coworkers and he told me, "Be the beast...you are a testament to us all. Don't let them take your artistic soul!" And that really touched me.

I always...always said that I couldn't wait to have something as simple as my Facebook profile saying that my current city was somewhere else and my hometown was Baltimore. Well for the past 6 months I have been living that life. Whenever I am out in public or at work and I hear people talking, every now and then I kind of chuckle to myself. I am still amazed that I did it. After all this time, it still feels quite surreal. In the beginning, especially when I wasn't work, it felt like I was on the longest vacation EVER! It took me a couple of months to get used to the idea that it wasn't a vacation but that this was actually an ongoing part of my life right now. I missed family...I missed friends...I missed the monotonous routines...

For as much as I wanted to get away, there was still a part of me that was still back in Baltimore. Those first couple of months were so strange to me. I mean I was really excited but I was also kind of sad. Have you guys ever experienced that kind of feeling? That kind of...hmmm...happy guilty I think I'll call it. It's like enjoying something that you tell yourself that you shouldn't enjoy too much. I mean it's crazy exhilarating though.

There are plenty of pluses. I mean my family and I have always been close and with all the bad things and death that has happened in my close-knit family the last few years we have gotten even closer. But it is true what they say, when they say "...absence makes the heart grow fonder" because every time I talk to my sisters or dad or even my friends back home, I feel so much love surrounding us all. I never in a million years would have imagined that I would... You know some people never see themselves outside of the situations that they are in now. I mean they probably have the same dreams as most of us. They know that they are going to grow up, get a job and maybe start a family. They'll probably travel, do wonderful things, become wonderful people but they probably stay in the same circle or same town that they grew up in and don't get me wrong that perfectly ok...but for me for someone who has always felt outside of the box...someone who imagined things happening in a whole different way...it's awesome that I am building a life outside of where I'm from. In a different town.

I am truly feeling no regrets. Even when facing adversities or uncertainties at times, I have always like the Phoenix, risen from the ashes. Yet I have always been hesitant about making big choices or moves. It's funny...years ago, I wouldn't have the testicular fortitude to do some of the things I have been doing the past few years. I mean I may have talked about but I always had the fear of not being able to conquer them very same adversities or uncertainties or not being able to pull of what I said I would do. It was like I could see the other side of the mountain but I kept putting these obstacles in my way. I couldn't get past my own mental obstacles. And then it happened a year or so ago. I told myself it's now or never. From that point on, I begin to devote myself to the task at hand. And that brought me to six months ago where I seized my own destiny and took my leap of faith. It has been unreal up to this point for me. I am glad that today I am at where I am in my life and I can't wait to see how the next six months play out...

Well you guys it's about 4am and I should have been sleep hours ago but I had to finish this post for you guys...felt like I was about to start rambling, LOL. I put so much time into this post this weekend but I always have fun sharing with you guys. Who know some day I may pen a memoir and you guys definitely would be apart of it. Thanks for allowing me to share with you, the faithful few.

Until next week...

-Namaste

Have a Safe and Merry Holiday...

Hello faithful few,

I just thought that I would wish you guys a Merry Christmas and a Happy Holidays since we won't talk until after the holidays.

Until then...

 

-Namaste

 

 

The Dharma and the Sea or The Old Man and Bums...

Hey faithful few, I know I said that I would post images for you guys this week and I have started working on them but I want to expand upon my post from last week.  

The other day I was thinking about letting go and taking leaps of faith and how for the most part of my life how I've played it safe...and then I thought how I decided a few weeks ago to take a giant leap and break that habit of playing it safe. I then realized that I was finally feeling the wind beneath my feet. 

Today its been 1 month to the date that I moved Baltimore to Charlotte.

I feel like such a free spirit right now....like Hemingway or Kerouac...a lot of times the feeling is euphoric but also in a catch-22-kind of way its harrowing. I say harrowing because for someone who has almost always played it safe, this sort of feeling seems like it can lead to "slackitude-ness" or carelessness. Even though I have mixed thoughts on this feeling, I am enjoying it. I'm enjoying it because its a new feeling for me. It's fun. My mind right now feels so clear right now. I gotta say that right now I am in a very good place. I wish I would have done this years ago.

The image below is one of the pics I took a couple of weeks ago. I figured I'd post at least one image for you guys this week...again I am going to try and get some more for you guys next week.

Until then...

-Namaste

A Milestone, my 300th Post...

So faithful few...this is my 300th Post! When I started this blog, I never imagined that I would get this far. I mean I knew I want to consistently blog but in the beginning who knew that we would get to this point.

I am glad that we have had this journey. And I hope to be with you guys for 300 more posts. This week I have another video for you guys. So I am going to stop typing and allow you guys to enjoy.

Until next week...





-Namaste

The Eye

So this week I present a video for your viewing pleasure. I was a little perturbed at how iMovie was handling my video clips so I abandoned the project and just used YouTube's video editor to put the clips together to make one video. So without further ado...

Quick hits...

Hey faithful few, I don't have anything really for you guys this week. I did have a somewhat productive first part of the week in Charlotte though.

At some point in time I will bring you guys some good news going forward. I need to finish this painting that I started about a month ago and haven't worked on in about 3 weeks. I also started working on this panel that I had totally forgotten about. I had worked on half of it, then taped it off and put it to the side. Almost forgot I had it. Those are two pieces I am hoping to finish in the next couple of weeks. I really got to get back into the swing of things.

Until next time my friends...

 

 

 

-Namaste

 

Selling Work or Making Moves with Art...

So I have spent the majority of the last hour resizing a few images in Photoshop and uploading to Redbubble. Redbubble is a site where artist can upload their work and sell them as T-shirts, Stickers, Prints and whatnot's. The prices are pretty reasonable as well.  Check them out if your feeling a lil adventurous. Click the highlighted text up (You know the word Redbubble, its called a hyperlink...Use it!!! Lol) I'm going to be uploading more images there in the near near future, so I will let you guys know when I do.

I also found out for sure that my piece made it to Rochester in time for inclusion into the Rochester Contemporary Art Center's 6X6X2013 show. All of the art that was submitted by hundreds of artist around the world are up on the website for viewing.  They go on sale on June 4th for just $20! You don't have to purchase my piece (But you probably should) but you might find something on the site that you might like...and $20 for an original piece of art and a good cause you can't go wrong! The link is here. And if your curious you can search for #4493 in the "Find art by #", that's where you'll find my piece.  Well that's all I have for you guys this weekend.

Until next time...


-Namaste

The Art of The Blog or Dot Dot Dot...

Another week gone by, another post to do...

Its seems like blogging for me is automatic.

I discussed many times here how this started out as a therapeutic avenue for me but the more and more I (did) do it, its like blogging is a big part of who I am as an artist.

Blogging is but an extension of my artistic practice. I guess that's why its so easy for me to do this week in, week out.

I started create these weird abstract-like creatures. Its just a little something I decided to do...playing around with different forms and trying to give them a life. I'll post a couple of pics for you guys to enjoy here.

That's all for now folks. Until next week...

-Namaste

"The Amazing Superior Spectacular" and "The Copper Goddess is a Star..."

This is a video that I posted to YouTube tonight. I did it on Thursday. It was the only submission that I got in on time for the 6X6X2013 for Rochester Contemporary Art Center this year. I was expecting some prints that I ordered to be here in time to add those as well but they have yet to come. (Side note...with the slowness of snail mail, I just hope this was postmarked for today. I dropped it in the mail on Thursday.) I guess I'll know in a couple of weeks or not if they received it. I will definitely let you guys know if I failed or not.

I am also very close to finishing this piece(the image below) for one of my customers. I think I have a few more tweaks to do and I know for sure it'll be done. Until next time...




 -Namaste
 

Where's the Juice or Someone forgot to pay the electric bill...

As I only have 12% battery life on my phone and currently the power is out in my neighborhood, I am not going to do the long drawn out post that I planned on doing for you guys this week. Instead I will have to do it in next weeks post. It will be all about art and art happenings and the "six degrees of separations" it sometimes bring (more like 2 or 3 but whatever I wanted to use the saying and that's all I have to say about that!!! LOL)

Until next week...

 

-Namate

New WIP...Partie Deux

I have a few more images for you guys of the piece I showed you last week. I still got a little ways to go with this but I still wanted to share.

I had a pretty busy week this week work-wise and today so I didn't have a chance to finish this weeks blog for you guys. Definitely going to get it out there though. I haven't forgotten. Until then...

 

 

-Namaste

 

 

 

New WIP...

I thought I would just post a pic of one of the things I am working on that I can share with you guys. Hopefully next week I have more to share with you. I know I have a rant I guess I can call it about how we as artists are influenced by other artists and how we use that influence in our own work. I'm going to try and get that out to you guys in the next couple of weeks. Until then...


-Namaste

Something simple nothing major...

So on this late Saturday night before bed, I am going to strive to do something quite simple.  I am going to try and make use of all my technology at my disposal and feel out schedule for this month...a list of things I know that need to get done, my work schedule, my mini vacay and whatsnots.  I've tried to do this before but it was just something that I had online.  I had access to it but I never carried it around with me.  Now and this modern day of electronic day planners and such, I have no real excuse not to be on point with deadlines and things of the like.

That is all.  Like the title says Something simple nothing major... Until next week...


-Namaste

These words...

So I have been thoroughly engrossed in this book called
Baltimore '68: Riots and Rebirth in an American City.
Its a book by Elizabeth Nix. I am about halfway through the book and as I have been reading it, I have been pulling words out of it. The words are combinations of names, ideals, class, and race. I have jotted them down a couple of times but I have yet to decide exactly what it all means to me. I have been trying to see the connection with it and my current body of work. I know in the past my work has been heavily influenced by race but the last few years for me, my work has tended to go slightly left of race.

Even before I started reading this book I had started to investigate when I had the switch over...when did I go away from mainly talking about race and class in my work to creating art that was more, how can I say it...more or less tamer than what I was doing the first part of this century. What changed my voice? I shouldn't say change...what caused me to hush my tone? Could it have been me feeling like it was something I needed to do so I wouldn't constantly get stuck or have to deal with the lull between pieces. Because for awhile there it felt like constantly focusing on race to me would come off like I'm spewing propaganda. And that's a message I never want my work to convey. Hopefully soon I'll have a better understanding of what this all means for me in the "now." Until then...

-Namaste

What's up World...

Every once in a while I find myself in a really good place. It just seems like everything is just falling into place...everything is extremely copacetic. Right now I have three pieces of work that I am working on concurrently and I feel good about all three pieces. They are all at different stages of completion but they are coming along nicely. When I'm finished I will probably post a slideshow for you guys. That's all I have for you guys this weekend. I'm going to probably try to get sleep early but probably not...

Oh yeah...I'm going to maybe do a black history post in the next couple of weeks so I'm looking forward to post that for you guys. Until next time...


-Namaste