Thursday, January 22, 2009

Celebratory Obama Inauguration Dolls by Shana Barry



Folks, Shana Barry, a Canadian artist, contacted me recently to show me her Obama Inauguration dolls. I just had to post this. From her blog she writes:

"These one-of-a-kind dolls by Shana Barry were created in honor of President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama and are ready to dance the night away at all the Inaugural balls. The nineteen-inch Michelle wears a shimmering red dress with a delicate strand of pearls. The twenty-inch President Obama dons a dashing custom tailored tuxedo. See more photos of the Obamas and more President Obama dolls, plus learn how they might dance into your life here."

Arguably these are some of the best dollmaking I have seen on the Obamas!

Friday, January 16, 2009

I AM IN DC and IT IS OBAMA TIME!

So on the eve of the most historic weekend of events in the United States, I thought I would share with you my official Artist picks for the inauguration weekend. These are the events that yours truly will be attending in celebration of the inauguration of our 44th President, Barack Obama!



Liberated Muse Productions partnered with Young & Powerful for Obama during the 2008 election campaign that won Obama the presidential election. During the week of inaugural activities, Young & Powerful will be presenting a series of activities that you can purchase tickets from through the Liberated Muse network.

Tickets will sell-out pretty fast, so please get yours TODAY! Check out some of the activities:

VISION Saturday, January 17, 2009: Young & Powerful Launch and Networking Social

HOPE Sunday, January 18, 2009: Young & Powerful Presidential Brunch

CHANGE Monday, January 19, 2 009: Young & Powerful Martin Luther King Jr. Breakfast & Young & Powerful Roundtable Political Forum & Young & Powerful Black Tie Gala & Awards Ceremony

REDEMPTION Tuesday, January 20, 2009: Young & Powerful Inaugural Semi-Formal Affair

You will be able to purchase tickets for these events on the main page of the Liberated Muse social network. Click HERE to access that page and get prices.





Art Whino, The Sneaker Suite & Judah Presents: An Inaugural Appreciation!

Sunday, January 18, 2009
4pm-10pm

Art Whino
@ National Harbor
173 Waterfront Street
National Harbor, Maryland

In honor of this historic occasion, Art Whino plans to host a series of distinctive, strategic events to commemorate change in America and abroad; to memorialize history. The main objective is to provide and produce special, unique influencer/tastemaker driven affairs that are, in some cases, invite only and/or free and open to the public bringing true brand awareness to the multitude of individuals during the week long period.

The opportunity for an Inaugural Experience with Art Whino x the Sneaker Suite x Judah is here.

This exclusive Inaugural Appreciation production will give back to the community that embraces it the most. They plan on hosting numerous special guest attendees at this affair and will welcome them with special incentives courtesy of all brands represented; who are these special guests attendees?

You, you, him AND her; we are ALL VIP's!!




The Art of Change: An Inaugural Celebration of DC's Creative Communities
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
8 pm

The Warehouse Complex(corner of 7th Street and New York Avenue)
More info here.

This inaugural experience is being brought to you by Artomatic!

Occupying three separate venues in downtown Washington, D.C., the Art of Change will feature five stages of visual and performing arts, multiple dance floors, fire dancing and live music.

I hope to see you at one of these events. Artists should have their celebration too!

Hater By Dr. Maya Angelou


A dear artist friend Sharon Keyser Jackson was so kind to send this to me. It resonated because of a personal situation I am in that involves an extreme hater. Check it out:

Hater - - By Maya Angelou


"A hater is someone who is jealous and envious and spends all their
time trying to make you look small so they can look tall.
They are very negative people to say the least.
Nothing is ever good enough!

When you make your mark, you will always attract some haters...
That's why you have to be careful with whom you share your
blessings and your dreams, because some folk can't handle seeing
you blessed.

It's dangerous to be like somebody else... If God wanted you to be
like somebody else, He would have given you what He gave them! Right?
You never know what people have gone through to get what they
have.

The problem I have with haters is that they see my glory, but they
don't know my story.

If the grass looks greener on the other side of the fence, you
can rest assured that the water bill is higher there too!
We've all got some haters among us!

Some people envy you because you can:
Have a relationship with God
Light up a room when you walk in
Start your own business
Tell a man / woman to hit the curb
(if he / she isn't about the right thing)
Raise your children without both parents being in the home

Haters can't stand to see you happy.
Haters will never want to see you succeed.
Most of our haters are people who are supposed to be
on our side.
How do you handle your undercover haters?
You can handle these haters by:
Knowing who you are & who your true friends are

Having a purpose to your life: Purpose does not
mean having a job. You can have a job and still be unfulfilled.
A purpose is having a clear sense of what God has called you to be.
Your purpose is not defined by what others think about you.
By remembering what you have is by divine prerogative and not human manipulation.

Fulfill your dreams! You only have one life to live...when its your
time to leave this earth, you 'want' to be able to say, 'I've lived my
life and fulfilled 'my' dreams,... Now I'm ready to go HOME!

When God gives you favor, you can tell your haters, 'Don't look at
me...Look at Who is in charge of me...'

'A woman's heart should be so hidden in Christ that a man
should have to seek Him first to find her.'"

Maya Angelou

Peace to you and yours....

Another Satisfied Sankofa Doll Customer!



Destiny is a one of my first satisfied customers in the new year! Destiny was given one of my spirit dolls as a gift. This young lady presented some lovely artwork to me which moved me in some way so in exchange I had to give her something nice. She attended the Double Visions Exhibit reception back in December and has continued to be one of my BIGGEST fans. Upon opening the package for the doll I understand she was super excited and sent word of "thank you." Well THANK YOU Destiny for being one of my inspirations for what I do.

Thursday, January 15, 2009

Art For The People Invite Yours Truly For A Talk and Demonstration on Doll Art








Artists Marilyn Banner and Alice Simms, Director for Art For The People Incorporated, kindly invited me to conduct a demonstration and show case my dolls at the Thursday art class at Community Visions in downtown Silver Spring. Marylin and Alice had seen my artwork at the Kefa Cafe recently. They loved my mixed media art dolls and thought I would be a good speaker to discuss the art of making mixed media dolls. I was so thrilled at the invitation.

Art for the People Incorporated is a nonprofit organization engaged in teaching and sharing the arts with the Washington, DC area homeless population. Every thursday morning between 10 am - 12 noon, the organization conducts art classes for the homeless at the Community Visions Shelter and center in Silver Spring, MD.

I was delighted to see several members of the class of all different diverse backgrounds interested in the craft of mixed media doll making. All were eager to get started on a mixed media doll project.

After the discussion, Alice gave me a brief tour of the Community Visions Center and showed me various art work that members of the center had created. All of the creations I saw was simply wonderful. Members of this community are some of the most talented artists I had ever seen!


I wish to thank Alice Sims and Marilyn Banner for the opportunity to reach out to the community and share my dolls and art.

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

From The Daily OM: It's Never Too Late Getting Back To What You Love


From the Daily OM- I thought this was an inspiring article because I have been reflecting on my art as a passion in my life. One that I do not ever want to compromise on. However, being an older person pursuing this I sometimes have doubts. Check this out:

It’s Never Too Late
Getting Back To What You Love

"There are times in life when we are committed to pursuing our passions. Every molecule in our body is focused on doing what we love. At other times, necessity and responsibility dictate that we put our dreams aside and do what needs to be done. It is during these moments that we may choose to forget what it is that we love to do. There are many other reasons for why we may leave our passions behind. A hobby may lose its appeal once we’ve realize it will never turn into our dream job. Someone important to us may keep telling us that our passions are childish and unsuitable – until we finally believe them.

Forgetting about what you love to do can be a form of self-sabotage. If you can forget about your dreams, then you never have to risk failure. But just because we’ve decided to ignore our passions doesn’t mean they no longer exist. Nothing can fill the emptiness that remains in a space vacated by a passion that we have tossed aside. Besides, life is too short to stop doing what you love, and it is never too late to rediscover your favorite things. If you gave up playing an instrument, painting, drawing, spending time in nature, or any other activity or interest that you once loved to do, now may be the time to take up that passion again. If you don’t remember what it is that you used to be passionate about, you may want to think about the activities or interests that you used to love or the dreams that you always wished you could pursue.

You don’t have to neglect your responsibilities to pursue your passions, and you don’t have to neglect your commitments to do what you love. When you make an effort to incorporate your interests into your life, the fire within you ignites. You feel excited, inspired, and fed by the flames that are sparked by living your life with passion for what you love."

For more articles like this check out http://www.dailyom.com/

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

New Sankofa Dolls!





Here are two of my funky divas whom I created using armature wire, fabric and ribbons! Not sure where these will be shown. However, I am interested in hearing from you what your thoughts are about them.

Sunday, January 11, 2009

A Visit to Sharon Frazier's Minature Doll Houses in Alexandria, VA!











Yesterday, I attended the African American Arts Meet Up Group led by Sharon J. Burton of Authentic Contemporary Art at the Alexandria Virginia, Black History Museum. If you recall, I blogged about the Miniature Doll House show about a month or so ago. Well, I finally had a chance to check it out and what a wonderful exhibit is! Sharon Frazier a local doll enthusiast and artist, along with her carpenter Linwood, created several doll houses and other community iconic buildings celebrating the history of Black Alexandria, Virginia, her family and history.

Let me tell you the photos I posted do not do justice to this wonderful exhibit. These miniature doll houses and miniature dolls were just simply amazing! She had a gas station, a church, a log cabin for the Buffalo Soldiers, a barber shop, a beauty salon, a medical center, a school. There was so much to see and the detail on these were just simply wonderful. Once we showed up, Sharon Frazier happened to be there and we had a chance to chat with her about her creations and what inspired them. Sharon was very modest about her wonderful creations. However, we encouraged her to take the exhibit on the road with her.

If you get to Alexandria, Virginia before the end of the month- Please visit the Alexandria Black History Museum and check out Sharon Frazier's Miniature Doll Houses before the exhibit closes at the end of January.

Saturday, January 10, 2009

Integrity Toys Has Created Two Limited Edition Josephine Baker Dolls!




According to the Blackdollezine listserve, there is a new Josephine Baker Doll. Here is the quote from the posting:

"Integrity Toys, Inc. has manufactured 2 limited edition Josephine Baker
dolls and 1 limited edition Josephine Baker fashion, as follows:

Josephine Baker "La Baker," limited edition of 450 dolls, $99.99 retail
Josephine Baker "La Divine" fashion; limited edition of 350 fashions,
$79.99 retail
Josephine Baker "Tropical Siren," limited edition of 450 dolls, $99.99
retail

For purchasing details, visit:
http://www.41vogue.com/Josephine%20Baker.htm
or other Integrity Toys, Inc. retailer.

Doll Castle News Looking for You to Submit Favorite Black Doll

Below is an excerpt from Doll Castle New's most recent newsletter
Antonia by Heidi Plusczok

"For publication in the 2009 March/April issue of Doll Castle News, the
Editor would like to invite you to provide a photo of your favorite
Black doll with a paragraph about why he or she is your favorite, when
it was added to your collection or wish list and any other interesting
information about the doll. Please email submissions directly to: Dorita
Mortensen at dcn61@verizon.net

Pictures should be a JPEG attachment. Submissions will be accepted NO LATER THAN JAN 15th, 2009"

A Secretary of the Arts Under Obama?


Quincy Jones has started a petition to ask President-Elect Obama to
appoint a Secretary of the Arts. While many other countries have had Ministers
of Art or Culture for centuries, The United States has never created such a
position. We in the arts need this and the country needs the arts--now
more than ever. Please take a moment to sign this important petition and
then pass it on to your friends and colleagues.

http:www.petitiononline.com/esnyc/petition.html

Thursday, January 8, 2009

My Next Exhibition Starts January 19, 2009: "Expect The Unexpected"



Check out my next art exhibition at the National Children's Medical Center in Washington, DC. The Main Gallery is on the 1st floor of the hospital off of the
Atrium. I will be showing my mixed media art dolls on canvas.

The idea behind the theme "Expect The Unexpected" is to give the viewer something different to see. We as humans look for what we expect out of life "Our Comfort Zone" but to see something that's unexpected takes us to another level.

Gallery Hours: Monday - Friday 10:00 am - 5:00 pm.
You must show I.D.

There will be no reception as part of the exhibit. Bummer!!!

Wednesday, January 7, 2009

Think Innovatively!

My husband Howard, forwarded this information to me from Businessweek. I thought I would share it with all you creatives out there!


"Freeing your mind to think in an innovative way can be as easy as jumping in the shower and tuning out


By G. Michael Maddock and Raphael Louis Vitón

What if we told you that you could come up with a great idea anytime you wanted?

We'll go further. We can show you how not only to summon new and innovative concepts on command but also to teach your people the same skill. This may sound like an infomercial ("Order our revolutionary system within the next 20 minutes, and we'll throw in a set of steak knives absolutely free"), but it's true.

The five techniques outlined below have one thing in common: They free your brain to let your best ideas flow.

As it is, you undoubtedly have too much on your mind. When you're driving during rush hour, you are too busy dealing with traffic to notice the scenery and enjoy the ride. The following practices eliminate mental traffic and help you liberate the great ideas inside you desperately trying to get out.

1. Shower your way to creativity.

Yep, it's absolutely true. There is a scientific theory that water hitting your head helps trigger the synapses and that's why people get great ideas in the shower. But we think it's simpler than that: The ideas occur because you are not making an effort to think. You aren't worried about anything. You are not stressed. Hence some of your best thinking occurs.

2. Sleep on it.

Remember how your mom used to say, "Why don't you sleep on it, honey?" when you were wrestling with a big issue? Well, when it comes to big ideas and problem solving, Mother really does know best.

The next time you want to solve a major challenge or be unusually brilliant, think about it in bed. Don't push yourself to figure out the answer before you fall asleep. Instead, just go through the issues at hand and tell yourself that you will have the answer in the morning. In our experience, this technique amplifies the power of the shower, because there are even fewer distractions to occupy your mind when you are asleep.

You can employ an alternate version of this while awake. The next time you can't think of a name, date, or important fact, just tell yourself aloud, "I will not think about this for a while, and the answer will come to me." This technique clears the traffic in your mind and lets your subconscious go to work. Your answer will often pop into your head the moment you stop "thinking about it."

3. Engage in mind-mapping

Purging is a great way to make new connections and create bigger ideas. Have a tough challenge to solve? Get a giant piece of paper (write small if you can't find one). In each quarter of the paper, write a keyword related to the challenge. For example, if you want to plan a cool family vacation, you might write the words "destinations," "transportation," "memories," and "kids."

Then, in no particular order, begin to brainstorm any word that comes to mind when you think of each of the keywords. For example, for "Transportation": plane, train, automobile, John Candy, pillows, sleep, sleeping bag, tent, treehouse, memories, dreams, daydreams, smells, popcorn, movies, adventure, pirates, islands, Swiss Family Robinson. Eventually, you will begin to make connections, and ideas that unify the key aspects of your goal will pop off the page.

Strive for as many words as you can, and don't judge the words. Judging is looking at the traffic when you are driving-it keeps you from coming up with ideas. Eliminate the traffic.

You can employ this simple technique yourself or do it in groups to loosen up your team. Imagine how much fun you'll have explaining to your family how you came up with the idea of renting a tree house for your vacation in Costa Rica.

4. Schedule Your Daydreaming

We all have a time of day when our brains work the best. For many, it is first thing in the morning, before rush hour. Unfortunately, the CrackBerry addiction has many of us checking our e-mail just when our brains are the most capable of creating.

The moment you check your e-mail, voice mail, or to-do list, you have hijacked your imagination. You have created a mental traffic jam. Do yourself a favor and schedule daydreaming. Unplug during the time that you know you do your best thinking and find a place that makes you feel energized. A lot of people love the local coffee shop. The buzz of conversation, the smells, colors, and energy create a safe haven for the mind to wander. Some prefer the library or the park. Whichever it is, go there. Let your mind wander.

5. Yuk it up.

Laughing is another great way to liberate your brain. Often consciously doing silly-seeming things will get the creative juices flowing. Spin a top. Get an ice cream cone.

As you test these five techniques, you'll find some work better than others. If it turns out you really do get your best ideas in the shower, be conscious of the circumstances under which they occurred. What was the water temperature like? How long had you been in there? What time was it? Replicate the experience.

You'll find the effort worthwhile. "The bottom line is that gifted performers are almost always made, not born, and that the journey to superior performance is for neither the faint of heart nor the impatient," says Rand Stagen, senior partner of Stagen, a management consulting firm that specializes in helping mid-market companies scale. "Just as in sports, becoming an elite performer in business requires struggle, sacrifice, and honest (often painful) self-assessment. Depending on the scope and difficulty of the skill to be learned, it will take months and probably years to achieve a high level of proficiency or mastery."

Learning how to implement these approaches is often what separates a brilliant thinker from a creative want-to-be. Really. At first, you may feel silly, but we promise they will work.

P.S. Want some more ideas? Check out our "101 Ways to Have a Great Idea" .

G. Michael Maddock is founding partner, and Raphael Louis Vitón is president, of Maddock Douglas, a company that invents, brands, and markets products "for companies driven by innovation."

Tuesday, January 6, 2009

"Mermaid and Merwomen in Black Folklore" Call for Quilters and Doll Artists!



Here is a call for art for quilters and doll artists. This has come from the Avery Research Center in Charleston, South Carolina. Straight from the website.

"A juried exhibition for art quilters/ doll artists, February 20–March 31, 2009, at the Avery Research Center for African American History & Culture at the College of Charleston

DESCRIPTION
Enslaved Africans along the coast of South Carolina brought some of the first tales of mermaids and merwomen to America. Many of these folktales were stories of African ocean and river goddesses. Because of the rich oral traditions of these peoples, few if any of these stories were written until they were recorded by collectors of folk tales toward the end of the 19th century. You are invited to share your visual interpretation of these myths by creating a Black Mermaid/Merwoman in an art doll or art quilt.

SPECIFICATIONS
We are seeking work that is original and innovative. No kits, quilts or dolls made in a workshop with the aid of an instructor. Quilt must be multi-layered and joined by stitching. Dimension in any direction must not exceed 50 inches.

Dolls may not exceed 32 inches in height. If dolls are to be displayed on a stand, the artist will be responsible for providing the stand. If dolls are to be mounted on the wall please make sure it has the necessary hanging apparatus. We welcome both small and large works. Only quilts/dolls created after December 31, 2006 are eligible. Preliminary acceptance will be granted based on the acceptance digital images. Final acceptance will be granted upon the receipt and examination of quilts/dolls. We reserve the right to omit from the exhibition accepted quilts/dolls that do not contain the same qualities as the submitted images. The exhibition coordinators’ decision is final.

For more information check out: http://www.cofc.edu/avery/mermaid_merwomen.html

April 2009 Exhibition Opens
Florence Museum of the Arts, History and Science
Florence, South Carolina
April 2009 - May 31, 2009
Opening reception TBA

"Mermaid and Merwomen in Black Folklore” will tour as venues allow."

Friday, January 2, 2009

My Photographer and Friend Harlee Little



My friend and photographer Harlee Little has transitioned as of January 1, 2009. Harlee will be remembered as a fine photographer as well as an arts advocate in the African American community in the Washington, DC metropolitan area. He was a proud member of the Black Artists of DC.

Harlee has been one of my favorite photographers and has been responsible for the work seen in my portfolio on my Sankofa Studio website.

Harlee and I got to know each other in 2008 when I began my journey publishing the work I have done with my dolls. We first met at ARTOMATIC last spring. He has worked with so many fine artists and so I decided to hire him to photograph several of my dolls.

He and I got to be pretty good friends and colleagues. He was always available when I needed him and was very light and friendly. I loved the way he would present my dolls. I recall after our first photography session that he said, "it has been a pleasure meeting your dolls." This drew a smile on my face as well as his recognition of my dolls as personalities.

Again, Harlee the time that we knew each other was somewhat brief, however you have impacted my life in small tangible ways that I could never describe. May you rest in peace my friend.

Namaste/Ashe'

Eckhart Tolle- On Creativity



This morning I did my usual routine of meditation and yoga. As part of my morning ritual I was reading a passage in Eckhart Tolle's book "A New Earth" made popular through the series sponsored by Oprah Winfrey earlier last year. For whatever reason a couple of passages rang true to me and I wanted to share them with you:

"All creativity comes out of inner spaciousness. Once the creation has happend and something has come into form, you have to be vigilant so that the notion of "me" or "mine" does not rise. If you take credit for what you accomplished, the ego has returned, and the spaciousness has become obscured."

This reminds me that this year, I cannot let my ego get in the way of my creativity for creativity's sake. I am not my dolls or designs or anything that I create. It is simply a process that comes through me through spirit within the universe led by GOD.

Ashe'

Thursday, January 1, 2009

Hello/Goodbye -My New Year's Day- 2009- No Drama!







Peaceful Greetings- today I spent quiet and retreating in my "doll room studio" creating for the upcoming exhibitions and events. Reflecting on the last year and making solutions not resolutions for the coming year.

I am welcoming saying Hello to 2009 with much anticipation of dreams to be fulfilled. I am so thankful today to be able to work in quiet solitude in a safe and happy environment free from drama. As you see I am working on a few creations.

Here is to Hello 2009 and Good bye 2008!

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