artist
This Week’s Art
This Week’s Art
Asked For
In the current bible study I am doing, Beth Moore has taught us that the name Saul meant “Asked For” He was a king they asked for. It reminds me that some of the things that I ask for look good on the outside, but woe the trouble it brings. This drawing is based on James C Lewis’ photograph Saul. Lewis created a series of images with People of Color in the role of Bible characters.
Watching Passion Blossom
Art to me is like a new boyfriend. I am enjoying the time getting to know it, staying up late, and learning its secrets. It is sexy, funny and surprising. It strengthens, encourages and challenges me. I like capturing an image that tells a story. Each one will speak to you.
One of the things I found as I looked around was few artists showed People of Color. As I glean from other artist, I will add my perspective as an African-American woman. One of the things my work brings to the table are People of Color. God created us to be equal, but made us so different in many ways. We have a passion for life. There is a strength in People of Color that will endure.
All of the work below started as something someone else created. I was able to look at it and see new possibilities. My work will always be a celebration of People of Color. Thus far my work has been fun and playful. It has been colorful and over the top. I love the opportunity to show the beauty in color. It represents taking life and all it has to offer.
Enjoy
I’ve added a new page just for art
via My Art
Check out My Portfolio
Here is the link to some of my best work. If you go all the way to the bottom you can see some of my artwork. Black Girl Art
8, 9, and 10 of my 17
Here are some more of the things I accomplished in 2017.
8. I learned to create digital art. This was not easy nor did it come quickly. I changed colors, added images, deleted images and even created some from scratch. More importantly, I learned to look at it as digital art. I worked with Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign.
What I learned here is that you have to create your own path and don’t get side tracked by what other people can do. Do you.
9. At first, I was intimidated at the thought of creating light photography. And my first few experiments did not work out. But, when it did work out, I loved it. Learning to do this photography was a blast. I enjoyed the experimental aspect of of itand trying to get the light to do what I wanted it to do.
10. I learned to photography with an Alien Bees Flash Unit. This flash creates a flash of light that separates a subject from the background making the image very crisp. But the real learning happened when the Alien Bee didn’t work, but I still needed to created portrait studio quality images. I learned to manipulate the settings on the camera to give almost the same quality of image. It broadened what I could do photographically.
I learned a lot in 2017. It made me a better photog and gave me the opportunity to take some amazing photos. I also added new depth to my art. If there is something you are really good at, look for some ways, maybe even unconventional, to add depth to it. It will allow you to look at the world around you with new eyes.
Peace and Hairgrease
Comfortable is Not Your Calling
Do you find that in a day that is designed for 10 things, you do 20 because you are wonder woman or captain america? You are tired, but you can handle it. Let me just say that this is not your calling, One of the things you have to learn to say is NO.
God will not call you to be so busy you don’t have time for this gift He has given you called life. I think we get so wrapped up in other people’s callings that we wear ourselves out trying to accomplish things that we were not meant to do. Learn to say no so some stuff that looks good so that you can get what is better. One of the things I prayed for was a spirit of discernment. Lord, teach me what to do and when to do it.
Since I have let go of other people’s callings, God has taken me places I never would have imagined. I stopped trying to be what others wanted me to be. I began to embrace the things God called me to. I have found myself doing several things I never thought I could do. In the next two weeks I will meet new challenges as an artist, as a photographer, as a writer and as a jesus follower. I am amused and scared at the same time.
One of my ahha moments this year was that God has a different idea of what success looks like that does not always match mine. Sometimes God just wants us to try some new stuff. Some of us are so caught up in the same ol same ol that we won’t try anything new without a good reason. (I know from which I speak)
I have been on this journey with God for a while. I have not looked up to Him and said “Lord, I’m bored.” Kinda like a kid on an amusement park ride, there have been days I have asked to be taken off the crazy ride or to slow it down. It is like when you start trying to teach your baby to walk. Some of them find it scary because they fall and their legs are so unsure. Once they get used to it they appreciate the new ability.
God is the same way. There is so much He wants to teach us, but we get so scared we sit in the floor and say “I am not ever going to do that, it is too scary.” But God knows that once we trust Him and get the hang of it, we will love it. He created us for it.
Over the next couple of weeks I have some amazing challenges before me. There will be the tendency to sit in the floor and say “I can’t do that.” But I am going to put everything I got into it because success is not defined by me or determined by me. I find my confidence in Christ because He called me to it.
UPP Creative Media 