My last few posts have been saying the same thing, but it’s been true. I recently started teaching again after being barred from the profession due to my arrest in Oct 2021. Throughout 2022, I struggled with the consequences from it all and in 2023 everything has turned around. I’m still tying up loose ends but it looks like I’m back and things are up from here. Also, I’m gonna finish up “THERE AND BACK AGAIN”. I’m almost done with the remake pieces and I’m ready to go deep into my practice to finish everything else. I’ve been drawing more and just overall doing creative stuff even while I’m not working on my own stuff and that’s all been a help. I hope that I can make some good compositions throughout the work and that it all pops. Couple things fell through, a lot of closure has closed and yeah. Just overall a lots been going on haha. Once I get into a new apartment, I’m gonna do more of those “FOR THE ALGORYTHM” joints but the format will be different. New laptop otw so I’ll be able to be more creative in the editing process and with random shit period. I’m excited about it all.
010
A lots been going on. Good things though, all of it. That’s great for me. We’re growing every day widdit.
Locked in.
009
A lot has been going on. Majority of it pretty good. Thankful for everything. Working on my focus. Investing in myself. Learning to walk in Faith.
New Mediums
Even more exciting is that I was able to work on the sculpture I had planned for Art League Houston.
In order to get some consistency on the main character from “THERE AND BACK AGAIN”, a show I’ve been working for over a year now, I decided to practice character design drawings that I can transfer over to the upcoming paintings.
As a fan of cartooning, I HAD to try my with animation cel drawings. Rites of passage if you ask me. Surprisingly enough, a founder of a prominent Houston gallery bought one of them for over $700. She set the price, so that’s the price. This art stuff is amazing.
008
Once I get a pc, I’ll be able to create more freely. Time and Freedom is what I’m craving the most. Access to resources to create my works with limitless range is what I desire. All I have to do is lean in and prioritize what’s needed the most.
FOR THE ALGORYTHM
THE SECOND ONE. I CAN’T FIND THE FIRST VIDEO.
Eye opening experiences.
So, for the past couple months I’ve been in the PAC residency in Houston, TX. Wonderful people, great space, I’ve enjoyed it. Yesterday, Ernesto, one of the artist here invited a group of curators and art enthusiasts from Miami for a studio visit. Talk to them was fun and they brought a lot of positive energy my way. One woman saw some leftover material I have for “THERE AND BACK AGAIN” and she wanted to purchase them on hand. I had recall my mentor explaining a similar experience but it’s never happened to me. It made me think about the totality of value and what it could mean business wise..
.
So, I thought about what I could do in order to create work that will help me with the series, without necessarily having to be a part of the works, Something that could also be used as good promotional/sales material: character design stuff!
The first couple of pieces within the show had the MC drawn out in a couple different ways. I think I focused more on composition of the scene and not character design as a whole. In order to tell the this story I have to be consistent in it’s imagery. There’s a couple more thoughts about it, but I’d just be rambling.
007
A nigga really doing a lot, yall.
Protecting My Energy
I’ve wanted an aura portrait photo for a couple of years now, and over the weekend, I finally got one! Shouts to Mixed Feels! During the reading I was told that the combinations of aura I have shows that I am in touch with my inner child and that my masculine and feminine energy was balanced. The latter I find interesting because I didn’t really become a person that could articulate their emotions clearly until 2016. To be honest, since then I’ve felt as if I’ve been TOO emotional. I’d like to think that creating art is a way to balance this newfound energy I’ve cultivated. The woman giving my reading also said that I had very grounded “get shit done” energy haha. I thought that was cool, because I want to accomplish a lot. I pray that I’m able to get those things done. There was also some loving/giving person conversation in there as well, but we ain’t getting into all that.
Chill and I hosted our 4th “SOMN CHILL” event and it was our 1st out of Houston. Here’s to more of that.
A 'PICHI' Situation
I think PICHI PICHI Chronicles have a complicated relationship with administrative Art people and fans of cool looking shit. Whenever they’re shown, art people tend to look over them or may be hesitant to give the concept or idea a chance. I’ve been told how to change them up in order to appease people who may feel that the work objectifies women. Personally, as the one who is making the work, I like the direction the pieces and the concept is going. I’ve been coming to terms with how I actually feel about PICHI PICHI and what I’ll have to say going forward within the “articles”. I should continue to use it as a monthly check in with myself, and double down on it. Maybe rather than trying to tie the main story title to the cover PICHI, I should speak to straight Black males.
Dat boy Al..
I recently went to an Alberto Giacometti exhibition and the amount of work he made felt like a lot for me; in a good way, though. However, what DID made me feel a way was the fact that I never heard of him before. I need to learn more art history so I can reference more examples whenever I want to expand my own work. I currently have a project to create at the ALH in Houston, TX, and whatever the piece is, it will be shown in a sculpture garden. Me, being who I am, decided “Yeah, I’ll make a sculpture. It’ll be easy”, even though I’ve never made a sculpture before and the resources available to me requires me to be a bit “creative” in the situation. This is one of those times where I realize that I am being taken seriously as an artist and because of that, I should respect the game. Self taught doesn’t mean genius. There isn’t a time where I should stop learning; and because of that, I’m thankful to have learned about buddy. God’s guidance is the best guidance.
006
I wanted to have a pic for this post, but it’s okay because now each of these can be different. I thought about a lot today and I’m thankful for what can be, because of what is. Existentialism was a kind friend to me today.
005?
Shadow work.
SOMN CHILL
Some old flyers of the last “SOMN CHILL” event my mans Chilly and I created to host. It’s a visual art event made so that art business people can pull up on me and mine rather than being forced to go into their world. I gotta take some pics of my own to show y’all. Next one in January. I got y’all then.
Typical car post. I’m getting a classic euro and japanese car one day. These just the euro options.
The first pair of J’s I bought on my own was the 4/19 package. I wore them 4s all through the Obama administration. I need some new ones, tbh.
The best thing about Naruto and Sasuke is that they both accomplished their dreams. Top 5 inspirations.