A funny thing happened on the way to DC
I’m gonna need Inauguration Day to get here sooner rather than later. When I look back at the end of 2020/ beginning of 2021, I don’t want to think of it as the series finale of America. I want to remember this period as a time of career milestones.
I thought debuting “The Home Inside My Head” well after Election Day would keep it from being buried by political news, but nooo… election coverage is still going strong. Fortunately, I also received a fantastic Christmas gift: a positive review of my work in the Washington Post!
So yeah, I was a little sad to close my first solo show at Morton Fine Art— but also relieved, because it ended just before the post-election insurrection at the US Capitol Building.
We’re entering the second week of 2021. Why is 2020 trying to hold on like a piece of toilet paper to a shoe?
Good/ Mourning, Thanksgiving
I still want to torch 2020 on a big ol’ bonfire, but I’m a little shocked to realize The Worst has not happened (yet). I know many people are in mourning for various reasons, which has me conflicted about the few bright spots.
“Janus: Value” in the collector’s home. Photo courtesy Korey McLeod.
On the one hand, I’m thrilled that “Janus: Value” now lives in Washington, DC, at the home of Korey McLeod. Actually, that collage wasn’t even in my solo show at Morton Fine Art. But after visiting the gallery, Korey found it on my website and asked if it was available. I’m deeply grateful for the support, especially during the pandemic.
Credit: All My Relations podcast/ Instagram
Speaking of COVID-19, the virus has claimed more Indigenous (and Black) lives than in any other group. So family gatherings with people outside your household are not a good idea; neither are public events critical of Thanksgiving. This year Un-Thanksgiving at the University of Oregon, the annual Sunrise Gathering at Alcatraz Island and the National Day of Mourning all went online.
Credit: Gregg Deal/ Amplifier.org
Understatement of the year: What a bittersweet holiday. For those who can access it, a Zoom gathering might help to ease the separation. But I think old-school phone calls, to share the good and the bad, might be better for me in this exhausting year.
I got an MFA without studying. Here's how
In case you missed it: I’m now represented by the Morton Fine Art Gallery in Washington, DC! MFA and I are partnering to present my work to art collectors on the East Coast and beyond.
Here’s what that means for you, practically speaking:
If you’ve been eyeballing a collage or one of the 2D works in my online shop, please contact MFA. They’ll walk you through the process.
If you’ve been eyeballing one of my assemblage sculptures, contact MFA. Even if they redirect you back to me, it’s good form to ask the gallery first.
MFA is listing my work on Artsy as well as the gallery website! (Don’t say I never did anything for ya.)
COVID-19 precautions mean MFA’s physical space is open by appointment only. Contact them to see my work in person, and be sure to wear your mask.
One more thing: if you’re a Howard University alum who loves art and is planning to visit campus soon, MFA is less than two miles away…
I imagine it’d be super easy to make an appointment that fits into your itinerary. Happy Friday, y’all!