I'm now doing studies and sketches leading into the major pieces that I have in mind. Keeping pace with the inspiration that comes from what I have seen and what I am currently seeing in the community is exciting. The historic structures, falling apart but still standing tall, testifying of their resilience is partly what I aim to study in some of the finished sketches. The characters that are being produced out of my experience past and present are flooding my mind continually during the day no matter what I am doing.
Presently I am working on two pieces simultaneously. One piece is in collaboration with a colleague of mine who probably wants to go nameless for the time being. LOL It's just her way :) We are collaborating through her poetry and my illustrations coming together. Her poem Venus of the Ghetto describes a woman who is seen and unseen by her community. She is mocked because of her full buttocks. Her voluptuous figure is compared to that of Saartjie Baartman's, a woman who in the very late 1700's and early 1800's was caged and paraded around like an animal for white Europeans to gawk at as if she were a freak show because of her figure. The other piece will revolve around how I percieve some of the political figures who are currently playing a big role behind the dismantling of our local school system in Chester PA.
While doing these pieces I have a goal to make sure that Chester's historic buildings, places and people are recognized in the art. Whether good, bad or controversial I want to be sure to capture the people and places to the best of my ability. I've started taking reference pictures and so on in order to ensure some level of accuracy and potency for the viewer. I better get going. Peace and hair grease.
