Cutie and Zion

Since I was a little girl I would create characters, write books and draw. There would be periods in my life where I would stop because I didn't think I was good enough. But since I teach my students confidence I need to start practicing what I preach and be confident in my ability to be an artist and create.  Sometimes it's hard to do whatever I want to do because as soon as I get home from working all day teaching kids I'm tired. Tired and everything, I come home to my first job and that job is being a mom. I'm a single mom and my daughter is a job. After everything is said and done I'm exhausted, I'm ready to go to bed and therefore I have no time but sleep consumes me. After which, I  then feel guilty. I could be doing more but the energy isn't there. 

Baby steps🎨 😋 I'll get it together.

I like cute

Zion and her cat name Cutie

More time for my blanket!

Since I started my new job teaching only art in high school, I seem to have a little bit more time on my hands. It's doesn't hurt that I'm an experience teacher so lesson planing doesn't take all day. I probably now can finish this blanket!

 

Random work I've done so far this summer

These are all experiential projects. I'm just having fun with it all. 

It's Ramadan! I painted this the day before I knew it was Ramadan. 

Experimenting with layers 

Playing with value

Watercolor of me and my sister. 

I tried to watercolor my 7 year old daughter, but I guess this is her at 20... LOL.

My daughter the model

My daughter is the perfect model for the skirts I made. I'm also selling them on etsy.com!!

I made my daughter a skirt like this before and during a conference with my daughter's teacher, she suggested I open an etsy shop. So I did. 

I'm new at sewing, however it have become a new hobby of mine.

Printmaking in my Kitchen

I drew this flower with a glue gun on top of regular paper. Then I overlaid it foil, pressing down firmly around it.I brushed blue acrylic paint on top with a paint brush and was able to pull 3 prints before the paint ran out!!!

My

!!!!Graduation Day!!!!

I DID IT! May 3rd 2014, I walk the stage with my Master in Education degree. My 2 year sabbatical from creating my own work is over. No more research papers, or reflections. Additionally I can focus on losing this 30 pounds I gained. LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL!

Faith Ringgold Quilt project.

I created a project based off of Faith Ringold's quilts. If you are not familiar with Ringold's amazing quilt work, here is a power point I put together to teach my students.

I created this power point to introduce personal functional art to my students.

I gave them instructions and they created a paper quilt as a class.

I cut 4.5 x 4.5 inch squares and the student put a personal touch to each one.

Then they put their cards together with yarn; punching two holes on each side.

This was a fun project. My only issue was keeping my students from stealing each other's cards. 

Practical, Cultural & Personal art

I taught my students about about different functions of are art. They were to create a three denominational piece of work that showed at least two functions and explain it. This is what they came up with:

My students have a lot of pride in the city of San Antonio. As you can see the Alamo and the baseball glove. Which is a salute to the San Antonio Missions baseball team!

This young lady made her dream studio apartment.

These two boys have a lot of pride in their city and the East side of San Antonio.

Fabulous wardrobe!

The Wheatley Courts! With a live sponge bob installation.

His condo!

Small town with ice cream shop.

Grad School

I have taken a year and I half sabbatical from creating art to focus on Grad School. That time is almost up (May 3rd!!) and I can't wait to focus on my work and building the art program at the school I teach at. It's been a long and tough journey; I gained 20 pounds and lost my boyfriend to heart failure. So, I will have a lot of story telling to do through my work.

Through it all, some wonderful things have happen. I was asked to put together a workshop for the San Antonio Museum of Art.

My beautiful daughter Zion in attendances supporting her mommy.

I focused on artist Marilyn Lanfear ink water color family portraits. These ink water colors have an amazing balance of contrast. These pieces unify the installations, and will not make sense if they stood on their own. Like family, they need each other to stay strong.

The project I developed for family day was modeled after this piece. Kids used stamps to create their Marilyn Lanfear prototype!

The Lost Tribe of Butterfly people

Im so happy I finish these. I hope I have time to do more, but school is about to start and don't know what type of time I'm going to have.

Black Women as Saints

My new work is presented at Inspirational Grounds Coffee Shop and Bookstore, 629 W.W White Road, San Antonio,TX

This mix media is something I have been experimenting with for about a year and I am totally pleased with the out come. I limited myself with the materials: a harlequin book, toilet paper, glue pencil, acrylic, and oil paint. So many thoughts and creative ideas swim around in my brain that sometimes I don't know which direction to go. So I thought if I limit the materials used I would be force to captivate at least a fragment of my mind.

The Idea

 

The black women has been considered historically inferior. There have also even been recent studies stating black women are the most unattractive women in the world. I also read that 72% of black children are raised by single black mothers. With so much scrutiny a black women goes through one must wonder how does she stay so strong. Maybe the black women is build "Ford Tough.". With all this is mind I decided to create a collection called "Black Women as Saints." As a single mother myself, I get the judgmental stares and stereo types. Even though I have a bachelors degree, teaching career and not living off of the government, I'm still an unwed black mother. But I never let any stereo type stop me from anything. I owe it to my daughter to be all that I can be. 

This collection is dedicated to black women, no matter what society or stupid studies may say, we are strong, smart, talented and beautiful from our hair and skin, to our African features. Our ancestor wombs help build this country and that is something to be proud of.

Go check out my new work!!

Large watercolor

This is a water color I've been working on for 2 years. I ran out of gold leaf or lost it, so it's not finished yet, but I love it. This was a photo graph I stole from a friend. I sketched it a couple of times then gave it back when I was finished.

New Art

These are all new oil paintings that I have been working on. I took a break from watercolor to see if I am able to paint with oil. I think I did a pretty good Job. But I still prefer water color.

This is a self portrait of me called "African Violet"

I had my student studying impressionism and I want to see if I was able to do it with these last two paintings

almost done.

I have 4 oil paintings and about 5 water colors that I am almost done with. And once I'm done, I will try my hardest to introduce myself to the world. My confidence is very low, But I have to walk out on faith. One one will see any of my stuff just sitting my my living room. I have a story I want to tell and hopefully the world will listen.

Art Teacher!!

Yes me.... I'm no longer in a dreadful uncreative line of work. My passion have come true and I am dwelling in the love. I have time to come home and paint. do my hearts desire. Hopefully I am able to finish all that i have started! my tiny apartment holds as a studio. I pray to make it work.

it's been a while

I know I'm not on this blog much but life has been killing me. My focus has been off. these prints are inspired by my daughter. I used Dick and Jane books as a guilld.

this on is my favorite.

This is the direction i want to go with my work. these are water colors. This style requires a lot on time. .. I love this style that i have create with the skin tones.the mother and child means alot to me. It's me being the best mother I can be to my baby and I'm carrying her in a traditional way like they do in Africa. the colors are klimt inspired.