All Hallows' Eve

Happy Halloween Everyone.

See you next weekend...

#WinterIsComing

New things are happening for me faithful few. I'm not going to talk about them just yet but know that they are coming.

I know this is a really quick post this weekend but I promise that pretty soon the post will be back to normal, long-winded format 😊

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

Rockin a 'Fro...

This weekend came up on me so fast. It's like I get so caught up in other things that I seem to get behind in other stuff.

I didn't get around to to finishing the one piece but I did almost finish up the other one I talked about last week. I thought I would share that one with you guys this weekend. So without further ado...

 

I don't have a title for it yet and I need to tweak it a little more but it's just about done. Next week I hope to have the other one at least half done so I can share with you guys.

Until then...

 

 

-Namaste

 

Beats Me or Who stole my Energon...

I started working on a couple of t-shirt designs the last couple of days. I wanted to show you guys but I don't get a chance to finish them today because I went in to work. I'm going to definitely finish them this week coming up and I will share them with you then.

This weeks post is a little light but I will make it up to you guys next week.

Until next week...

 

 

-Namaste

A New Adventure Begins...

So I just started a new job a few weeks ago. And the cool thing about this new adventure is that I like my job. I love the interaction with people. As much as I always tell people that I don't like people but I loved that I can get a reaction out of people. My personality always seem to bring the best out of people. You would think that I would be some sort of performance artist with my background.

All in all this adventure has been good for me so far. It has really lifted my spirits up a lot. Last few months for me have been tough and it just keeps getting tougher but I always feel like it makes me stronger. It helps me feel slightly empowered and I gotta say that's a good feeling. Next week I hope to have some new images for you guys. Don't hold me to it though;)

Until next week...

 

 

-Namaste

Knowledge will always be POWER

Hey faithful few...I got my email confirmation this week that the work that I sent to the Rochester Contemporary Art Center was received and processed. Hopefully by the middle of next month I will have the numbers that they assigned to my pieces and some images to share with you guys.

So I have been taking this beginning programming class online and tomorrow starts the 3rd week of that class. I have been learning a lot in just this first 2 weeks. Code that back in the day that looked foreign to me, now makes sense. I got to say it's really enrichening learn something new. It's also starting to get intense trying to make sure I get the assignments done and watch the lectures. I also started an art history class on Warhol.

I just trying to keep myself busy and keeping my mind ever expanding. That's all I have for you guys this week.

Until next time...

 

 

-Namaste

Getting it done...

Another week...another post...Hey faithful few, how did your week fare? Mines was pretty much the same. Sort of drab. I did manage to get some work mailed off for the 6X6 show in at the Rochester Contemporary Art Center in New York. I did 4 total pieces and in my haste to get them mailed off, I forgot to take pics of them for you guys. Lol. As soon as they are posted on the site I will get pics to share with you guys.

I wasn't really to happy with what I produced this go around but I still wanted to get something sent it. I should have cut up some of the things I had been working on recently and sent that instead...

I've been perusing the interwebs for more call for entries that I can enter. I really want to keep the creative process flowing. I have been writing in my sketchbook when I get a chance to if my mind is clear. Sometimes I actually write just to clear my mind. Sort of like how I blog for you guys every week.

I really look forward to blogging every week. I know some weeks my post are short but I still mark out that time to make sure I blog for you guys. That's all I have for you guys this week.

Until next week...

 

 

-Namaste

Crunch...Crunch...CHOMP!!!

So I have been doing me the past couple of weeks. I haven't been devoting much time to my sketchbook as I would like but I am trying to change that.

I told myself the other day that I need to start working on some 6X6s while I had some free time. Out of curiosity I went to the website to see when the deadline was because I hadn't gotten an announcement in the mail this year letting me know when it was. Lo and behold, the deadline is actually next Saturday. I thought I had a few weeks still to get some done but as it stands I only have probably until Thursday or so to produce some(The pieces have to be postmarked by the 19th) .

This is another classic example of time creeping up on me pretty fast. And I have to submit something because of all that free time I had when I first moved to Charlotte there should be no excuse...none whatsoever as to why I didn't submit anything.

The thing is I don't know what I want to submit yet. I've started working in a somewhat new medium for me and I am not yet ready or not yet sold on my methods with it. I am also thinking of combining some elements and just producing some digital prints. So many ideas...I might just end up going with a bunch of different things. I want to send at least 4 pieces in. The next couple of days I will be spending time brainstorming and manipulating images. Next week I will definitely post images of what I sent in for you guys.

Until next week...



-Namaste

A Time to Reflect...A Time to look to look towards the future...

Faithful few...the year is almost over and I gotta say it was a year for me. I went and elevated myself out of my comfort zone, that which was work and home. I quit my job and moved south. Its been a struggle in the early going but I'd like to quote Frederick Douglass, "If there is no struggle, there is no progress..."

I have been enduring and trying to stay focused. It's been tough but oddly enough I am still encouraged. 2014 will be my year. I am going to continue to push myself into taking chances and living my life. This time last year, I felt that I would be where I am now but my mind still wasn't made up yet. As I am typing this, I am trying to think of the next big thing that I want/need to tackle. I really need to step up my game art-wise. I have a few new ideas that I want to get to before I start on some old ideas. I know that sounds a little backwards but I have decided that that next year, I am going to try and produce the work as it comes to me. No holding it back. Gotta get rolling and keep my creative juices flowing.

I am going to try to keep up with posting images for you guys as well. I have been promising work and not  delivering for you guys. That's all I have for you guys this year. See you in the new year...



-Namaste

The Artful Blogger...

This week was pretty much a blur...I took some time to get used to this weird weather we have been having down here in the south. Weather is really attacking my immune system. Nothing fluids and meds can't take care of though.

I am still trying to find my way down here. I've been stepping up my job search and have had a couple of job interviews the last couple of weeks; so that's been a plus. Still problem-solving some of these ideas that I have in my head and that I am working on artistically. I need to go to art store and pick up some supplies. I probably take care of that on Tuesday of next week. I have just been trying to stay focused, you know. Gotta make sure I get them out of my head and on canvas.

I just thought I'd let you guys know what I have been doing the past week. That's all I have for you this week.

Until next week...



-Namaste

Eventually it will happen or GOTCHA!...

Hey faithful few, it's the last day of August(ALREADY, man times does fly!!!) I had a really really good post for you guys this week but I decided to wait to post it until the middle of next week. Believe you and me, it's a doozy of a post. Since I need to do other things before I post it, I figured that I would wait. When I do post it and share with your guys why I wanted to wait, I am sure you'll understand and it will all make sense.

So until next week faithful few...

 

-Namaste

Time was definitely on my side or The 8th Horcrux...

Today...on a rare Saturday off day, I worked in one of my sketchbooks. I did a few doodles and quick studies. Nothing that held a lot of weight but it did feel good to just devote time to my sketchbook. The great thing about what I did today was that I planned for it. As an artist I should be spending a lot of time in my sketchbook, it just seems lately that I haven't done that.

So I figured if I try to manage my time more wisely than I can stay focused and on track. Who knew that it would work, lol. I am really trying to make sure I am all about time management. As I have talked about plenty of times here, it always seem to get the better of me. But...I feel I can defeat father time...maybe I shouldn't say defeat...how about play times game with it...if i can some how cross-reference time with the reverse of the inverse...lol...That was a bit crazy there. Just still feeling the high of my positive use of time today. I just need to buckle down and keep myself on track and use everything at my disposal to make that happen. That's all folks.

Until next week...



-Namaste

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

 

Time or The Malfunctioning Mind...

The past few months I have been prepping myself for big things happening this year. And each time I've had a deadline or a date that I needed to meet or remembered, I failed to do what I had to do. My girl thinks its almost like self-sabotage...I believe it's a bout of Murphy's Law.

Maybe time is getting me back for times when I fought time and won. I remember one time I was sitting in a cab in traffic on the Dan Ryan Expressway in Chicago on my way to Midway Airport and I was like I'm going to miss my flight. I got to the airport with about 40 mins or so before my plane was supposed to take off. I was like YES!!!! I made my way to security and as soon as I got there I saw one of the longest lines I had every seen at an airport. It was like it was a holiday and it wasn't. It was like the first week in November. Luckily a few TSA agents came and started taking people out of line and check our tickets to expedite us through the metal detectors but I made it to my gate and on the plane with minutes to spare.

There have been plenty of other times when I've went head to head with Father Time and came out the victor. As of late though it just seems I'm losing a lot. Case in point, my photos I wanted to send to Rochester for this art show that came the day after they should have been postmarked(Luckily I did get in a parting shot against Father Time and sent a separate piece in...TAKE THAT YOU OLD FOOL, HUZZAH!!!)

Maybe time does have it in for me or maybe I'm just getting old...

 

-Namaste

Blogging is my side vice or Sometimes I learn things...

I have been slacking a lot lately with my other blogs... ( Vegetarian and Tech )

I don't blog as often as I like on them which kind of bothers me being as though they aren't as extensive as a blog as this one. They are basically off shoots of this one, my main blog. I mean I am always taking pics of food or trying new things as a vegetarian that I could post over on the vegetarian blog...I am a tech geek so there shouldn't be any reason why I don't post often on my tech blog. I am actually in the process of writing a really long post for my tech blog on why I switched back to android from the IOS ecosystem.

Its really no excuse. They both are WordPress blogs and I have the WordPress app on just about every device that I own and its real easy to post from it so there is definitely no excuse. Maybe I'll try to make sure going forward to post pics, articles and whatever I can related to both of them. Got to get back into the habit of sharing my discoveries.

Until next time...

-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

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

New Years Resolutions

So it's the last Saturday in January and I decided that I would just come to you guys with a small post. I realized that I didn't do any new years resolutions yet and I know that I wanted to. So I figured I'd share them with you guys, my faithful few...so without further ado...

1. Create more art.
2. Finish things that I set out to do.
3. Keep pushing towards my goal of getting healthier (maybe switch to a vegan lifestyle...maybe...BIG maybe...)
4. Achieve goals that I have set aside for myself this year.
5. Focus more on my art.

I think those are the few main ones that I have. Everything else are just subsets of the main ones. Some are more personal. But like I said, I wanted to share some with you guys this weekend. That's all I have for today. Until next time...

 

 

-Namaste

Reflecting or the Art of Reflection...

I have a Note to my 28yr old self post coming soon. I just started a new painting today and unfortunately I can't post any pic of it. Its a gift and I don't want to spoil it:-). Let's see...last week this time I was celebrating my glorious birthday. Its amazing how time flies when you are enjoying the moment though right? In some ways I wish I could freeze time and just live in the moment. There are a lot of of instances where I would do things differently and some where I would hold on to certain things.

Don't get me wrong, its nice to move on but sometimes its always fun to bask in all the glorious gloritude of the thrill of things. All too frequently we get caught up in the zen of life (which is not a bad thing) but sometimes its OK to hold on to fleeting moments. Sometimes it's better to savor and enjoy the moment. There have been plenty of times where I dwelled on a moment. Now when I say dwell, I don't mean over think...I mean spend some time to reflect. Reflection is a powerful thing.

That's all I have for you guys today but like I said earlier, I have a Note to my 28yr old self post coming soon. I just have to decide how I'm going to do. Until then...
post

-Namaste