One of the first images I ever saw of Charles White’s was his portrait of Frederick Douglass. It was in a museum along with other portraits of notable African Americans. I was proud. During a time on intense racism, he created respectable images of African Americans.
Born and raised in Chicago, Charles White Jr created art work that captured moments in African American history. Some of Charles White Jr’s work is on display at the Art Institute of Chicago, where White was once a student. His artwork spans four decades revealing his life experiences and how they changed over time.
White went to work as a full-time artist for the Illinois Art Project as part of the Work Progress Administration as an easel painter. One of his accomplishments was painting the Kitchenette Debutantes which invited the world into living conditions of the south side of Chicago.
I know some of you hate this Quarantine, but just chill for a second. This thing has created some phenomenal music moments. Admit it!
Who didn’t check out Jill Scott and Erykah Badu? That was amazing.And so many people on my timeline were into it. I remember at one point they had 625K
And now all these artists are trying to do the same thing. We are living through some of the greatest music moments. Artists are trying to find new ways to connect with their audiences and it is FYAH.
I am a big fan of Club Quarantine with DJ D-Nice. This man’s love for music is so contagious it can capture me for hours. D-Nice spins on Instagram drawing such an interesting collection of audience members who often become part of the show throughout the evening. His regulars include celebrities like Halle Berry and Donnie Wahlberg, but also regular folks who follow him too. Every session is a new adventure.
Since the Quarantine, I have listened to all kinds of artists do live performances on the internet from James Taylor to BoyzIIMen to Amy Grant to Yo-Yo Ma. There have been fun YouTube edited shows that have stretched my mind about their performances. This pandemic was the best thing to happen to them and me.
So, sit and chill and listen to some of the best music you are ever going to hear. Your favorites are doing it big. Sit. Listen. Love it.
This week I celebrate graduating from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago with a Master of Arts degree in Journalism. I am sitting back and relishing what a life poured out to God can do.
So let me be honest. This was not on my five or ten year plan. I never dreamed it was possible, but has truly brought the verse to life that all things are possible with Him.
I will celebrate this victory each day this week. I will remember how God has been faithful in guiding me through this program in a city where I have not family or friend support. I truly trusted in Him.
Today I had ice cream. It was nice to savor the flavors of each and remember what I like about them. I mean like each of them on their own, but together it is really good.
Our lives are like one flavor of ice cream. We have plans and ideas of what we like to do. But when we give it to God and trust Him with it, He takes it to an entirely different level.
I am excited to see where I go from here.
I will spend the rest of the year explaining how African American beauty has been marginalized and how we need to appreciate our history. I am creating some art images on the subject and will have several exhibitions this year. Here is one I am working on.
It is the subject of my thesis and I have learned knowing you are beautiful is powerful. I will spend the rest of 2020 looking at different aspects of it. You can see a short video here.
It is the culmination of two years work.
It is summer and they are watching everything you do. As a matter of fact, they are going to do what they see you do. How do you get around this?
You better know God.
In a world that can seem hopeless, kids need a reason to hope. In addition to teaching our children how to get into college, play sports and chase the American Dream, there is something greater to be learned. He created the universe with stars and planets, yet the desire of His heart was to reconcile with people whom He loved. In this devotional, the author shares ideas of how to help your children have a personal relationship with God. Through scripture, art and stories, she shared the opportunities she had to teach her own child to get to know God.
It is available to purchase on Amazon and :
Available on Amazon and Books2Read.com
In my phone are hundreds of names and numbers. Without my phone, I only remember two phone numbers. I don’t even know my daughter’s phone number. When you have your bible with you or access to it, you are probably pretty confident. But when you are in the midst of a trial and your bible and the app are not available, what do you rely on? When You Forget Your Phone is a devotional that challenges you to memorize God’s word. If you know God’s word, it is easier to stand on His promises when your world is turbulent.
The fifteen verses included in this devotional are verses that God has spoken in the life of the author over the last year. This book will give some insight into her journey with the Lord.
This book is available on Amazon and Books2read.com
Memorizing the word of God helps put God’s word on your heart. In this updated book, I tell how knowing His word has helped me.
This book is available on Amazon and Books2Read.com
A single young woman is tricked by modern-day pirates losing everything she owned. As she tries to figure out what happened to her belongings, her world crashes around her as government and private agencies treat her as a suspect. Determined to find the man who did this to her, she stumbles onto a government top secret. Finding this modern day pirate turns into a race against lethal forces.
UPP Creative Media 