I don't do may portraits, but this man's face was so intriguing to me, I decided to do it...
I love to paint, but I also write poetry, lately I been focusing on my artwork. But, here are some of my older poems...
"Motivation to Write"
Quiet girls
don't wish to talk
Silence
makes loose words stay
inside
Shy girls
use the pen to
SHOUT! Like
Gwen Brooks I don't
talk I
write.
"I Bore Quickly"
routine people bore me
took the first Greyhound bus
to New Orleans
rented a cheap apartment
in the center of town
sat in the middle
of the action got
familiar with all the adventurous folk
fresh people grow stale fast
took the first Greyhound bus
to reunite with
routine people
"The Spotlight is On Me"
(previously published at nubianchronicles.com)
I want to be
a jazz singer
wear a sparkling dress
with sequins glistening
when the spot light shines on
me
I want a back up band
flutes, trombones, clarinets
high pitched instruments
harmonizing with my
contra-alto voice
I want my standard
to be be-bop, swing, scat
have Dizzie by my side
Coltrane in the audience
Incognito headlining
I want to be a star
my name outside the Apollo Theater
I want to be a jazz singer
I want to sing my song
Rush 2-11-01
Interrupted
From a deep sleep
Crawl out of bed
No I creep
By the door
Turn the alarm off
It's Monday again
The same routine
Once more
I'm out of time
Its 7 AM
And I start work at 8
Gotta 30-minute ride
So breakfast can wait
What do I wear?
Need something clean
Coordinated
Matching
Understated
So I wont be seen
Or noticed
If I walk in late
Always running out of time (I stayed up too late)
Its great
To live by a fast food store
And have a full gas tank
Can't speed our the door
Im missing a shoe
Can't find my keys
Dont know what to do
Its 7:35
And I start work at 8
Maybe if I drive fast
I wont be late
But speeding is a crime
Changing lanes ain't
Getting out of breath
I can't be late
8:05
Rush through the office door
8:05
I'm in a rush
8:05
That's close enough.
I'm an artist! But what does that mean?? For me it means expressing feelings, showing beauty, having fun, seeking relaxation.
It also means being differetn, trying new things and ways of doing things...
Being an artist means not being afraid to fail. Hey! Who hasn't been working on a painting they felt should be scrapped but a few weeks later went back and had a Eureka moment...
Art like any other creative outlet, such as poetry, music, dance takes time and dedication. But it's worth it!
One of my favorite movies is an old Alfred Hitchcock movie, "Strangers on a Train". There's a scence where Bruno's mothers, tells him to come look at her painting. His mother is standing there waiting for a response. Bruno laughs hysterically. And says, "That's him, That's Father!". His mother says,"No, I was trying to paint Saint Francis."
There's another favorite movie of mine, Scarlet Street. Edward G Robinson's character, Chris Cross is painting a flower in a glass of water. His friend looks at the painting and says, "Is that how you see that?"
Fellow artists, can you relate? Do you ever paint what you think is your masterpiece and your friends say HUH?
That's when when you need your sense of humor. I've learned never throw a painting, even one you think is bad, or others don't get. I've learned to let it sit for a while. Listen to your friends and families critiques but at the same time, stay true to yourself
My latest artwork... So Sad..Too Bad
