ART INTER(VIEWS)

At the moment I'm all over the map trying to figure out what I'm doing. Figuring out where I'm moving to next and understanding the work I'm making in my studio as well as the foods I hope to enjoy in the days to come. 

It's the most supportive community I've ever lived in. The people here are friendly and you just have to get to know them without making preconceived judgements. I moved here back in 2007 and that's over six years and counting. I want to leave but I wont have access to the amazing facilities this city have to offer. Kansas City is a place where an artist such as myself can function and achieve the goals I desire. 

There are a few Jamaican restaurants G's Jamaican cuisine and Island Spice,  but they are nothing like what I want. They cook a bit unique. I tend to head back east to New York, 

For a while I've been working on the picotaged work and many times they are misconstrued to be glitter or sand. a granular product of some sort, but its actually torn paper. regardless, someone who is unfamiliar with my process will think its a product that they may be familiar to them, so its making that relation. its kind of how the general world knows Picasso's and Warhol's

The faces began missing once I began painting black people who had features that were a bit unrecognizable. It really started back in High School. Many of my friends would take photos of me and many times I was unrecognizable, due to the lack of a flash. a few years later I revisited the idea of how some peoples identity are removed or misidentified. I began working around this idea, looking at masks and how various cultures use masks in ritualistic ceremonies as a coming of age and right of passage. I used masks in my picotaged works which best fit the process and content of masking the people in those works. My painted figures have now become anonymous, which are the tarmac workers who I have no direct relations with. 

It's always best to take breaks and time out for myself, these breaks may be considered as a short field trip or travel. At times I need to be by the ocean (the SEA), and a change of scene to continue doing the things I do.  It's life and in order to maintain myself and stay focused I have to be selfish and put myself first. More so self respect. I try to do this atleast once a year. 

I'm really happy when I'm around family and friends and sharing meals. The act of eating food is a communal ritual that brings people together. It's a gratifying feeling to know that we can all be together no matter our backgrounds. Being outside in nature is also a plus. The mountains of Colorado and the Ocean. Star gazing.