This painting proved to be quite a challenge. I have never worked on masonite (found it more difficult to blend the paints on the board than on canvas due to faster drying time) nor have I ever worked on such a large surface. This puppy is 4 feet x 4 feet and my work space in the basement is about 5x5. I almost fell on the darn thing a few times & whacked myself on the furnace, accidentally hitting the kill switch (who knew there was one???) one night so we woke up without heat the next morning (Delia the lovebird did just fine next to her light bulb all night). Anyway, it was a learning experience & the size of the piece allowed me to experience painting in a big way.

The initial painting, which I spent several hours on but really couldn't stand:





So I painted this one over it the next day. Having put so much texture on the first painting, it was difficult to blend the paint on this one. But I like this one much better.




Close-up of the texture on "The Elements":

Symbols of Kwanzaa & Ngoma Na Andamono (drum call & procession)
I went looking for a Kwanzaa celebration to film. Why? Because I knew nothing about Kwanzaa and, as I keep saying, I’m extremely curious. I found this Kwanzaa Celebration at the Saint Louis Art Museum & ended up filming an hour of videos. The whole performance was great, with drumming by the Moja Moyo and dancing by Spirit of Angela. Keep in mind that although all of the drumming and dance are traditional African music & dance, all of the participants are from right here in the St. Louis area. Apparently, much of the interest in these traditional African arts comes from late choreographer Katherine Dunham’s Katherine Dunham Centers for Arts and Humanities, located in the St. Louis area. More videos from this great performance coming throughout February & March on CultureSurfer.com.

Occult Spy, a short film
I found St. Louis dj Leon Lamont on the Critical Mass list-serve & found this short film he had made. I think it’s really creative, unique, funny, a little creepy, etc. Enjoy!

“My Land? Your Land?…”, a play
This piece was written & performed by teenagers from the city of St. Louis. This performance was part of the Democracy Now exhibit last summer at the Regional Arts Commission, curated by Michael Crane. The play was produced by STL Artworks & That Uppity Theatre Co. I was really moved by the message of the play, the fact that kids had come up with this content, & thought the performance by “grandma” was a blast.

John Rozelle, abstract artist
John is one of the four artists featured in the Saint Louis Art Museum’s “African Abstraction: St. Louis Connections” exhibit. John is not only a talented artist and a nice guy, but he is an imposing figure. The second I saw him, I knew I’d be craning my neck to look at him during the interview. (And yes, I was wearing boots with heels.) I thought John looked very cool in his black clothes, cowboy hat, shades, & earring. And I must not forget to mention that his travels to various African cultures have strongly influenced him, from the standpoints of African art as well as seeing countries run by people with black skin.

Photos from Off The Wall At City Hall
With Art Dimensions, a totally cool non-profit arts organization in St. Louis. I love the fact that they do work with kids.