I had such a wonderful time at the Nerman speaking on the panel work sick amazing artists! It is such a joy to see my work up in the museum. The path is open for many more opportunities like this. I’m looking forward to what the future holds for my art career.
Art Practice
I’m finishing up a commission but took a little time to work on a personal piece.
#wip #workonpaper #pencilonpaper #mixedmedia #hiphopculture #drawing #artprocess #blackartist #kansascityart #kcartist #interurbanarthouse #kwanza
Friday Is Stacked! The Adventure Continues With BAAR Art And Flatfiles.
Join me for receptions starting at 4 PM at Habitat Contemporary, and 6 PM at H&R Block Artspace
What more can an artist ask for, than new adventures with creative opportunities to share their art with new people in new places across the world?
I am moving into this month with gratitude for all of the great conversations, art sold, and profound questions that were asked of me by my community of friends and patrons in the dialog circle at HJ’s. One question sticks with me, “How are you going to move toward your art being your full-time occupation?” While I dream of being full-time in the studio, I am also quite clear that I am on the right path. These next couple of exhibitions demonstrate the power of this process of unfolding, cascading opportunities emerging from each other.
The BAAR Art Journey and Residency is an incredible honor. Join me this Friday for the first exhibition of my work with BAAR, as it launches from KC, out into the world with an exciting series of group exhibitions. Over the next 10 months, 3 paintings and 1 mixed-media piece will travel across the country and the world. I am curious to see how new opportunities will emerge. That is how the journey continues… one show plants a seed and the next one sprouts.
BAAR Art Residency: Habitat Contemporary
(Located in the Leedy-Voulkos Art Center) 07.07.23
Happy Hour Reception
4-6 PM
The H&R Block Artspace at the KCAI is opening the 2023 Kansas City Flatfile & Digitalfile, featuring artwork by over 250 regional artists, including 5 of my mixed media pieces. In 2019, I participated in the flatfiles call for art and it was from this unique exhibition that my current commission for St. James Catholic Church emerged. I love the serendipity and synchronicity that comes along the path. I wholeheartedly believe that the just right next steps are emerging. I am looking forward to another wonderful Friday night in KC with art receptions stacked and opportunities sprouting all around us. Join me.
2023 Kansas City Flatfile & Digitalfile: H&R Block Artspace
07.07.23
OPENING RECEPTION 6-8
Making the invisible, visible; comes from trusting that I am on my path. Thank you for joining me. See you soon.
~Kwanza
A New Church Commission
I’m honored and excited to work on this next commission for Saint James Catholic Church. I was approached last year and contacted out of the blue because they had seen my collection of 10 multimedia pieces at the Flat Files exhibition at H&R Bloch Artspace in 2019. Here is one of those instances where you never know how your work will lead to a unique opportunity.
The church’s representative saw my work and enjoyed my expressive portraits. Most Catholic churches have stained glass windows full of Anglo-Saxon art, but this church hopes to represent their mostly immigrant population of brown and black parishioners through art. After meeting the committee and seeing the space, we agreed on four Saints for the series. While the windows and relics would be expensive to replace, there is prominent wall space that will suit the addition of my work well. Although it took a little while to settle on the who, it’s all starting to come together. Each saint was well-researched to find the most appropriate images to study, draw and paint. Most are a composite of a few historical depictions to get the just-right look. I feel like one of the greats from the Renaissance Era, commissioned to paint for the church. I’m pretty stoked.
Here I’ve laid the foundation for Augustine Tolton and St. Kateri Tekakwitha.