Well Lookee Here!

Peace All! It's been a very trying time for me, dealing with delays and other things that dealt with my art,  along with other issues, and to be honest, it took a great toll on me. My blogging and my web presence suffered greatly, and burnout seeped in. I had blogs planned from Nicki  Minaj to Azealia Banks to Bill Cosby(again), but gotta take care of home first, meaning my personal life.Maybe call it dogged determination or faith, but I'm still at it. Just wanted to brief you on what's going on in my life, and the blogs will keep coming, God Willing. There's always something to blog about.

The above piece was a  12 x 12 that I went over in black about a couple of weeks ago. Didn't want to, especially with the texture, but I'm finding my art needs more space, and this was one of those pieces. I don't think I can define clearly what I want to express on a 12 x 12, so hopefully for future ideas, I'm keeping the photo.

Take care, more to come.

Sum-ma Sum-ma Summahtime!!! (Scenes from the Uncensored Exhibit)





Had a great time at the Art Hotel's Uncensored Exhibit in Downtown Dallas on June 15th. Saw some amazing work, also received news that the gallery is moving from its Downtown location and heading up north to the Gallery at Midtown at Valley View Mall. Kinda saddened in a way, but happy for them, especially because there will be more space for them(and me too!) to exhibit their work, and plus being in the mall will give them a bigger presence, especially since the Gallery at Midtown holds an artwalk every third Saturday of the month.  I tried submitting my work to the gallery about a month ago, but ran into some difficulties. Hope this move will work out for them.

Some people(like me) took a lot of shots that night, although for viewer discretion, I didn't include any of the mature themes in this blog. Guess you had to be there to see it. The piece on the wall was done by Sharon Neal Bagley, one of the co-ops at the gallery. Couldn't take separate pics of the piece, so I got it all in one shot. Please excuse the lady taking pictures....lol

This is another interesting piece by Rita Barnard, entitled Ball of Confusion, a piece that also contained a book made by her describing the inspiration behind the piece. She had a lot of questions, especially after her only sister died of cancer. This made her question a lot of things in life, and she also offered viewers to add their own questions.

Artist Samantha McNulty created these two exciting pieces called Escape. They were done with screenprint and other mediums. This gave me some ideas about some things I am working on, especially with the screenprint.



This was a nice piece about Bob Dylan. I can't remember who the artist is who created it, but they also included some 3D glasses, to give it a certain feel when you look at it. I didn't try it out though.



This is my piece Hardwired 101, which is a look into addiction. I want to get the people to start looking at addiction in an emphathetic way, instead of casting judgement on people for either becoming addicted or not rehabilitating as quick as we would like for them to.  I'm pleased with the outcome, but I want to do more, and increase the scale.

Another patron looking at my second entry entitled Portrait of My Hood. This piece gathered alot of attention and compliments for the theme and styling. The sides of the canvas have collage ranging from lotto tickets to condom boxes, depicting scenes and thoughts about the area I live.

I enjoyed this piece as well, although the name and the artist escapes me. My sincerest apologies to the artist.



This is one of the funniest and best pieces there. It's an assemblage entitled The Nut Doesn't Fall Far From The Tree. It's filled with some of the most peculiar statements that former President George W. Bush made while in office. The one that got me was the statement that he wanted to shake the hand of the brave Iraqi who had his hands cut off. I'm still tripping over that one.



  

Overall is was a great event, and what a way to cap off a great first half of the year artwise for the Q. I was blessed to participate in 4 shows, two at the TVAA Gallery earlier in the year, the TVAA New Members and the Wildness of Nature exhibits, and two with the Art Hotel Collective's exhibits The Whole Enchilada and Uncensored. Not bad for someone who basic is not known in the art scene. I had hoped that my work would be considered for the New Texas Talent show at the Craighead Green Gallery, but that looks bleak. Am I down? Honestly, yes, but not too down.  I've enjoyed the openings I've crashed at the Continental Gin Studios, Waleed Arshad, Jamaal Stafford, Kijana Martin, Janice Thacker, Jerome Bolden, and others that I've had the privilege to meet and greet and share infomation. I may take a break from it all, especially in getting ready for Ramadhan, the Islamic month of fasting, which should start in July, but I do have a community program in late July, where I will be helping the youth in creating collages.  Hopefully I can resurface in late August, when the Art Hotel Collective opens up at the Gallery in Midtown...who knows? Take care all... www.qartworks.com

                                          

Yeah...I'm Here....(Hardwired 101)

peace all....Been a while but I've been busy, that's all I can say at the moment...LOL....Anyway I want to briefly mention a show this upcoming Saturday in Downtown Dallas that I'm exhibiting two pieces in...the name of the exhibit is UNCENSORED...oooooooh....that's all I can say on that note.

This gives me a chance to touch up on some issues that's been kicking my head around, and I finally found an avenue to let it all loose...Now that's not saying that I don't feel comfortable with the TVAA Gallery in Downtown Dallas, but as I stated in an earlier post that you do have to know your audience when you venture into certain galleries, for everyone has different tastes, along with different limits, and I have no problem at all with that. While submitting my pieces at the gallery, I got a glimpse at a couple of pieces from other artists...I began to wonder if I should even participate because of some of the subject matter that were present. Truth is although the exhibit is uncensored, I do keep a personal censorship in what I present, for reasons I won't go into detail here. But after thinking about what I could represent here, I wanted to be there even more. My work which comes from personal/firsthand accounts, along with other things I've read or was told, is more geared with the struggles of the common human, especially from my neck of the woods, which I call Edgeville. At any time in my area I can be hit up for anything from food, money, even bus passes. One on the weirdest incidents came from a person who asked me for money for gas for his car. He's in a car, I'm walking, but he's asking me for gas money. Then he gets mad when I explain I don't have money. Beginning to think this consistent begging for things is more psychological than anything. I mean I believe that many people who panhandle are doing so out of panic of the mere mentioning of a KRMNL economy. But I guess if you're trained to think that these people had your best interest in heart, I can understand why the sudden panic when it becomes apparent that they can care less....

This is an excerpt of a work that will be presented at the exhibit entitled Hardwired 101...It's an introductory look at addiction of all sorts. It's a 20 x 20 piece that I can say I loved working on, but after looking at it, I wanted to increase the size...God Willing I will be looking into making an even larger piece. I can't get all that I wanted into the piece, so it encourages me to make more pieces centering around this topic. Hence the 101...This is just the beginning, God Willing...

There's another piece entitled Portrait of My Hood, but I don't think pictures will even justify that one...I may post it though...

It's going to be interesting though...that's all I can say....Yeah...I'm Here....Deal with it....

Salaams and Good Evening.... www.qartworks.com

Act ONE!!!!

Peace all!!! Working on this blog thingy again...took a lot of pictures of several exhibits I went to, but since this iiiiiissssss myyyyy blog, why not start off with a shameless plug?

This past weekend I participated in a showing at the Art Hotel Collective in Downtown Dallas. The name of the exhibit was entitled The Whole Enchilada, which allowed artists to submit up to two pieces of work not having any particular theme or subject matter in mind, just let it fly. SOOO, being the opportunist that I am, I took advantage to introduce another section of Downtown Dallas to the skillset. The two pieces I submitted were actually shown at the TVAA Gallery earlier this year, entitled Waiting and This Feeling, but that was to a different crowd. Having to understand who frequents what particular galleries is very essential when choosing which work you wish to exhibit.

It seemed to have really caught on here at the Art Hotel, where many artists as well as enthusiasts were gazing at the work, especially the one entitled This Feeling, which is made from oil pastels and Micaceous Iron Oxide, which helped give the canvas that dark, gritty texture.

When I entered I noticed people were looking at the work, and I wanted to see their natural reactions, which is best, so I went in incognito, but I was informed that I had to wear a tag, since I was one of the participating artists....DRATS!  

All in all, the results and the comments were very positing and I look forward to tomorrow's second showing....

More later....Take care!  www.qartworks.com

....it all comes together....

Peace all,

Busy month...all I can say...but hoping I can get back into the swing of things online reeeeeeeel soooon.

But I have been making treks and inroads on the local scene, which has been taking up most of my time, along with researching things from art to politics and art and politricks and....oh my...forget the dog, a library is my best friend! Recently I've checked out a few DVD's regarding modern art, and starting to get the hang of it...but that Coalaca piece don't work for me. For those that don't know Coalaca is a Spanish word(if my memory is working) meaning "toilet". This artist makes this sculpture out of washers and sinks, and it's rigged to actually take the food sent into the drain to come out as excrement...Yeah, real live crap! What's more people are pricing and collecting CRAP!!! People sure can test the waters can they?

Anyway, all in all I got some good insight on these videos, and now with a little money(heh heh) I can really get some things cooking!

...Gotta show some work to a fellow artist who works at the Oak Cliff Cultural Center tomorrow...working on an exhibit hopefully next year...Keep ya posted!

Then I have a couple of pieces showing at the Art Hotel in Downtown Dallas...it's a group showing...hope to have more pics on hand for that one! Lemme get outta here because I'm hungry! Peace out!

Onto The Next Adventure

Peace all...


Been having mucho problems with internet, even in the library. Can't upload pictures like I wanted to for some strange reason....Anyway....

The Wildness of Nature Exhibit at the TVAA Gallery is over, and I've picked up my pieces, only to find that my local library wanted to exhibit a couple of my pictures. Hey, no problemo...

So two of the pieces, Butterfly and Taken For Granted are now showing at the Highland Hills Library, and now the library wants to show any other pictures that gives a "springlike" vibe, so I'm in the process of concocting a couple more pieces. I'm very grateful for their support, and I'm praying to get the chance to do another exhibit there SOON!!! I'm working on a subject matter, I'm just praying that I can get some space to get to work, because now the scale of my pieces are increasing, which I wanted to do in the first place. I love the small pieces, but it's time to enlarge my work.

Don't get me wrong, I love doing nature works, and want to do some still life pics in the near future, but right now I'm chomping at the bits to get back to my long standing work. It helps me stay grounded.

I love the Texas Visual Artists Association gallery because they change up themes monthly, and that keeps me on my toes, and gives me a chance to expand. But I have no works to show in the next two months at the gallery, one reason was the April exhibit had an expiration date in February that I overlooked, and the May exhibit is a private exhibit...so that gives me two months to wreak havoc around the art districts. I'm targeting the Deep Ellum Arts Festival this weekend, God Willing...

Until next time, take care....oh by the way, check out the new website WWW.QARTWORKS.COM!!!

Peace!!!

Q crashes da gallery!

Peace all...had a great weekend crashing the South Dallas Cultural Center's opening. This opening featured two amazing women artists, Janice Thacker and Kijana Martin, who lives in the DFW area. This being women's month we were served with a double dose of thought provoking art. Janice Thacker, whom I met a couple of years ago, has some of the most amazing acrylic paintings, where the people are outlined in markers, as she described to me in the first meeting. She also has some great work with poetry included about the struggles and tribulations from slavery. I hope to go back and photograph some of those pics asap.

I met Kijana Martin at the reception, and the picture that caught my attention is a two piece presentation centering around the death of Cicely Bolden, a young lady who lived in my area who was murdered last year after telling her lover after having sex with him that she had the AIDS virus. She leaves behind two small children, and this tragedy has a lot of twists and turns included, however Ms. Martin wanted to touch on the subject of tragedy, but also learning the lessons, accountability of one's own actions, and making choices that maybe can prevent future tragedies from occurring. The second part is entitled Shattered, giving the viewer an opportunity to look at a broken mirror, which shows how making the wrong choices can destroy dreams and lives. I went home thinking about this piece especially, and hopefully in the near future, I'm going to find a way to present it in maybe a joint exhibit, or whatever. The most important part of thought provoking art is to get it out there and start dialogue.

Originally I intended to crash two openings that weekend, but sometimes things get in the way. I found myself talking both of these artists' ears off, and with the St. Patricks' weekend jamming up downtown and traffic, I settled with just this one opening this time. But I have no regrets.

Take care...Q has just started...

The Wildness of Nature Exhibit

Peace all,

I know I'm behind on my blogging about my artwork, but as you already know Q's art world is as topsy-turvy as it can get, especially since I'm basically a newbie in this art scene, as far as galleries are concerned. Right now I just want to give you a small glimpse of three pieces I will presenting in The Wildness of Nature Exhibit coming next month at the TVAA Gallery in Dallas, Texas. I hope to have more in-depth pics and maybe a more comprehensive slideshow/video in the future. Take care.

All I'm asking....R-E-S-P-E-C-T!!!

Peace all,

Hoping that this blog reaches everyone in great health and spirits. I know it's been awhile since blogging, but all of my social media has suffered as well, especially Twitter and Blogger. In reality all of this networking became a serious burnout and a source of depression for me after releasing some of artwork to the public to little or no response. I felt that I was doing something wrong, and that people weren't getting what I was trying to convey to the public, as well as people were being somewhat finicky and sometimes downright disrespectful in my work. Take for example last month a "fellow artist" came to my local library, saw my work and loved one of my pieces, and wanted to purchase it. I made the mistake of asking how much she thought it was worth, and she replied that she didn't want to disrespect me, but told me $100. This was for one of my prize pieces that everyone seems to like and related to. I felt disrespected, but regardless I asked could she pay $200(which is STILL lowballing) and she stated she would have to save up. I told her no problem, gave her a card, and tried to make it accessible for her to purchase it. She emails me a week later saying she can't do the $200, and tried to negotiate again for $100. With that I refused to reply to her at all. Lesson learned... I'm realizing there is more to this thing than meets the eye, but I won't go into it right now. My spirit is now starting to rejuvenate to the point where I'm enjoying what I do again and go out to just shoot pictures and do more artwork. This was not a positive summer to say the least, but I hope things will pick up for me. This coming Sunday some of my work will be on display and for sale at an art fair in Dallas. I won't be present due to other priorities, but someone is going to display it for me. I hope that I will spark some type of interest when it's all said and done. I hope to be back real soon to talk about my next exhibit and the meaning behind it, so stay tuned family. Take care! Luv Ya!

New Painting!!! Complex II

Peace all... This is a picture of a work in progress entitled Complex II : Tailor Made...Please click on the link to see the finished piece with caption...http://www.realquwwa.com/events.html In order to bring my website to the forefront, I've decided to move my artwork to my website and put pictures of work in progress only on my social networking pages. I've realized that although exposing my work to the public via Facebook and Twitter may generate some buzz, it takes away from my website, which was created to give a total experience, and not just to try to sell art. It's high time I took my site seriously and promoted it as I initially intended, and give all walks of life a chance to see my expression. Hope you enjoy the journey....Till next time...

Painting(Tribute to Sgt. Hogues and the Tuskegee Airmen)

Salaam and Good Evening all...Working on other projects, will fill ya in soon. Right now check out my tribute painting to the Tuskegee Airmen...Take care!

The Power of One Piece

 Peace! I haven't forgotten anyone at all, I thought I would go right into blogging and editing the video for the Red Tails tribute that was given at my local library. It was a great event to say the least, the audience fully enjoyed the whole shabang, and I was able to exhibit my community artwork. I also met some locals who didn't know I existed, but then again there are many who don't know me in my neck of the woods. But in addition to the exhibit, my picture along with my artwork was put in the community newspaper(oh boy, I hate photographs) and I was able to present a piece that really made everybody's day. Sgt. Hogues and family could not get over the appreciation and the effort that was put into it, and I have to thank Ms. Almetta Russell, who really worked hard to get this off the ground, as well as the staff at the Highland Hills Library for their support. I have already informed them of my plans for another exhibit soon.

The event was really about Sgt. Hogues in the first place, but I got the wrong impression. I spent  days before the event telling everyone that it was also an exhibit, even though the fliers did not speak of such. I realize now the event was a community affair in his honor, and I am privileged to have shown my work at such a prestigious function. However the one piece dedicated to Sgt. Hogues of the Tuskegee Airmen stole the show, although it was not my intention.


Very few people knew about the painting. Ms. Russell informed me a few weeks going into the event that she would like to give something to him as a token of respect and appreciation for what he and the rest of the Tuskegee Airmen accomplished, especially in the face of such blatant racism, such racism that a lot of Americans believed did not exist anymore until Trayvon Martin, although some of us were telling people that the menace was still present...I won't mention names here, it's not important. I didn't show anyone the piece until a couple of hours before the event. Everyone was blown away by it, even the neighbors as I walked to the library. One elderly gentlemen quipped, "You never know what a person can do...." But he's right. Only a few in my area knew what I was capable of.

But the effect that it had on the community, the Hogues family, and me as well proves of the powerful impact that visual art can have on any society. This community has suffered and still suffers from a serious identity crisis, no one could define any landmarks or any notable presence except former basketball player Spud Webb of the NBA, but that's typical of the hood.

 Barbara Hogues, daughter of Staff Sgt. Hogues explained during the event that the family was not aware of his involvement of the Tuskegee Airmen until 2008, and he didn't receive his Congressional Medal of Honor  until 2009 from the same airport that denied him a job shortly after retiring from the military, telling him the only thing he could do was custodian work. This was AFTER the success the Tuskegee Airmen in World War II. We still have a long way to go before Blacks get serious respect here in America, especially with Trayvon Martin continually haunting America, but now Black youth, as well as White youth should realize all of those slavery stories and stories of racism and domestic terrorism still have impact, because it never left....

Overall I felt it was a victory for a small area that no one cared to remember, except in a negative light, but now we have history as well as culture to bring to the table.


May God Help Us... Peace....

Patience.....Young Grasshoppa(A Year in Review)

Peace all,

I had to think for awhile about how I wanted to do a year ending blog, things flipped so quickly that if I really wanted to fully recap Q's year in review, it would probably be a long, cumbersome blog, so let's trim the fat shall we?

I guess I can say I began to see promise this past February when I was able to start up my own website and expose my art among other things with it. REALQUWWA.COM started slowly, and not having much fanfare, I tried to advertise on my Youtube channel as well as Facebook, but response has been slow to say the least. But I don't despair in any event because I know what to expect, especially as an independent artist, along with the subject matter of my work. Today my website has two displays, the ongoing Lifestyles of the Ignored and the See What I See exhibit (CWATIC) which I renamed The All Aboard the 554 Exhibit , which chronicles scenes in my area of South Dallas. 554 is the route number of the city bus that goes through my area.


The See What I See(CWATIC)Exhibit held this past October 29th marked a milestone for the Q, seeing that I had not presented an exhibit of any sort, the only time I really exhibited my work at any time was at a student art exhibit when I attended Community College, and that was a while to say the least. But the response was great, especially in the fact that many people were able to see the direction my art was going, and also gave the opportunity to expose the possibilities of visual art to an area that does not get a chance to truly see a cultural event like this. To show the mindstate of my area as well as American society as a whole, I received replies from people who were somewhat surprised and/or dismayed when I explained that this exhibit was for FREE, and not to commercialize my work. I mean don't get me wrong, I am not saying I will not sell my work when the opportunity comes, but the purpose of my art is not just to "sell things" and make money, but to make a difference, inspire, and motivate too. In my area people have relegated everything now to a "hustle" or "getting up" and we are missing out on making a serious impact in society today. This is the sad state of society, mostly stemming from the notion of not seeing things in a spiritual perspective, and only seeing things from this temporal materialistic existence. It's high time we start changing that perception. The corrupt only hold the money for a period of time, but in the end everything goes back to Allah(Al-Warith, The Inheritor).

Other events include the inspiring art sale I attend two weeks ago, held by renowned artist and Dallas resident Frank Frazier, Jr. He's a veteran at this thing, and his invitation thru Facebook was something I did not want to pass up. I met other artists, and saw astounding work that inspired me. I am very grateful to witness such an event. Also can't forget the BlogTalkRadio interviews with Angel Ayes and Lady Flava, which let me air out my outlook on many things in art and society as well.

This year has ended on a positive note in that the Paul Lawrence Dunbar Library graciously invited me to display my artwork. This was a library I had targeted for CWATIC, but finances prevented me from holding such an exhibit, but thankfully I was able to present a CWATIC display. Here are the photos:







So I have no choice but to take this as a step in the right direction. I feel that God(Allah) is putting me in a much better position, and I must remain patient and not be deterred from any naysayers, or any type of "slow" response, because in the end the victory will be there for me, if I just hold on. People are politicking for my work to be displayed in different areas, and other opportunities await me. I keep thinking about the day when I almost gave everything up, but that something inside me told me to just submit the proposal. Fear of rejection had pretty much overtaken me, but after realizing I'm just following the course that's already paved for me, things became a lot easier. Now I am more confident in my ability, and ready to expand my repetoire and come up with more artwork. 2012 looks to be very interesting, and I will not wait for February, when my next exhibit hits.





It's about to be fun.....Peace......CWATIC @ www.realquwwa.com

Mind Blowin!!!

Peace all,

Working on this exhibit coming up in the next two weeks, and things are suddenly going top speed for me, I need my ice cream to slow down the pace... LOL

Anyway, the See What I See Art Exhibit is set and I am pumped to say the least. I would never thought that I would be actually promoting my own art exhibit, I usually keep events about myself on the hush hush, one for fear of ...oh many things...confidence is not on my list of strong points, that is until I've become comfortable with the situation. I think I've settled down from the excitement now.

At least that was until yesterday when the librarian posted the flyer she created on the entrance doors and the walls of the library...Then it really hit me when I saw my name on the flyer...Then I really started bugging...not egotistical rapper like, but buggin'...It was a little too much for me.

Then while surfing through the net I ran into one of my Facebook friends who lives not too far from me, who wants to contribute some sounds for the exhibit, to mix with some of the messages I wish to relay to the audience. That really geeked me up.

Then, in an act I can only say was God's Decree, I happened to come back to the library, only to find a gentlemen who noticed my constant presence in the library using the internet and such. Well we spoke about constructing websites, and I showed him my site and explained what my agenda is, which somehow, again saying it was the Decree of Allah, we happened to share the same vision. Well, needless to say, we exchanged numbers and he called me with details that I can give away, but this thing can go a looooong way, God Willing.

Then I received a reply from my good friend Tania Maria Xavier of ColoredPeople.Net and DaughterNature.Com, approving the exhibiting of one the paintings on her beautiful gallery. I try my best to never forget those who Allah put in my path, and she along with others play a huge role in Quwwa. All I can say is thanks to all who contributed, will contribute in any fashion. I am grateful for every effort, and can only pray this gets better.

All Praise is Due only to Allah, and the mistakes are mine. PEACE





Love Ya....It's just keeps getting better. Come See What I See @ http://www.realquwwa.com

FOCUS! FOCUS! FOCUS!

Peace all, and belated Eid Mubarak to the Muslims coming from the fasting of the month of Ramadhan. May Allah accept our fasting and deeds done for His Sake.

A very interesting Ramadhan and come and gone once again, filled with many lessons learned and very interesting concepts reflected upon. All in all, it was a very enlightning and uplifting experience. I pray I am able to see and experience another blessed Ramadhan again, there is nothing like the experience.

Keeping oneself focused was the task at hand, I mean imagine me walking constantly through the scorching Texas heat, not having eaten anything substantial in the last few hours, to go to the library and type out a passage or two reflecting on issues very few people ever contemplate over, only to write them on a Facebook book page with only 28 friends that subscribed to, and not even all of them read my writings. But again, mass appeal is not the object. But it does take focus, focus that even I didn't think I had...LOL...But where there is a purpose there is a will. I leave Ramadhan now with even more focus, and still thinking of more writings to fill up my Reflections page. I feel like I've only just begun.

But now I also have to turn my attention to my proposed Art Exhibit entitled Down Here on the Ground, and gear up for that event now. I've sent the proposal for space and I am awaiting a response. I've been looking through several pictures and trying to come up with different ideas to create. Right now I am on a mixed media and collage binge, looking for that right connection or that right energy. This looks to be very exciting, although I still lack many resources to pull this exhibit off. I set the date so I can have some kind of tangible deadline to make my self work and not procrastinate, which happens to be a great friend of mine...lol.

But throught it all, I keep pushing, hoping for something to come along that will give me that much needed boost. I guess I am just nervous due to the fact that about what happened last year, I don't think I can take anymore letdowns. Confidence does wane, especially after recurring instances....I pray this is not the case.




Take care.