Helen...

Late progress shot of my sade inspired work

SO I am supposed to be a part of an all women's art show that requires us all to show our appreciation for other female artists who's medium is music.  I of course debated heavily with myself [draft revisited 4/26/2016 1:48AM] over who'm i would choose to do a painting on.  beyonce is like the musical version of me, a color genius.  alicia keys is just, alicia keys man, she's alicia keeeeeys! lol  erykah badu is a truth that keeps the south real.  solange knowles is everything.  lienne lahavas is a mermaid.  elle varner is a super hero.  ledisi is a power house, jill scott is a folk hero.  and these are just the ones close to my age that i love, imagine my thoughts on Chaka, aretha and whitney.  I chose sade.  she is like a spirit.  it's foreign but kindred.  it's in your face when you don't want it to be.  its there when you need it though.  i chose to portray her as a sort of DEITY or mother to the current GENERATION'S musical artists who are honest in their emotions and truthful about their past in a way that captures us all.  my schedule and obligations did not allow me to complete the painting in time for the show.  i made much too big of a deal of it.  Sade and her musical children drake and a siamese hybrid BETWEEN jhene aikoand THe Weeknd sit in their palace amid the scenery of zuma rock and the brooklyn bridge.  sade transcends continents, and hovers over us all with her haunting vocals and softness.  i will complete this painting at leisure.  i love the playful colors and possibilities.

The Sisterhood of the Sharpies

I was recently contacted by one of my art angels and mentor Dan Floures.  It was an invitation to compete in a Sharpie Slam as part of a week long business and technology conference!  I thought to myself, "I haven't participated in a contest like this since the 5th grade. when myself and my boys would compete during coloring time in class.  I was the only girl up against the likes of Maurice Dumas, Cleveland Curtis, Tandreaux O'Neil, and Melvin Carr!  LOL I was such a tomboy and this was just another way I connected with the boys who couldn't stop doodling or drawing.   Our teacher would pass out a coloring sheet to everyone and we would compete based on neatness, color choices, uniqueness and even completion time.  It was our thing, it kept us focused on lectures and audio books, and it was fun!  I cannot wait to see what this cool event will wake up in my artistic side.  It will be held on Wednesday October 7th, 2015 at the Biltmore Hotel In Atlanta, GA.  

[Draft Revisited 4/26/2016 2:37am] 

So what ended up happening was... I met all of these beautiful art devis!  We hung out, we shared our similarities, but not even intentionally! We just were.  I can be such a hermit and a loner but I opened up my shell a little.  i worked on a super fun skate deck project to COMMEMORATE one of my FAVORITE teen idols and skate legend, Harold Hunter.  As a team the other devis and I were a fierce cohesion of culture, taste and style!  One in creativity and we won the Sharpie Slam 2015 competition!   Stay TUned!  Devi phoenix.

SHarpie Slam 2015|Harold Hunter Commemorative Skate Deck