New Albany Showcasing African-American Women Artists

Ms. Bettye Stull, Curator, "Evolution of the Girl Child" at the McCoy Center


Well the New Year is certainly starting off with a blast! Sistahs of the Arts collaborative is the focus of an exhibit titled, "Evolution of the Girl Child" which recently opened(January 17) in New Albany, Ohio at the beautiful McCoy Community Arts Center. There are several things that make this exhibit so special and unique. First, it's an exhibit that's done completely by African American women artists. Secondly, we are all local artists featured in the show. Third, represents the joining of two separate galleries(the King Arts Complex and the McCoy Center) showcasing women's art.

The original exhibit was shown at the King Arts Complex last year in May and ran through the summer. The fact that nine of the original artists works are now at the McCoy Center means that it's a travelling show. There's no sound effects button that I can insert here for some whistling...so just imagine it!

Special thanks to Ms. Bettye Stull, of the King Arts Complex, for curating the show. And a big thanks to the Executive Director of the McCoy Center, Ted DeDee and Julie Kriss, Director of Constituent Relationships.


Click the site below to view a video clip featured on the Channel 10(WBNS-TV) news yesterday evening(1/18/10).

New Albany Showcasing African-American Women Artists

"Urban Warriors" Exhibit at Columbus State

Told you I would try and recap some highlights from 2009, well one stand out for me was the November exhibit at Columbus State Community College.

Here's an excerpt from my artist statement, "...there are Urban Warriors fighting on behalf of others who are in need. The needs are all different and the battle is daily. Some battle to keep our children off the streets, while others care for elderly parents, raise grand kids, visit the sick and tutor to name just a few things. The Urban Warriors exhibition was created as a means of addressing and thanking those individuals who give tirelessly of themselves throughout the year but seldom are recognized. These warriors are not celebrities but everyday people who never receive news coverage or medals. They do what they do because it's their hearts desire and they see a need which they quietly fill".

--- Wendy Kendrick

IT'S A GOOD DAY!!!

Well, guess you could say I took a little vacation from the blog...didn't mean to, it just happened. It's such a good day and I've been truly blessed as a woman, wife, daughter, sister, mother, aunt, niece, granddaughter, artist, teacher and mentor. I love being me and the life that God has blessed me with. I thank him daily for the journey and for everyone and everything He brings into my life. I thank Him for being able to rise each day to address the creativity within me...just love it!

I'm trying to "see" because my eyes are full of tears. Recently worked on new pieces for the upcoming group exhibit "Sistahs of the Arts: Evolution of the Girl Child" which will open on May 7th at the King Arts Complex. This work drew me deep within to look at my life and selected moments from my journey as an artist beginning at age twenty. It's not where I thought the work would begin at all. I had envisioned the frilly dress period and much to do with my birthplace of Kentucky...but it didn't happen that way. Went as far as researching my family history even more, hunted through my stash for additional pairs of "little girls black patent leathers", online searches, many sketches and plans. However, the creative spirit within took me someplace different...to a place and time in my life when I "froze" and couldn't move past the hurt and pain. A time when I said, "I won't do this art any more"...to a time and place of much
inner conflict...to a time and place where I no longer wanted to be me(the artist).

But it's an AWFULLY GOOD DAY when you can look back and see where God has brought you...from a place of despair to that of great joy and faith! Yes, IT'S A GREAT DAY!

Pushing Past the Comfort Zone

Sometimes while looking at an old piece of my work I experience a moment of "what if?". Typically during this time my mind wanders to a place other than where I think I should be focused at that given moment in time. Most times the current piece of work is set aside so that the birthing of a new idea can take place. Usually this birthing requires me to "push past my comfort zone" to create something that has been swirling around in my mind sub-consciously. A lot of times the urge to "push past" is accompanied by some fear of messing up what my physical eyes see as a fine piece of work. The "pushing past the comfort zone" I do believe is my spirit yelling out "don't become boring for the sake of safety, dare to be new."

With that being said I'm now "pushing past my comfort zone" into an area that I've desired to go for some time and that's fabric and embellishment. Above is one of my mini mask which originated from a piece done a couple of years ago titled, "The Voyage". The image was scanned, elongated a bit and printed to canvas. Hmmm, what else can you do says Spirit? Well, I immediately thought the mask would look great on a piece of craft felt(can never have too much color). So on to the felt the mask went, but again Spirit spoke and said that's safe and boring. So the mask asked for a few stitches and a shirt. By now the piece has titled itself and asked to be accompanied by the rest of his family members. So the creation of the "Urban Warriors" was born. This series pays tribute to some important unsung heroes...so stay tuned.

1)First image is safe and boring.


2) Responding (on right)to the urge for stitching and embellishment which includes various beads including seed.





3) Now the third image(below) is my response to Spirit when urged to try a digital enhancement which resulted in the woodcut image.


All images on this site are copyrighted.

My Heart's Desire

What's the object of my heart's desire? Depends on what day you ask me...but typically my heart's desire is to honor God in all that I do...learn to love as Christ loved(unconditionally). Thought I had that one down until the end of last year when God made it so apparent to me that I wasn't "walking in love." I'd been estranged from a family member for too long and God wanted restoration to take place in my family. It's amazing how an act of restoration could impact my art.

All I know is that the work has been jumping off my table since making peace with my family member. Sometimes we encounter offenses in our lives that we feel are too great to forgive...the nonsensical killing of a loved one...spurned love...or someone who just didn't treat us right! Sometimes we don't even remember the original offense 'cause we're just plain old mad. What I've come to realize is that my unforgiving spirit was a huge stumbling block. Got anyone you need to forgive?

On a different note have two pieces along with sistah artist Antoinette at the "Passing the Torch" exhibition for Black History Month. Looking forward to the reception this week. Included in the exhibit which features 60+ artists from Ohio are my two pieces titled "Rose" and "Domestic".




Both "Rose" and "The Domestic" were from my first large solo exhibition in 2007. With both of these pieces I was exploring some different techniques with my collage work. "Rose" was the first time I experimented with the use of bees wax and melted crayon. The outline of her body is black fabric, while the rest of the clothing and accessories utilize paper towel, vintage wallpaper and buttons. Her face is again my collage and acrylic with color pencil on black fabric. After completing her I covered the entire stretched canvas in melted bees wax. The background began with a bright red(you know I luv some red) and then a layer of walnut dye was brushed on. "Rose" is a hard worker but makes a point to never miss church on Sundays.

"The Domestic" actually began with a piece of archival fome core that I normally use as backing when framing. It has a couple of layers of green paint with a reddish brown acrylic added with a sponge for the background. The face is the collage on fabric with acrylic. She was fun to do and yes, it's a woman (she's been mistaken for a male on many occasions) she's not had an easy life. Clothing is white duck cloth, buttons and paint for the shading. She pays tribute to all our mothers and grandmothers who have done "day work". Cooking, cleaning, ironing and looking after other peoples children.

So, guess you could say right now my heart's desire is to continue birthing these art pieces and trying to discover all that's within.

CAST OFF!

Well, the cast is off and I did a rather odd thing(not unusual for me)as I was leaving the exam room...I tapped the discarded cast with the tip of my crutch, as it was laying on the floor and told it good-bye. Mind you, this piece of fiberglass had become a part of my life for the past three weeks. It continued to hug my left leg even when I didn't like it's presence and had said so out loud or when I felt like crying because "my life" had been so annoyingly disrupted as a result of it's undying devotion to me.

I can't begin to share how many lessons I've learned over these "few" weeks...about myself, my family, priorities and how time is spent. One of the greatest lessons happened Wednesday around noon when I said a quick good-bye to the cast. Webster's dictionary shows one definition as, cast: to throw off, out, or away : as (1): to get rid of : DISCARD (2) SHED, MOLT (a snake casts its skin). I feel as though I cast off old ways of thinking about myself as an artist...yes, I am becoming more business minded, organized and productive.

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same."
- Marianne Williamson (from the film "Akeelah and the Bee")