Domestic Violence Exhibit at UNCC

University of North Carolina at Charlotte Art Studies in Retrospect

I graduated from UNCC in December of 2010.  I was elated to have made it.  I recently took inventory of my pics from some of my past projects and understood why my instructors stressed the importance of taking pictures of your work.  There are some pieces that I was quite proud of and because of storage issues I had to dispose of them.  However, I still have some of my works that bring back wonderful memories of time spent in those three hour studio classes and getting to know my classmates in the process.  I hope you enjoy these pics as much as I have enjoyed creating them.

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Fall 2006

 "We love you Van der Zee"

This piece was dedicated to the African American photographer, James Van der Zee, who showed us that there was nothing wrong with Blacks being prosperous and beautiful.

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This was a Sculpture I project. I learned about site specfic art.  We had to create a box and place it in a public place within context.  I chose to focus on the diamond trade Africa.  I chose wood to look like a shipping crate and created three compartmets to reflect how our actions create a reaction that has caused devestation in this beautiful country.

 We use diamonds as a means to reflect our social status.

 We are so concerned with how we benefit from that status that we just don't care or want to know how it affects others who have sacrificed for our extravagance.

 This represents the lives in Africa, the children, women and men who have to suffer great violence, the destruction of their villags and the land and physical mutilation for our love of diamonds.

I the photos above are taken with the LED lights that I had installed in the box.  The pictures below are taken without the lights.
 

I placed this box beside a jewelry store in a local mall and had people come through and look at it.  Many people that I talked to were touched by the box.  They had no idea that our sisters and brothers were suffering so over this jewel that is often flaunted in our magazines, commercials and videos.

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These pictures are from a combination of Drawing I & II, Figure Drawing and 2-D design 2007-2008

 

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Projects from 2009-2010

 "The Destruction of a Decepticon"

This is an unfinished piece from Handbuilding.  I loved this class. 

"Hands", also from Handbuilding

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In the last part of my studies, I found what my passion. It was in my Fibers class and Printmaking.  I thought I would never love anything other than painting, however, I learned that I could incorporate my love of painting with fibers.  This is what I love to do and will be posting more works that include fibers, print and painting.

"Her-story I" - Prinkmaking

"Grandmother Moon" - Paper Mache

This project was inspired when I saw the works of Joyce Scott.

 "Untitled"

I love painting on fabric.  I hand quilted the frame.  When I learned quilting, it was an amazing experience.  My instructor, Mary Tuma, asked me why did I not use the sewing machine? I told her that my grandmother Emma Dunlap, quilted by hand.  I did not know her very well, so I felt that sewing by hand made me feel closer to her.  Later, my mother told me that she eventually purchased a sewing machine.  So, now I am closer to her by my Brother VX-1435!

"Her-Story II"

One of my minor studies was Women's Studies.  I mostly concentrated my research on issues that focused on African American women in history.  I feel so strongly about the importance of black women knowing their place in history and their struggles that I would like to focus my work more on Womanist and Black Feminist perspectives. I have included the images of my daughters, who I spend much of my time passing on what I have learned so that they can be empowered. I have also included images of Laura Nelson, the only image of a lynched black woman.

"Untitled" - Prinkmaking

This is my mother's favorite!

I am deeply interested in Goddess.  I believe in the importance of the study of the religion of our ancestors.  I interviewed artist, Renee Stout, and she shared my sentiments about how our community will love our African history and culture, up to religion.  When it comes to our religion we just stop and shut down any considerations of beliefs other than what is popular.  I was called by Mami Wata to create a few pieces dedicated to her.  She is so intriguing and powerful.  I am getting to know her.  This is just one quality photo of my interpretation.

 "Mami Wata II"

 These are just a few projects that I have.  As I mentioned before, there were some that I could not keep.  I now know what my favorite medium is, fibers and paints.  I know now that I love to sew (something that I one time I thought was too domestic" and dye fabrics.  I have learned many things as a student, however, I have much much more to learn and I am having so much fun as I go. 

I have been offered a artist in resident exhibit by the Women's Studies department at UNCC for thier Domestic Violence exhibit.  I am sooo excited.  I will keep you posted as to the date of the opening. 

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HERE IS THE MISSING VIDEO FROM MY CREATIVE CONCEPTS CLASS!!

IF THE VIDEO DOES NOT IMMEDIATELY SHOW UP, JUST REFRESH THE PAGE.

Security Blanket

Security Blanket, 2009

men's blazers, baby blanket

Here is my entry for the String Theory exhibit at UNCC last month. This is a project from our Fibers I class I took last semester. It was a deconstruction/reconstruction project, where we has to take a ready made garment and take it apart and make something new with it. I took three men's blazers and a baby blanket and combined these two symbols to make a statement.

Here is my statement:

Imagine a little girl sitting on the floor watching her parents argue in their bedroom. She is watching as her father snatches some of his clothes out of the closet and throw them into a suitcase. He leaves without saying anything to the little girl. Years pass and she does not hear from him. So, she takes a few of the blazers he left behind and her precious baby blanket, sew them together to make her own blanket of security. When she wears it, it reminds her of the fatherly embrace that he never gave her before he left. It reminds her of how she used to feel so safe, warm and protected in his arms. She will never fell that way again.

Paintings on AIDS/HIV Awareness

" Choices"

White matboard, charcoal, red acrylic paint, led lights, plastic gloves, condom, medicine holder.


This series of pieces were an assignment in figure drawing class as our final project. This was my first time working with lights.

However, all of these paintings were inspired by an encounter that I had with a beautiful spirit, Devondia Roseboro, founder of the Rasberirose Foundation. She was kind enough to help me out on a project in one of my Women's Studies classes. The topic was Women of Color and Health Care. I wanted to focus on the issue of HIV/AIDS epidemic plaquing women of color and she was kind enough to allow me to interview her, as she is affected by the virus personally. I was astounded by the light that eminated from her spirit to mine. During our interview, I found that she and I had a lot in common. The most important that we were the same age, black women and single mothers. As I listened to her story I could not help but to think how easily our lives could have been reversed. It could have easily been her interviewing me on the subject of living with HIV. I met her beautiful girls. A reflection of my own. And, I was all too proud to have her speak to my class as I handed out bags of information on prevention and awareness. You do not have to imagine the impact her presentation left on the young women and men in the class. However, her impression stayed with me and her message resonated in my soul. Since then I have made HIV/AIDS awareness a part of my message in my art. I make sure I am tested regularly.

As I researched for my project, I read about how the women of Africa are dying at an alarming rate by the virus. Due to economic conditions and civil unrest in some areas women are being raped and forced to sell their bodies just to feed themselves and thier families. This affected me deeply so I try to make sure I am conscious about the decisions I make with my body and strengthen my relationship with the Gift Of the Divine (GOD). As an artist and a student of black feminst thought this is part my purpose to share and educate. Right now, Devondia is dedicating her life to speaking out against ignorance and enlightening the public about this disease and how it is affecting our community. I would like to thank her for what she is doing and thank her for inspiring me to reach deeper as an artist.


response sent from author and motivational speaker Devondia Roseborough:


"The piece you inspired to do based on my life before HIV after AIDS has been prayed upon and the title to the piece is something we all are born with and many tend to not make sound decisions when in the heat of the moment...So I say to you thank you and for this gift that was giving to me in the form of healing...The name I present to you is CHOICES, Make choices on how not get HIV instead of the ultimate Choice, It felt so good I forgot the condom! Thanks girl for your patience."

"Their Eyes Don't See"
acrylic and sand on wood panel



















"Standing Between Life and Death"
acrylic and sand on wood panel















"Sophie"
Acrylic on canvas

Poem 2: A Poets Heart

A Poet's Heart


by Stormy Monday


What would sunder a poet’s heart more
than being ignored?
It is no doubt, not being heard.
The sediments of my words,
my thoughts
echo in abandoned stations,
litter busy sidewalks,
and suffer lonely street corners.
Murdered by numbers that
keep time with my patience,
stopping clocks and disappearing acts
keep me guessing
for the future
of my life
and of humankind.


My words bounce off steel buildings,
left cold and shivering
by cyber roadsides
From a lovers fingers I hear the blatant
click clacking over my words
pass right by my heart
and leave me running behind
begging for his ear to listen.


Flickering lights populate the city
picturesque of a limited intelligence.
Pure evidence of forgotten humanity
and our righteous beginnings.
I shout out at the street lights,
"DAMN YOU AND YOUR SLAVISH
EXISTENCE”!


You can stand there in your obscene arrogance but
DON’T YOU DARE THROW ME AWAY"!


In my struggle,
my spirit continues to dwell in
the primordial waters of my ancestors.
I seek redemption in the sacred tombs
of the forgotten Kings and Queens.
HE in many faces pays me favor
for my deligence in keeping the message
and history lifted
in this sacrilegious world.


Blessed are my tears for the cause.
I am one of many fighting and
surviving the perils of psuedo propinquity.
My words are not without conviction
nor are they without deed.
I will ride or die for these words.


So,
find me at the end of the road
among the ranks
of the enlightened souls.
While these truths guide me and
lead me to promised shores
the ignorant shall remain nameless
in the eyes of a true soldier.
This is where I began,
this is what I am,
and here is where
I will take my last breathe.

Poem "Untitled"

You stand there
not surprised
as another door
closes right in
your face.

You hear footsteps,
walk away without care.
You hear no hesitations
as if,
maybe,
there had been a mistake.

It is no surprise to you
that there are no requests for
forgiveness.

In that moment
there is no one in the world
but you.
Well, at least in your world.

What is it about you
that made him run away
than to stay
when you needed him the most?

What is it about you
that made him feel
that real communication
came in the form of
insults and fists?

What is it about you
that made him
abandon you.
As if, he forgot that
he was ever in love
with your mother?

What happened to make you tired?
What happened to make you cry?
What happened to make you doubt yourself?
What happened to make you break?

You don't know and don't care about
the psychology of the Black Woman.

You could care less about our state of mind,
unless, it benefits you.

It takes too much time, too much energy.

Hell, to them, you're just not worth it.