Always Moving Forward Curators Tour - May 29th, 2010

Toronto! I really enjoy the work of the photographers, lately I have been trying to locate photographs of black Canadians in the early years,its a tough slog, unlike the things you can see in the states. As Dr. Montague states it's about creating a contemporary reflection of black life. I like the vision.

Camille Turner on How-To Maintain A Sucessful Arts Career, Pt 1

just a bit more of Ms Turner, And you should also check out Outer regions,

Camille Turner

Miss Canadiana I think is a way for Camille turner to , turn the tables on those who erase people of colour. she inscribes the notion of Canadiana beyond the image of the great white north(and they do mean white.)

Miss Canadiana's Red White and Beautiful Tour

Homefront 48x24" acrylic, collage on canvas.

The story of the immigration of my family from one place to'nother place, which still ain't home. Collecting ideas and identities that sit awkward and play-like. Some mornings waking up thinking someone will discover you dead but walking around in someone else's dream.
Wake up! Wake up! are we there yet? are we home?
"Who do you think you are?"

Art21

I said I would be sticking to black and Canadian artists, but I really have to give a big hail up to brothers and sisters in the states, I have been watching the Art 21, you should if you like art and Artist. There are some I so love! it's amazing, One thing I notice though, Black artist always, well 99% of them talk about their ethnicity, how it influences the work they produce, while white artists, So far I have not heard anyone of them mention their privilege. A lot of women artist talk about being women in a male dominated world. I find it fascinating, Not that one has to mention gender or race in the work, but i think who you are must have impact on what you create. but I think privilege is not knowing or not having to notice "others" or looking at the privilege one has. oh so Layah Ali
and the wonderful Mark Bradford. check them out.

image is by bryan james "silence before the flood" 48"x24" pastels and acrylic on paper.

Welcome, again.

The big bang. I often wondered what would happen if I came face to face with my fears. look it straight in the face,eyes whatever fear has that one would look at.Then it occurred to me that being an artist is one of those things that is self censoring. I thought I had to be all these things to be one, then I realized all I got to do is, as a friend told me, "be black and free," jump into the foray. Here I am. I am starting all over again with the same statement to uncover black Canadian art. And i will keep posting mine until I put up others. can you suggest a few?

the work: oil on canvas 36"x24" by bryan james,(in collection of A knight)

Dan Gilbert asks, Why are we happy? | Video on TED.com

Dan Gilbert asks, Why are we happy? | Video on TED.com

more of the same,,,,, not

Good ness has nothing to do with work, so i'm digging up all my old stuff and putting it out on this blog. most likely because most of the stuff is gone. but what i enjoy is looking at work and trying to figure my head space at the time. most of the work has no name, so it's hard to give it a location. but this is the life I do remember living on Bathurst street in Toronto. I remember my son kaleah looking at it and looking at me as though i was a bit ,,, I don't blame him here it is

older still.

Is it hot or is it me. the climate is shifting. sensibilities are at there end,or is it a cyclical thing, this happened twenty years ago, the earth froze, then got hot, is it hot or is it us? I am working on some new stuff. you have been watching the progress of the big thing , but i also have been looking at the old stuff. I want to thank Ella my next door neighbour who came by and was so thrilled to see my work from the window ,she had to come on in..... it was an unexpected boost. I call this one peep'n. It was a moment. I just love the fun of it. some times i kill me.

bird

2002 got to be feeling of creativity was all up in my grill. i could help but make art and love and live
thia one is about the lack of nature in a manufactured world, this lot was going to be turned into a parking lot.... nuff said

talk less say more

another around the same time 2002 ish summer Ottawa, it is a fantastic city. lovely green chilled... but

speaking of old

I recently, (this morning) digitized a bunch of slides i had of old work. some of it can only been seen through the picture.. these are installations, public art set up so it's free to watch and make inner comments without sitting in a gallery and pretending. the first is called dreaming in the huse of the ancestors, it was in Ottawa Canada, 2002. it gone now but i love the process

In with the old

It's nice to look back and see the things i've done, I very proud if them, they all speak to me. These days in a different way. I was thinking of re doing some of the work, especially the ones i did not have the facility to capture back in the day. Or maybe it was the lack of patience. I still am inpatient, i throw my work around, write haphazardly, which annoys my writing partner (sorry Ms,Knight) and my new theatre Partner who loves correcting grammer and all things ineffecient.
these are a few pieces,,, actually the ones a show now is one piece i cut into four( don't ask .I can't understand.)this is #1 top left hand corner.

next

This is earlier

The progress of work

yahoooooooo, yesterday A new theatre company hit the stage. Theatre Hullabaloo starteed by Deanna Dobie and Myself, was officially registered in Quebec. We are very excited, we are planning to set up a thoughtful, provocative and entertaining theatrical experience for our audience. That being said I would like to welcome all of you to come an visit us and our work. we will be setting up a website in the near future. please stay tuned. first production will be "Dogg Show."
okay ! the progress of the work; Althea Knight suggested I photograph the work as it moves along a great idea so here is the continuation. I did not put the size of it. it is 70"x96" yeah pretty big ,but you have to see it. what is fantastic is the things seen in it. I am loving this.

Inertia,- hope- faith.

(expression lest a reason. mixed media.)
Crash and burn. Lately I fell off the high of doing stuff. I began to believe that people look at merit, even though I know this not to be the case. It's about networks and friendships(and I use that word loosely.) Time and time again I end up looking at people who have less background in the creative process and more time in the coffee/cigarette break moments,they seem to get the gigs. While I sit wondering if my work is lacking. It is hurtful. After crying in my soup, the only thing I can do is get myself up for the down stroke. continue doing the things I love. work toward the things I believe is right. As Steve Job says "Every day look in the mirror and ask yourself, If I were to die today, would i be doing what I'm doing?"

part of a trio

This is part of a trio. This piece is in Montreal, The two other pieces are in Ottawa.
they represent, life and the ideals clashing with the reality of the world in which we live. made in 2005 in the Wakefield area.

works

This is a new day. I have decided to post all the work I have documented, it's a lot of work. I'm quite happy. so stand by and if you happen to know anyone who wishes to buy this stuff.. i will link you to the owners/collectors of the work. nuff said.

Another

I was thinking the other morning, sun breaking through the clouds, birds chirping. For some reason ,I got to thinking about black history month. this is good usually I remember about two minutes before an event, and start to panic that i don't have something to do. this summer I am planning an event, not just for that colder than cold Febuary, but for myself. here it is . Every B.H.M, I think about what does it mean to be black. Not the old school black. No. Whats the idea of the new black, I know black is the new black. so for this Febuary coming up I would like to see everyone create work which talks about this new being.
If you would like to work on a project for that cold cold month, based on the idea sign up... i'd like to hear from you. It seems a long way away ,but really it will creep up on you lke it does every year. This year be prepared.

I thought after the long winter( and it's not over yet) you should see what i look like. it's fuzzy cos after the winter i feel fuzzy, fat, unappealing, but ready to shed the winter blahs..

So far so goo

When I get busy, out there in the world blogging seems, well takes a back seat. it just makes sense. sometimes its better to do stuff than to write about it. but it's also very important to let folks know what they are missing, after all I live on a very small patch. so seeing is actually hard. theatre is the type of medium that is immediate, not digital,reproduced for consumer convenience. So what have I been up to.
well.
I directed three short ten minute plays, which took up a considerable amount of time but were a lot of fun. this was immediately after "Terminal Terminal" closed.. ohhhh by the by i want to let you know that "Terminal Terminal" will soon be out and about to a theatre near you( sort of) with the amazing ,talented wonderful actor Cassandre Mentor playing the role as the ever funny ever sarcastic, Merhan..... stay tuned, please

I have also just finished laying down the must be 5th draft of "Dogg Show" a play set in the time of around now but lurks in the not to distant past, it's about identity love and fatherhood......

this new year

Welcome to the tens, Each year I act as though things will be different because the clock and the calender done changed. As though it's a a new day! Rather than a continuation of the old, nothing stops and starts in life, rather we change, and in a slow methodical way... That being said I like the illusion. I need the illusion.
This segment of my life will be the same but different, lots of risks are for the taking, and taking i want to do. so hang on. please come out to see my shows, which will be posted for your entertainment. The need to produce work in the theatrical and visual and performative arts is on an all time high for me
stay tuned. I want to thannk the folks a the MAI in Montreal for pushing our show"Terminal Terminal" it was fantastic for both Deborah and myself. also please stay tuned as i will post the entire show ,in segments in the coming months....