I am a visual artist working in collage, assemblage sculpture and altered books. My practice explores identity, memory and the history of the African diaspora. Vintage and contemporary images collide to convey how the past informs the present.


Ret' to go

Everything went swimmingly with the commission client this morning... brought the elements I plan to use, including this paper:Even though the client has seen my work, in person and on my Flickr account, I was still kinda nervous. But as we examined the papers and inks and other elements I plan to use, she oohed and ahh'd and brought up a couple of things I hadn't even thought to highlight.

She mentioned that she'd had no idea what it took to make the notebooks, until she saw the elements and we began talking about what I was going to do with them. I loved hearing that -- I've had my moments when I had to bitch and moan about how no one seems to understand that making things takes time. How it actually takes time to buy (or order online) materials, to decide if this element goes here or there, adhesive drying time, etc.

And when I brought out the artist-client agreement I drew up for the project, she listened carefully and was pretty pleased about signing. Apparently she's constantly wrangling with someone who teaches her son... there's always some sort of misunderstanding. And it's all because the teacher refuses to use a contract to spell out what's expected of her clients and of the teacher.

Whew! I best get to work.

First look

Prime time, take 2