A MAN IN A WOMAN'S WORLD

!!WAIST BEADS!!

        
             So who would have thought i'd be sitting up here doing waist beads. lol I'm a super artist. I just love to create. Always calling for the funds and prosperity coming my way but there's always something spiritual and energetic about creating anything! I really got started making a few to help someone else out and then I thought well...why not make my own to sell! After all I had a lot of ideas and I just loved the whole concept and design aspect of them. But........lets back track. Some women know a little about waist beads, some don't , and some think its a "young girl's " thang. But lets talk about these intimate beads. I myself am not claiming to know it all because I am far from that and I'm still learning lol. I'm a man but history always shows these cross gender anomalies. I don't expect to know the deepest secrets in the feminine world. No no, that's not my place. I am a man who appreciates women for all they are and all they manifest into the world through the divine feminine. What ever my role is. I acknowledge that and move forward through that essence. 

         Waist beads have been around for a very very long time. In Africa they can be found in every part of the continent from North , South, East, West and Central. They are a sign of femininity and are sacred to women.  These beads are very intimate and are used in a number of different ways that vary from place to place, people to people, and person to person.


             Depending on the cultural background, some females receive beads when they are a few years old. They receive a new set when they go through puberty rites. There are beads that are contraceptive and there are beads that fertility driven. waist beads are said to entice the opposite sex and women lace them with oils, medicines and charms to attract mates. Sometimes even small bells are added onto them to give a jingle when she walks. Most times waist beads are worn underneath the clothing. Many a times they can be seen if the top is short and the mid area is revealed. Waist beads are very popular in the African dance culture and can be used aesthetically in addition to the numerous ways of wearing them. Carnival, festivals, spiritual rites, rites of passages, and more. Female rituals. As old as they are waist beads are indeed making a come back as women are drawn to feminine ideals that come from enhancing their powers. Sure there are some who like it for fashion purposes but for those who seek the inner workings of the beads, there is much to learn. 

          I've been in an interesting position as a male and am learning quite a bit myself including the bond that women develop during waist bead parties or gathering that have to do with healing, fertility, spiritual protection, sensuality or any other arena that females have birthed to honor the divine feminine. I personally think they look sexy, I think every woman should have them lol so...I guess the so called male's charm works. I enjoy making them as I do with other works of art. I love colors and styles and yes i can be a bit of an overboard when I create things. Maybe that's the leo, and maybe its the Oshun. Probably a bit of everything. So I'm new at this but I am so ready to see where this all goes! Creating, blessing, protecting, enhancing,healing and everything else! Waist beads! Slap your own juju on it and keep it rolling! jingle jingle jingle!!

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BEAUTIFUL CREATION, BURN THROUGH THE NIGHT

I’m so proud of myself. Even though I am exhausted and working on one hour of sleep.I accomplished a lot working on three different paintings. I was determined to paint even though I was in a sour mood. So I put on some music and started working. I cant say that I’m a fan of Lil Wayne but this a few of his songs I do like. Sometimes I  listen to just some of the instrumentals of a lot of artist. It all depends on the mood that I'm feeling. What I see and feel can be totally different from the lyrics and I get everything from the instrumentals. I brought it all back to the music. I have to have my music on when I paint, plus it was good because it allowed me to fall into the zone. I had alot of thoughts about the work that I was creating. Some of my materials are far from me and I still have yet to get them. It's becoming a bit problematic. Come on...I don’t have any black paint..not good. My beads and sequins I still need to pick up because all the pieces in this series is mixed media. I've been doing a lot of brain storming as of late and I really want these pieces to be apart of something larger. It's fine to have a show but how about a show that sells out!.How about a show that draws a large crowd where I can get on mic and give a small blurb about the work and what it entails. That would be fabulous.  So yes I have had time to think and the brain is still rolling. I'm starting to think that the number  one thing an artist can ask for outside of him/herself is support and physical resources.
Yes financial backing is always accepted lol and greatly appreciated. You know we artist have a lot to do! People have to support the arts. If they don't then it’s almost a cycle of death. The artist die and the people die too believe it or not people take it for granted the beauty in the world. Sometimes it's the small things. Think about how you feel when you see a flower so beautiful you just have to stop to look at it, smell it; you may even pick it. The blue of the sky, the white of a smile, the warmth of the sun after a long over drawn winter. Yes these are examples from nature but non the less. The work of an artist is indeed to make the world a more beautiful place, to enhance what exist and to transform the muck into something that will make you merge with your emotions and spirit when you experience the creation. I am trying to pace myself but sometimes I will either not paint at all or pull a random all nighters and bust out quite a few things. There is still so much research to do and still materials I need to even consider one painting complete. I have to move mountains indeed because its a bit much right now but I don’t like the feel of being so close but so far jus because of some materials lacking. I want to finish these pieces so I can sit back and critique them and sit back and smile. Not to mention I need to be ready to jump start a show. I'm already brainstorming ideas.

I've done the regular cafe thing so we will see what I can conjure up. This is where the resources come in so I need to see who I know and who knows what lol. Time to make some moves. I'm so excited. This series is the bomb. I still need to get some large canvas to set it off and plan out what other materials I need but I need to be patience and pace everything. This means painting a little bit every day because the transformation from flat canvas to mixed media is where the serious work is going to take place. Phewww.. yes. One painting that had all the beads and sequins in it took forever. Can we say blood, sweat, and tears. Lol Loss of sleep and everything else. It is a beautiful painting that I swear will sell no less than one thousand dollars

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Like a Body of Water

"Start a blog!", "you should start a blog", "do you blog?" Yes Yes

I have heard it over and over so. Here I am creating this blog to explore ideas, explore thoughts and explore the expansive body of water that surrounds us all. Sometimes its good to write and get things out. I have alot of dreams and ideas. Dreams and things I should say lol. So whats an artist to do when it comes to still water? Writers have writers block. Artist have.....art blocks?! lol well how does an artist channel any and every kind of feeling and emotion into art? So I create when I'm inspired, but what about the times when i'm not feeling so inspired or when I feel stuck? Join me as I push forward to learn more about myself as an artist, as a creator; as I explore the vast water of thoughts, dreams and ideas. How complicated are things sometimes. Why is it so easy for everything going around me to influence whether or not i'm creating.  I know I should always be creating. And what about... environment? What happens when you are inspired from going different places or one is inspired during such a stay? What happens when one leaves? How does one create the environment for consistent inspiration even in the midst of madness, border,and any other social issue effecting ones life. There is so much to write about. So much to think about. Sometimes I just want to fly away to another world. Sometimes I look at very old works of art and wonder...where the hell did that come from? Diamonds created in the midst of the madness. So the artist speaks now. I'm ready to take the journey inside and figure it all out. Where to go from here...is only to be determined.