Two years ago a friend gave me a ton of canvases for Christmas. Two packs of 8x10 and two packs of 11x14. However I had been really hooked on wood so they sat on a shelf until now.
I was thinking of a away to create affordable art and sell out of it at the same time. So I came up with making 12 sassy, trendy images of women of color particularly in the natural hair community. The art I love to collect often times doesn't have the faces I identify with as a black woman. I love quirky, urban, lowbrow, pop surrealism, portraiture, tattoo style art but very seldom do I see myself. Although it doesn't stop me from collecting from some of my beloved favorite artist. It does inspire me to create what I would love to see.
It has it's challenges unfortunately. If it's too surreal, often times my predominately black fan base thinks its too weird some would even say "dark". There in lies the struggle to create art other people will love and that I love as well. After all I'd rather my art hang in someone else's home than accumulate in my basement.
Anyway here I have created something I feel good about and the fans love. Eventually they will be available as t-shirts, tote bags, prints and other merchandise. Some of the images will be available for licensing as well.
Comments