Sunday, September 13, 2009

update!

it has been some time since ive posted any new work or readings or anything here!!!!

it was a long busy summer...but that is no real excuse....

i have moved to a new blog site so i will no longer post here but please visit my new site at:

www.jadeandwele.wordpress.com

have a creatively blessed week!

jade.

Monday, June 1, 2009

Purchasing Afro Puffs Prints


I have a lot of questions about purchasing these prints and have been working on getting the online gallery up but since there is a demand for this I will put up the purchasing link now...


online gallery should be up by next week...


thanks for all the love & support!




Thursday, May 21, 2009

Art on display at "Homecoming" 5/2/09





other artists work: Nataki Bhatti, Amber Robles Gordon, Tambra Stevenson

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

afro puffs

When I did this painting, I did it because I wanted it in my own bedroom...well...I had no clue it would start up a little black girl revolution...that all these people would want her too!

So the great news is more prints are going to be available this week! AND>>>

I am starting to work on the other characters that will be included in this series as well as other items that display these young beautiful characters...

one sista told me at an art show...

"I have to have this for my niece...you know...so she can know that how she looks is beautiful and she can accept herself and her blackness"

YAY!!!!!!!!! black IS beautiful!!!! afro puffs and all!!!!

Picking Love


Picking Love
14x18
Acrylic on Canvas
Jade Andwele 2009

We should always choose to pick love!!!!! Be conscious of what you choose to bring into your life!

Thursday, May 14, 2009

Secret 3: Following your Fascinations

Reminder: I am reading Gail McMeekins "12 Secrets of Highly Creative Women" and have joined a book group where we post reflections to each chapter/secret...although I am way behind the group (which has finished the book lol) I am still doing it!!!

I know I am behind on these posts but ive been sick and busy among many things...

now that thats out of the way...lol time to discuss the 3rd chapter...

The first thing that jumped out at me was the Greek meaning of risk:

"to sail around a cliff"

I started to think about the idea of a cliff...what things in my life can be represented by a cliff and how do I sail around them? I do not have the answer yet...I think this will take a lot more time of reflection but when i figure it out ill post!

"To be truly creative, you must be willing to try and fail then get over it!"

this quote stuck out because often times we (or at least I) dwell on how we have failed instead of just shaking off the dust and keep on moving!!! I think it is ok to erase and rip up paper then start over, in the most literal to the most conceptual terms...

from this thought the chapter went on to discuss how it takes courage to admit that we have been on the wrong train and I definitely agree with this. I felt for a long time that getting my Masters degree in sociology was not only a waste of money but a waste of time. And it has always been hard for me to admit this to people. Sure I have another piece of paper to prove my knowledge and research skills but I now feel that I could have better spent two and a half years of my life doing more creative and loving things that I enjoy. The natural me hates this but the spiritual me realizes that it wasn't a waste of time because it put me in a place i had to journey to get to where i am now.

A few questions that popped up in my mind that you can ask yourself and I am asking myself:

? what positive risks are you going to take in your life?
? how will you honor your own belief system?
? What does your belief system look like?
? Who is your creative self and what does she/he look like?

Throughout each chapter in the book there are challenges presented for the reader to engage in. I chose to write about the intuitive messages challenge, which asked:

what messages are you receiving from your intuitive voice? IS your creative self inviting you to try new ventures? Are you ready to follow your fascinations?

My creative self is inviting me to try several new ventures. My intuitive voice is telling me to embark on a creative journey that I never thought I would be on. I am enrolling in classes to get pre-requisites for art therapy and going to apply for a masters in art therapy for Fall 2010 instead of going to get my PhD in something else. I am going to take my first art class next week! I am doing more in art that I never believed I would ever do. I just started painting months ago!!! Sell paintings? Never thought it would be me. I have my work hanging in peoples homes!!! My creative self wants me to let go and allow the energy to simply flow out into the world however it may. My creative self wants me to hone my craft and take time to understand who I am as an artist and a creative healer. I am ready to follow these fascinations and am planning my positive risks while working on being positive about these changes in my life and garnering support from others to continue and feel safe outside of my comfort zone.

-jade.


Sunday, April 26, 2009

sista beautiful


a gift piece for one of my beautiful sista...i promised her months ago i would paint something since she didnt have any decorations on the wall in her new spot. so i thought this would be nice especially since she is super involved in her sorority which im sure you can guess which one by the colors lol

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

The Saartjie Project Homecoming !!!!!


The Saartjie Project Presents...
HOMECOMING
5.2.09 Capitol Hill Arts Workshop545 7th Street, S.E. Washington DC (Eastern Market Metro)
In May 2002, Saartjie (Sara) Baartman's remains were flown back to her homeland, South Africa and laid to rest almost 200 years after she left for Europe in search of a life void of violence. Tragically from 1810 – 1815 Saartjie was paraded around Europe under the show name “Hottentot Venus”. Featured as an oddity and hypersexual African woman, she was adorned in feathers, beads and placed in a cage on display because of her large buttocks. When she died her body was dissected and her remains were on display in a museum in Paris until 1974.
HOMECOMING is a tradition adopted by The Saartjie Project to commemorate the 7th anniversary of Saartjie Baartman’s final return home and raises the question,
“What does it mean to commemorate this day?”
HOMECOMING will feature women and girls boldly using their original art to heal and change communities.
Original performances by:
Princess of Controversy (http://www.princessofcontroversy.net/)
Young Women’s Drumming Empowerment Project (http://www.youngwomendrum.org/)
Elen Awalom
members of The Saartjie Project ...and more!
Original Visual Art by:
Jade Andwele (me!)
This is not a night to miss!
Your donation helps support The Saartjie Project as we scale our production, community-based programs & sojourn to Minneapolis for the 2009 Pedagogy & Theatre of the Oppressed International Conference. We are a volunteer-run organization for the people sustained by the people.

Joyism May 1st!!!!!




My dear sista is having a wonderful show at the Capital Hill Arts Workshop on Friday May 1st BE THERE!!!!!!




Monday, April 20, 2009

Ch. 2: Honoring your Inspirations


Im late. hehehe. been super busy. but going to get back at these blog posts



After reading this chapter I learned that I need to push myself more to create time for inspiration and to begin using creative rituals. More meditation. More time to just sit and let creativity come instead of just doing something because I feel like I have to do it.

One of the challenges in the chapter asked "what activates and drains our creativity"

My activators are: music (esp. sista badu!), magazines, concersations, dreams, creative energy and love from others, sunny days

drainers: rainy days, lazy days, low energy overall, feeling overwhelmed/anxious/depressed

In honoring my inspirations, I have to focus more on understand exactly who Jade is and build strategies to understand how my creativity works and how to allow it to work better. I constantly carry around a notebook or sketchbook and colored pencils to record whatever comes to mind whenever.

The chapter also discussed creating a creative sanctuary, which is my room overall lol I have beautiful colors of orange, purple, fuschia, different types of lighting, a large desk, areas to paint, green plants and colorful flowers (LIVE lol not fake), several bookshelves and creative cabinent. I will post pics of my room/creative sanctuary later.

how will you honor your creative inspirations?