Reflections of an Artist: HAPPY NEW YEAR?

Happy New Year?...my New Year happened to be a little bitter sweet. I mean don't get me wrong I had a great time on New Year's Eve. One of my girlfriends had a get together at her house which was a lot of fun I must say, but watching that ball drop to start off a new year was a little sad for me. Didn't 2006 just get here, and there it went. I felt like I didn't get anything accomplished in 06 like I thought I would. I had so many resolutions and goals set for myself and probably only got maybe two accomplished. This year went by so quick... I just got accustomed with writing 2006 behind every date and now 2007 is here. As a kid I use to get so excited about the New Year, and I'd here my mom say "This year I'm gonna do X,Y,and Z, last year I got nothing accomplished" and now I singing the same song. I guess I'm just getting older. This year I'll just have to pick up the pace! Mood: Bitter Sweet

Happy New Year!

Creative Juices: Work in Progress!

In a previous post called "Using My Creative Abilities", one of the things I decided to do was use my creative skills to write and illustrate children's books. Below is an illustration of a book I'm working on now called "I Hate Being A Kid" which is inspired by my niece Khylah! Enjoy, and look for more illustrations on some of my later blogs! Mood: Proud

Dream Girls!

Today I had the opportunity to see the movie/musical Dream Girls with my sister and a few of my friends and I LOVED IT. The music was great, the acting was great, and their costumes where off the hook. Jennifer Hudson gave a phenomenal performance playing the part of Effie. She was the character you kind of hated in the beginning and fell in love with in the end. Not only can she sing but the girl can act. She brought me to tears, especially when she sung that song "You're Gonna Love Me" (I think that's what it's called). She was hands down the best actor in that film. I mean she was so good the whole movie audience clapped for her on numerous occasions during the film. If you ask me and probably everyone else who's seen the film, she deserves to walk away with a few Oscars, not one, but a few.

Jamie Foxx's role was a little different from what we're use to seeing him portray on screen. His character was the most hated character. Eddie Murphy was hilarious as usual. Beyonce was okay. She didn't give anything extra that we haven't already seen her do in her other films like Gold Member and Pink Panther. I was little disappointed with her performance since she was nominated for best actor and we saw her on almost every show possible promoting the movie as if she was gonna give this outstanding performance.

I must say I was a little apprehensive about the film at first, thinking that maybe the media gave it a little too much credit and hyped it up, but it was fantastic. There weren't any moments in the movie where all the action kind of died down and you where left wanting more. It was great from beginning to end. I'm not gonna go into detail about everything for those of you who haven't seen it yet( shame on you!) but all I can say is that I've waited so long for this movie and it was all that and more. Go see this movie! Mood: Excited

Runaway Love

All of my friends and family know that I'm an emotional basket case. I get emotional about anything. If I'm happy I get extremely happy if I'm sad I get extremely sad and it's hard for me to hide the two. For the first time last week I saw the "Runaway Love" video by Ludacris featuring Mary J. Blige. The young girls in this video gave such an outstanding performance. Among those young girls is the amazingly talented young actress Keke Palmer who plays a girl living in an emotionally disturbed home who looks for love in the wrong places and gets pregnant.

I was so moved by the music and performances in this video that I begin to cry. It was so hard for me to hold back the tears after seeing the tales of these young girls being raped, beaten, molested, taking advantage of and living in emotional disturbed homes. This video made me realize how these things happen everyday. Sometimes in our own families, in our neighborhoods, to the children we teach, to people we pass by in our day to day lives. Sometimes we sit and we past judgments on everybody we see in the streets actin a fool but never stop to think about what they're going through or what they went through. So next time, instead of passing judgement, stop to think about their situation and what they may be going through and what you can do to help them and others who may be going through the samething. Mood: Moved!

True Beauties!

Ever since I was a kid I loved watching old African-American motion pictures from the 50's 60's and 70's. Films starring people like Dorothy Dandridge, Harry Belafonte, Sidney Poitier, Diahann Carroll, Lena Horne, Lola Falana, Tamara Dobson etc. I enjoyed hearing them sing, watching them act, and the seeing their hair styles and the clothes they wore back then. Clothes so inspiring that even the most noted fashion designers can't help but to recreate them all over again today. Sometimes I hardly ever knew what the movie was about back then. All I knew was that I loved seeing all the beautiful faces that looked like me and the way these movies capture their true essence and undeniable beauty. Back then you saw "True Beauty" not some airbrused, nip tucked faces, but genuine beauty. Even now as an adult I'll curl up on the sofa and watch an old film to recapture the inspiration I recieved as a child. Mood:Elated!

Camilla's Roses

Everyone knows that I love to find great bargains everywhere I go. No matter what store it is I always find various hidden treasures for inexpensive prices. Well, one day while browsing through the dollar store on my quest to find yet another hidden treasure, I came across a novel called "Camilla's Roses" by Bernice L. McFadden. I absolutely love this book and the way the author tells this story of a woman name Camilla Rose who must look back over her life and the lives of all the women in her family which she tried so hard to leave behind but can't escape after learning that she may have cancer. I am so very pleased to have had the pleasure of reading this book and even more pleased to find out that the Author Bernice L. McFadden also has a blog on this site called
"Naki" at http://www.firstborngirl.blogspot.com/ to learn more about this very talented woman and to see more of her books visit http://www.bernicemcfadden.com/.

Leggins are Back!

Anyone who knows me knows that I love to read magazines. Not just for the sheer enjoyment I get from seeing great photography and reading interesting articles, but to catch up on the latest trends. The other night I had the pleasure of attending a comedy show with some of my good friends. I showed up in a green dress and black leggings and a pair of flat round toes shoes. One of my friends who obviously hasn't been reading up on the latest fashions, had the nerve to say "You got on tights, no one wears tights those are like pajamas". So of course I begged to differ and decided to set the record straight. Leggings are back! See for yourself : )~

Mood: Haughty

Creative Ambition: Lauren Clayton

Recently while reading an article in a magazine (Jewel Magazine) I had the pleasure of learning about a very talented woman named Lauren Clayton who started her own company creating heirlooms. But not just any kind of heirlooms. Lauren Clayton came up with a new innovative way of documenting and preserving your families history. Lauren creates some of the most magnificent heirlooms in the form of books using pictures, documents, postcards, articles and more. To learn more about Lauren Clayton and her wonderful creations or to have your life preserved visit www.studio162.com Mood:Enthused!

"Documenting your history helps you stay connected to yourself." ~ Lauren Clayton

Creative Juices: Using My Creative Abilities!

I am the only artist in my immediate family. Whenever a creative project comes up, whether it's for school, decorating there homes or some other occasion, I am the first person they ask for help. Recently I sketched some illustrations as a favor and had so much fun doing it (as I am anytime I'm creating works of art) that I've decided that I am going to start writing and illustrating my very own books. I don't have any pictures of my own illustrations up yet due to technical problems, but I do have some illustrations from one of my favorite artist Kadir Nelson. Kadir Nelson has done illustrations for several famous authors and actors like Debbie Allen, Will Smith, Spike and Tonya Lee, Micheal Jordan and his wife etc. One of the reasons I find so much pleasure in viewing his work is because he has doesn't limit himself in one genre of art. You've probably seen his work decorating the set of some of your favorite television show and movies like "The Fresh Prince of Bel Air", "Jamie Foxx", "Set It Off", and "Friday just to name a few. He was also the Conceptual Artist for Steven Spielberg's "Amistad" and "Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron". Keep up the good work Kadir! See more of his work here Mood: Inspired!

And the Winner is...

CariDee

Last night after much anticipation CariDee was chosen to be America's Next Top Model. I have to give it up for the girl she did her thing and has obviously proven herself worthy of the title. Mood: Content!