A Couple of Images...

Well, as you can see faithful few I have been quite productive by my standards this week.

The pencil sketch is a study for the Darth Maul that I started in the other image. The digital image I've started in an app called Infinite Painter on my Samsung Note 3. So far I've worked on it for a little over 4 hours. I'm going to work on it some more on my phone and then probably import it into Photoshop to finish it off. And as usual, I will definitely share with you guys. That's all I have for you guys this week.

Until next week...

-Namaste

New Stuff...

This is just a little something I have been testing out. Thought I'd share a few quick images with you guys.

Until next week...

-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

Art happens for a ton of reasons or Will Pin for Art...

Hey there faithful few...I'm Baaaacckkkkkk! Lol. I haven't gone any where yet, it's just that lovely time again. Blog time. So I have been recently trying to find more ways to keep myself busy artistically-wise. This past Monday, I entered my self-portrait that I did into an international art contest. I have been planning on doing it for awhile but I almost forgot about the deadline which was the 1st. It's a contest being put on by Derwent Pencils. I was excited to actually get a chance to enter. Even if I don't win a prize it was/is awesome that I did enter, you know.

Today I also pinned a few more pieces of my own work to one of my boards on Pinterest. I totally be forgetting sometimes that I have Pinterest and I was one of the thousands of people who were on it when it was invitation only and they hadn't blown up yet. Come to think of it I have pretty much neglected Social Media for a while save for the few times I have started a convo in a couple of my Facebook groups. (Which is odd, seeing as though Facebook is one of my least liked social sites out there...something about privacy issues, LOL) Now that I've mentioned it, I'll probably abandon my idea to read before bed tonight and end up spending some time perusing Twitter, Instagram and Google+. Such is Life. Anywhoogle this book I am currently reading called, Darkest America: Black Minstrelsy from Slavery to Hip-Hop, is a really good engaging read. I have been taking notes...maybe I shouldn't say notes...I have been jotting down thoughts based on what I have read so far that come to mind based on what I've read. At some point I can see these thoughts turning into a post here or who knows maybe some great work of art. And as usual, I will surely share with you guys.

Until next week...

 

 

 

-Namaste

 

Time...Time keeps on passing me by...

You ever wonder where all the time goes...?  I mean seriously...Every week it seems that Sunday hits and before I know it, I am sharing with you guys.  Which means Saturday is upon us...I then start to wonder where all the time in the week has gone.  Not too mention where the year has gone to.

Time management then becomes something of the essence.  For me that has always been a struggle.  There have been a plenty of times that I have let time slip away because of poor time management.  The  past few years I have gotten better, definitely this year.  I have found that by setting reminders and goals for myself have really helped me to keep on track...usually.  Its not a perfect system but its been working out for me.  Especially being tethered to technology:)

Last couple of years I have been trying to steer clear of setting New Years' Resolutions but this year if I have to have one; I would say it would be "To wisely take advantage of improving my time management" skills.  I have too many mechanisms at my disposal not to be more cognizant of time.  I believe that its just one of my holdover traits of being a procrastinator.  Gotta work on shaking it.

Well, faithful few, that's all I have for you guy this week.  Until the next time...


-Namaste

A Weekly Update...

So this piece I am working on is due a week from Monday I believe. I am the furthest along of anyone but I haven't worked on it in a couple of weeks now. I just haven't made the time to work on it. Maybe I'll finish it tomorrow who knows. I did find out information that I already knew about it but forgot. I was think that it was a cash prize but it's actually a product prize which now that I think about it is still a good idea. I just need to get it done.

I want to start a couple of I don't know series of sketches soon. I have all this images in my head. Some of them are just rough sketches and some of them are fully realized drawings. I just don't know what they mean. It's like in my head there is this therapy session going on but I am having this issue with committing them to paper. It's not like a block or anything its more like a defense mechanism to thwart out intruders (the masses). I guess it's one of those things that I need to deal with right? In any event, when I release them you will be among the first to know.

Until then...

-Namaste

What The Duck...

I think on a somewhat "subconscious/conscious" level I am afraid to make the work I want to make. I told my girl this the other day. When I think back to the sort of self-discovery I had back in my junior year of college to where I am today, I often wonder why my work took such a drastic turn. I mean I went from making work that could have become quite provocative to making work that in my own honest opinion, sometimes viewed as "being safe". What happened along the way...

I guess it's associating with and being around people who, now don't get me wrong have been cool people...it's just some of them either wouldn't get it or find it offensive. That's not to say that I diverted from the work because I cared about what people said but I believe it had more to do with my self-defined ideal of those closest around me.

Its like in my mind I have this internal struggle between myself and being the artist I could/should be. Whenever I endeavor to create work like I used to do its like I self-destroy that motivation and then do something that I know people will fill its pretty or pleasing to the eye. I really need to defeat that demon in my head and get back to create work for me. Need to break down that wall in my mind that has been put up. I know what you are going to say. "Why don't you just do it and not care about what people may or may not think about it?" I mean it seems easy enough right? But when your personality is like a guardian to your subconscious mind and forces you to think of others before yourself; it gets tricky. And don't even get me started on how it stagnates "Art for Arts' sake".

At the end of the day, its about taking that leap and not looking back. Its getting yourself into that mindset that you have something you want to say and who gives a hell whether or not people like it or whether they feel like your "treadging" up the past...or if they feel like you are talking about something that's never effected you. In some ways, you have to be sort of selfish when creating. In any event, it's easier said then done my friends...easier said than done...

 

 

-Namaste

 

And so...

So I didn't spend a few days in DC like I had planned. I did have a little "me time" though. Also I did go and spend yesterday in DC. I walked around a little and hit up the movie theater for a double feature. I didn't take my camera with me because it was quite rainy here yesterday. Didn't want to be out take pics with my camera in the rain. I'm not setup for that yet. Maybe in the future. I did however, snap a few interesting pics with my iPhone that I might post here next week. I am going to have a few images of this painting that I mentioned last week for you guys as well. 

That's all I have for you guys this week. Until next week...

 

 

 

 

-Namaste

Emotions make you cry sometimes...

I just recently started watching this documentary about artist Beverly McIver. Its called Raising Renee. I am not to far in it yet but some far its pretty good. It has the makings of being a real good film. As I was watching the film, it made me reflect on my own work.  I have always noticed that I tend to leave certain emotions out of my work. Sadness, pain, resentment, etc...these are just a few of the emotions that I have felt in the past couple of years. And yet, if you look at the work I have created in that time span you.will see none of that in the work.  I referenced the documentary earlier because its about her work and her raising her sister while creating this work.  Her sister and family has always been apart of her work. They are the subject. I constantly shy away from including emotions of pain and hurt in my work.for fear of exposing my personal life. Now don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with showing emotions...its just the way that I was raised that has me guarded against showing certain signs of emotion. My personality is also a big part of it as well. Those type of emotions I try my best not to wear on my sleeve. For me I believe that if I portrayed them in my work, it might paint a picture of a fractured "boy". I also believe my work then might be viewed as being created by someone who is reaching out for help or maybe it would invite people in who might believe that they "know how to fix me". Could my way of thinking be extremely way off base or extremely assumptive? Maybe...but it is what it is in my mind. At some point and time, I believe I can and will muster up the courage to attack more personal subject matter in my work.  As an artist, I can not be afraid to put all of my emotions into a piece for fear of letting one get to close.  I should be able to pour.my emotion into a piece and feel like I did that piece justice because I had no worries about the viewers perception or gaze when it comes to my work. That's all I have for you guys this week. Thanks for letting me share with you. -Namaste

New work...

Hello faithful few... I have begun a painting which over a series of weeks,  I will continue to build up layers on.  This painting,  which every time I add a layer to,  I will share with you guys.  I will incorporate you the faithful few into the actual process.  I will turn you guys into my actual piece.  I don't quite understand yet where you guys will fit in.  My thinking behind this piece is using my blog,  the blogosphere and my work in a progression of documentated images and written statements to you guys.  Whereas I could video myself creating this piece or I could just post a picture of every time I add to it but I want to engage you the viewer as I am adding layers. I want to make it feels as though you are not just seeing what I am doing as I add layers but have you visually involved in a way that I am creating this for you guys.

Where the piece goes will be determined solely on how I feel like presenting it to you guys.   Now you might say how is that different from me posting a picture of what I am working on now or in the past.  Well as the weeks come and go it will all seem clearer.  I look forward to working with you guys;)


-Namaste

Sick...

Hello faithful few. I am feeling under the weather this week so i am not going to say too much this weekend. I am however going to show you guys what I have been working on the last couple of weeks. The progression of the images go from top to bottom, almost like a state of undress...Enjoy!









-Namaste

Crunch Time

Hey there happy people. How was you guys New Year? How did the rest of your week go. Mine was ok, I sat at home sick from Quiznos veggie sub (Ugh, never again) but I did manage to watch the ball drop in Times Square and take a couple of shots of gin;-) I swear one year I am going to get to NY for New Years' (That felt like Deja Vu)

Its getting close to my deadline for this sketchbook. I have to have it.postmarked a week from today but I will have it done before that. Hopefully by my birthday on Wednesday:-) Yes my blogospherian friends this blogger next week will celebrate a birthday. I am looking forward to it. I don't know what it is but I always get up for my birthday. I am always extremely excited about my bday. Now I just have to beat this cold I have before that AMAZING day. I fixed some chili today and it was pretty good. It opened my sinuses up and really warmed my soul. I am glad. And that my friends is all I have for you guys this week. Next week I might have some pics for you guys and I probably let you guys know what I did for my born day.

-Namaste

P.S. Happy Birthday big sis...I miss you RIP...

Pure Genius or Sometimes my mind digresses...

So, I got my artist statement done for the Call for entry and Art Residence that I was applying to. I worked on it right up until the day of the deadline. I got my packet off by the deadline so pretty excited about seeing what comes out of that. I was at work today and I got on the computer and I decided that I would post my blog, which I had planned on sharing with you guys my new statement. I then realized that my statement was at home so there went that plan. I get home and guess what! I didn't save a copy of my statement for myself!!! I realized that I had only printed out two copies. I did it at work but I didn't save a copy for myself. Needless to say, no statement...Yet! These two opportunities I have applied to will return my material to me whether or not I am considered for either opportunity. So fret not, you guys will eventually get a chance to enjoy my awesome statement;)

The last couple of weeks I have been quite busy artistically. I have been working diligently on trying to produce more work. I have felt pretty good about my work lately. It is a wonderful feeling to have your creative juices flowing, you know. I am going to try my best to keep this burst of creative energy I have found flowing and as always I will keep you guys well-informed.

I have been pretty good with keeping my work life out of my blog because I am a true believer of making sure that you don't leave any record of anything that can be used against you later in life. I have been through a lot in my current working environment and in someways its my own fault. So here's to new ventures and breaking free...


-Namaste

Because you demanded it...

KING

Dumela everyone, its that time again. I know I told you guys that this week I was going to post a pic of my lastest creation that I had in MAP Out of Order auction this past week but I am going to have to hold off on that for my next post. This week on this day i just want to post a reflection post. This day is the 41st anniversary of the death of the great Dr. Martin Luther King.

When I think about it, I try to visualize the thoughts on the mind of the people who were alive at that moment. What was going through their minds at that time? I mean we have heard stories and we have seen things that show accounts of that day but how did society really feel. I wonder if Dr. King were alive today would he think that his dream was realized or if there was work still left to do. We will never know but we can still keep on carrying out the legacy that he left us with.

That's all I have for you guys this week. I am going to finish this post different this week. I am not going to sign off but I am going to leave you guys with a clip of Dr. King's last speech...

Change

Hello faithful few, I know in last weeks' post I made mention of posting earlier but the more I thought about it, I really didn't have any reason for rushing my post this week. I hope I didn't disappoint you guys. As I contemplated my post this week I thought of what changes I could make to liven up my blog a little, you know. I am very proud of myself and my ability to maintain my blog as long as I have. It really is a testament to my determination to achieve a sense or order...a sense of commitment.

Every week I look forward to posting for you guys. I am in the coming months really overhaul my blog. I have tried a couple of backgrounds recently and even fooled around with the layout, trying to get that right feel, yo know. I am trying to get that "A-HA" moment. That moment when I feel as though my new background speaks to me and my artistic nature. I hope you guys anticipate the changes to come with bated breath and exhilarating excitement!

That's all I have for you guys this week. But I will be back folks and in the coming weeks I will try to post more art for you guys. So be on the lookout!

Until sometime next week, namaste and stay strong...