Where’ve I been, what I been up to…

Spent some time in ATL with some folks while getting some R&R. On the Art front not a whole heck of a lot of production. But on the business front I am about to start printing again. I have converted my walk in closet to a printing room and have officially made the switch from oil based (a mess, hard to clean and bad for the environment) to waterbased! All you hungry t-shirt hounds can stop harassing me just kiddin’! I know, I love a hot t-shirt ma’self! Hopefully I will have some new & old stuff that you will like, gimmie a couple more weeks.

Pictures soon…Promise.

One

On the JOB front..

Last week I taught my students about abstract Art and Jackson Pollock. I like to call him “Jack the Dripper”. Anyway they loved it and when I decided to let them try “The Dripper’s” technique not only did they do a bangin’ job but they did not end up with paint all over themselves. The kids surprised me with some of their own techniques of dripping & spinning, using the handle and mixing colors. This solidifies my belief that EVERYONE has a creative energy within them whether they know it or not or whether they apply it to something which is artistic or not. They actually came up with some Fly Artwork, I Proud!

My 1st Chicago Festival…

Last weekend I was part of the African Festival of The Arts here in Chicago. It was Great! The weather the turnout and the response to the work was Wonderful! I haven’t done a festival (solo) and with only my Artwork in YEARS! Although it is not easy to sell originals, prints or any quality Artwork at a festival I met with a lot of people, gained support and I was encouraged.

The goal of my Art is to show people how beautiful and powerful we as African people Are, Period. It seems that people are able to recognize this in my work whether they fully grasp that or not. At the end of All of the work people must know that Blackness is the Most Beautiful thing in this world. We are Gods & Goddesses and we are The Most Beautiful, Amazing, thing in this world. Everytime you look at my work I want it to whisper, remind & reflect that.

Baby steps…

Slowly but surely I am getting back to the business of Yes Lioness.Com. I admittedly have had a hard time juggling my company with my J O B! The website has been down for almost a year and only those of you who saved my e-store have been able to see what’s been up, so Give Thanks!
It’s been a struggle both financially and mentally to invest in the business. As you can see production on t-shirts, greeting cards, ecetera have been at a standstill for quite some time. What can I say…that’s Life. Sometimes you just gotta take a break to put things in perspective and get things in order. I am an artist first, so if my life needs more of my energy, than that is where I will have to put my creativity.
I feel refreshed and prepared to begin to tackle all that the business entails..whew, and that’s A LOT! Many people have reached out to me over the months to show their support and urge me to get back on it. Still a little overwhelming but it’s one day, one moment one breath at a time.
My focus now is the ART, not all the other stuff that I do, so please be patient. I’m looking to have things in full swing again for the holiday season. In the meantime I wish You and Yours WiseMind, Overstanding and Guidance in this little journey we call LIFE!

One Black Love..
Yes Lioness!

Makin’ Art..

is very good for my soul. It takes me outside of the ordinary aspects of day to day living. I need to paint much more often & I will.

I had such a good time working on these

Little paintings. They are about 10×10 in. and the first one was just a random little painting and then I wanted to see how many more I could do so I used up every little canvas around the house until there were 6.
Once I was half way through them I realized that they look like those braiding syle posters from back in the day. The collection of them is called “Do Be Afrikan.”

Nowadays I am very hesitant to put my work on the web because I still keep running into my work in places that I never put it but what do I do..not share my work? How else will people see what I do and what I’m about. Gotta chance it, hopefully If I do end up seeing it somewher else on the web they will atleast not remove my name & copyright as people have done.

Black & white…

I have been working on some black & white illustrations off and on for the past few months. This series of black & whites will be made into prints and notecards. I work in color so often that I want to revisit what I used to do all the time and instead of putting the Art on t-shirts I want to display it in a new way. I have always loved pen & ink not only is it bold but it’s so simple and I get to put in finer details.
These days I am exploring more than anything else. This piece is called “Responsibility”. Within the folds of fabric are the roles of daughter, wife, mother, sister, worker and self. So many women put themselves on the bottom of their list of responsibilities and while it maybe necessary at times when it becomes a way of life it is overwhelming and results in a disconnect to the self.

Okay so here are a couple of new paintings..

Don’t ask me why it has taken me so long to update and post these paintings. This is only 2 the othet one not really worth posting. I have been on Summer break for 2 weeks now. I have spent more time doing projects around my place then anything else. I am also (quiet as it’s kept) trying to revamp my business. Not so easy but it will happen before you know it.
It’s too much to get into as to why my site has been down all these months, basically technical issues. In any case I am still in love with painting and that I will hold onto whether Yes Lioness .Com is functional or not. Nuff talk, here’s some Art.
“Witness”
This piece is part of the same series as “Everywhere is War” which depicts African Women in war torn countries.
“Lunar Eclipse”

This is just one of those painting that I do just for myself. I had a series years ago called “Earth Science” about Women as forces of nature like the sun, or gemstones etc. I enjoyed doing this painting because I used metallic paint and I just had fun with the elements of adornment. It’s called “Sweet Dreams”.
Anyway, I am going to NY again next week so I will try to fit in a few before I go. Hope you enjoyed the update and Have a Great Everything!

Assalam Alaikum, Jao Jing, & Walk Good!

More Living, less painting…

These days I haven’t been painting all that much. I just completed a freelance assignment to do a cd cover. That was a painting but I don’t consider my commercial work “MY ART”. It’s just art that I happen to be the one doing, ya know. I’m detached that way because I only care about the clients satisfaction, I don’t get much satisfaction out of working for other people. Sorry if that offends anyone.
I have painted a couple of things and changed a painting that I wasn’t pleased with..just haven’t had the vibe to post them. I will though…I know I’m a naughty blogger I’m keepin’ people interested people waiting…forgive me.
These days I’m focused on creating a life, my own that is,don’t get it twisted! Anyway, I spend my days selfishly indulging in anything I want. From books, dvds, televison, sitting in the park, online shopping, yappin’ about the frivolous, mundane, funny parts of life.
I guess I’m becoming human. What does that mean, it means that I no longer only think about my work and all the serious shit that goes on in the world. I’m not wound as tight as I use to be. I’m still a vulcan by birth but my interaction with other life forms has caused me to evolve or mutate. Yes…I know although you may not have known…I am wonderfully weird and quietly quirky.

Live Long & Prosper…

2 New paintings..

I hope that this piece is self explanatory because I have been very literal here. I like this piece even though it might be (admittedly) corny.

This piece I really like, it came out of a photograph of a coworker of mine, although I changed it a lil’ bit. I like the two little boys, they look rough but handsome. I wanted a piece to speak about single motherhood and raising young Afrikan men. I know it must be difficult to try to balance a mother’s nurturing and a father’s toughness, BIG Ups to all the Goddesses who do their Best!

Enjoy