Friday Fun!

So I have decided that I will not be blogging about the series that I am currently doing on Saturday and Sunday. I am keeping those days to post about what I have done during the weekend or not post at all. I am really trying to be disciplined in posting everyday. Sometimes I hit the mark, and sometimes I don't. However, I would like to hit the bulls-eye more than not!

Yesterday I had the pleasure of seeing my first Cirque du Soliel show in NY. It was a birthday gift from a dear friend of mine, and we had a ball!!! The show was great! The performers super gifted to do what they do.


Zarkana cast


Sitting area in the women's bathroom

After the show, we met up with another friend we met at a Stevie Wonder concert a few years ago. Both Mel and I are social butterflies, so it is no wonder that we met another social butterfly (Mari) on the fly..lol!


Hi Maribel and Melissa!

We strolled around the city and grabbed supper from a place on 24 West 45th Street called Karam. The food was great, and the customer service was superb. Marwan (an employee) made suggestions for our entrees, and threw in a sweet treat for us before we left. If you are into Middle Eastern cuisine and looking for someplace spectacular to eat while enjoying the beauty of NY try this place. And for those who are concerned, they do serve Halal meat! Greet the those who are working with a smile and they are sure to return the favor.


Hi Marwan!

After our stop at Karam, we were in the mood for something sweet, but light. We had it mapped out to go to a side vendor that sold Gelato, but stumbled upon a quaint ice cream shop called Steve's. They prepare what they call Craft ice cream, craft coconut cremé, craft frozen sorbet, and craft frozen buch. In fact, it was the word "craft" that had peaked our interest. When asked what craft meant, we were told that the ice cream is homemade, but that they add certain flavors that give their frozen treats an edge. Martina allowed us to taste every flavor that they had available. All of them were tasty, but Mexican Chili Chocolate was the most interesting. It was chocolate ice cream base with chocolate chips, and a burst of heat on the end tail that lays right in the center of your throat. The chill from the ice cream mixed with the heat from the infused chili spice was pretty amazing. I didn't choose that particular flavor as I thought that it would feel as though degrees were added to the sweltering 100 or so day that we had. Instead I took Urban Passion Kombucha (fermented tea) along for the walk. Again, a very pleasant establishment with knowledgeable employees who are willing to go the extra mile for their customers. Check their website out Stevesicecream.com. Oh they are on Twitter and Facebook too!


Martina served us well!


My choice: urban passion kombucha

Thank you Meli, Maribel and New York for a superb experience!


A piece of NY's skyline

Well ta ta for now good people. More about the series on Philadelphia on Monday! Enjoy the rest of your weekend, and be safe out there in this heat!

Pearls of Wisdom:
Do whatever you need to do to stay cool! Check on your elderly neighbors and those that are unable to care for themselves often!

Be blessed!

The Philadelphia Mural Arts Program

A few weeks ago, I had the privilege of hanging out in the city with a few friends. We met up at a central location, and that central location happened to be next door to the Philadelphia Senior Center at 729 S. 12th Street, where an pretty cool mural resides.

It wasn't hard to figure out that the mural was part of the Philadelphia Mural Arts Program, a Program that has been around since 1984. As I began to do a little bit of research, I found that the Program started off as the Anti Graffiti Network. A Network that tried to redirect the destructive mindset of graffiti artists into a constructive mindset by painting murals that various communities in the city could appreciate.

To date, there are over 3,000 murals that have been produced since the Program has started. Not only does the Program beautify the city, but it also gives back to the community by offering art educational programs to local prisons and rehabilitation centers. In addition, they offer job and community service opportunities for those that are re-entering society after being released from prison.

Since I am intrigued by so many of the murals done by artists that collaborate with the Program, I decided to include some of them in my paintings. As stated before, the mural was done at the Philadelphia Senior Center. It was started in September of 2006 by Henry Bermudez and Michelle Ortiz, and finished in May of 2008.


The entire Mural


A section that intrigued me






The Mural Arts Program is truly a great Program! I suggest if you haven't taken the time to go on one of their tours, that you do so immediately! You will learn about the community that surrounds you and perhaps about yourself!

Pearls of Wisdom:
How far you go in life depends on your being tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving and tolerant of the weak and strong. Because someday in your life you will have been all of these.
~George Washington Carver

Take the time today to be compassionate. It is only by the grace of GOD that we too are not in the same predicament.

Be blessed!

#2 - The City of Brotherly Love

The great city of Philadelphia was deemed the City of Brotherly love by William Penn a little over a century ago (in the 1890's) after the Greek word philos, which means brotherly love. The city may not always live up to its lovely nickname these days, but I am a loving type of person. So I decided to do a painting of the Love sculpture by Robert Indiana in JFK Plaza that gave the Plaza it's famous Love Park nickname.

I speak highly of journaling and writing, and do a lot of it. As I have explained before, it is a space where I am able to be completely me with GOD and provides a safe arena for me to think creatively.

With this painting, I decided to use love letters that I have written as the backdrop. Yes, I am the mushy type who writes love letters to my mate. The mate that is not yet here, but thought of often.

I used glossy Modge Podge to lay the letters down, and to give me the glossy finish I was looking for. I then did a matte paint to paint the actual love scultpure and a permanent pen to write on the sides of the canvas.


There you have it folks! I pray you enjoy this. I will be posting during the week and taking a break during the weekend.

Pearls of Wisdom:
Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage.
~Lao Tzu

Be blessed!

The Journey Begins!

The painting frenzy has begun!

Anyone who knows me, knows that I am super detail oriented when it comes to my art work...my creative endeavors, and this one is no different. I am praying that I didn't bite off more than I can chew. I guess the only person that makes the rules is me, since it is my project.

I have finished the first of 365 paintings today. As I have stated in previous posts, this series is about the city of Philadelphia. I will be touring different parts of the city and depicting them through my creative lens. There will be a fair share of tourist sites, but also parts of the city that are not so glamorous. I would even be willing to take suggestions from you folks!!!

A few weeks ago some friends and myself had a fabulous lunch at Reading Terminal. Reading Terminal has been around since 1897, and one can find anything from produce to hand-made crafts, and everything in between there. I indulged in one of the best turkey sandwiches that I have had in a long time from The Original Turkey. It was fabulous and left me wanting more.

So since Reading Terminal is a staple to the Philadelphia community, I thought why not paint it as the first stop on this journey

.

Random Pic of The Day:
Randomness can be found in anything, and today it is about a strawberry that I bit into that resembled a porker...a pig! At least it did to me...lol!!!




Pearls of Wisdom: "Discipline is based on pride, on meticulous attention to details, and on mutual respect and confidence. Discipline must be a habit so ingrained that it is stronger than the excitement of the goal or the fear of failure." ~Gary Ryan Blair
Determine today to do whatever you are called to do despite the fear of failure that may present itself. After all, fear is just false evidence appearing real!!!

Be blessed!

Daily Doodle

I admittedly do more written journaling than I do sketch journaling. I suppose because I have been writing in a journal since the age of 9 (which I still have). It is a comfortable place for me. It is a place where now I talk to GOD mostly about everything from what I did to how I am feeling.

One would think sketching is such an easy and fancy free thing, especially for an artist. However, it sometimes is the contrary for myself for reasons that may seem crazy to some. With my work, at my worst my perfectionist behavior takes over, and at my best I am free to let creativity take it's course without over thinking. On my best days, I don't care if that particular sketch is the cremé de la cremé. I sketch, doodle, scribble anything, and it all doesn't matter.

I took the time to doodle today. I doodled exactly how I have been feeling for the past few days.



The writing says this: "In this tangled mess I sometimes weave my hearts intentions radiate with truth and sincerity, and a path ever so small has been made clear so that amidst chaos my purpose and calling can go forth!"

I am determined to go forth with the tenacity GOD has given me to accomplish the big things that HE has set before me.

Journey, here I come full speed ahead, allowing nothing to stop this caboose!

Pearls of Wisdom:
"The artist must summon all his energy, his sincerity, and the greatest modesty in order to shatter the old cliches that come so easily to hand while working, which can suffocate the little flower that does not come, ever, the way one expects."
~ Henri Matisse

Be blessed!

A Winnie The Pooh Themed Room

I feel so privileged to have the gift of creativity. It is a blessing, and extremely appreciated! Thank you GOD!

Recently some really good friends of mine asked if I would paint a mural in the room of their bundle of joy that is on the way. I was more than happy to oblige, and quite frankly ecstatic that folks are impressed enough with my work to want to commission me.

They are not sure of the sex of the child. Like so many, they have decided to wait until the baby gets here. They are doing a neutral theme, and thus we have, Winnie the Pooh.

I have begun to do my research and start to sketch. This is the first of the preliminary sketches. I decided to do a few simple samples just to try and get a feel for drawing the characters. I
will do other sketches throughout the next upcoming weeks.



There you have it for the day ladies and gentleman!

P.S. - I am starting a new mainstay category in this blog. It may not make every post, but it will be called the Random Pic of The Day. I tend to see recognizable objects in random things. So I thought that it would be nice to share what I see in randomness with you all!

Random Pic of The Day:

As I hydrated my skin the other day, a glob of lotion fell on my foot, and this is what it created. I don't know about you, but it looks like the perfect shape of a leaf to me!

Pearls of Wisdom:
"Welcome every morning with a smile. Look on the new day as another special gift from the CREATOR, another golden opportunity to complete what you were unable to finish yesterday. Be a self-starter. Let your first hour set the theme of success and positive action that is certain to echo through your entire day. Today will never happen again. Don't waste it with a false start or no start at all. You were not born to fail."
~ Og Mandino

Be blessed!

GOD In a Box

Today I came to the tough realization that I have been guilty of putting GOD in the box a time or two...or maybe three, four or five, or a thousand times over.

And as I pondered, I wondered what good it was doing me to put the Creator of the Universe in a box? Do I not trust that HE who created me is good enough to guide me to the place where I am supposed to be? Am I apprehensive in believing that HE too is aware of the mistakes that I have and will make, and uses even those to allow me to blossom into who HE desires for me to be? Is it the fear of the unknown or the fear that HE will not make good on HIS promises? Is it my allowance of others reflections of their relationship with GOD to skew my own?

All these questions and more I mulled over, and here are a few things I was given.

Everything is par for the course:
With GOD, there are no coincidences! In fact, everything that we go through life is able to be used and learned from. Where I am at the present moment was ordained by GOD. Good or bad, beautiful or ugly, productive or non-productive...it (all that comes with life) is par for the course.

It's for someone else:
Although not always fair, the trials that we often go through are not about us. Often the things that we go through (for better or for worse) are about being an example for someone else. I look at it as a "how to" or "how not to" gauge. And speaking for myself, I know I have been used to serve as both to others. The reality is, people are not only looking at my trials, but more importantly how I respond to my trials. Am I going to handle them with poise and grace, with a smile on my face or am I going to buck the process?

The process is just as important as the final product:
As the famous saying goes, "Rome wasn't built in a day." As a matter of fact, in doing a minimal amount of research, it seems that the Roman Empire lasted approximately from 27 BC to 476 AD, depending on the historian. That means that it lasted for 503 years. If it lasted for 503 years, it is very likely that it took over 100 years to reach its peak. So to me that means that the process is almost more important than the final product. If I don't take time to get the process correct, how well is the final product going to be? There is no sense in rejoicing in the product being complete only for the final product to fall apart because the planning stages were poor.

GOD'S timing is superior to my own:
GOD thinks on a totally different wave length as a human being...me! Therefore, things don't happen the way I desire them to all the time, and much for my benefit (whether I recognize it as such or not). I am a simple being, where GOD is complex. I see things on the surface with my natural eyes, where GOD has the ability to see far beyond what's visible. I am only able to be in one place at a time, where GOD is everywhere at once. GOD has insight to my future, where at best I am blessed to be given a glimpse from HIM.

The bottom line...it's time to take GOD out of the box in my mind. It's time to free HIM from the confining four walls that stifle HIM. HE has created me to be exactly who I am, at this moment, for this moment, and I trust that this moment is preparing me for the next!

Ta ta for now!


Prelim sketch for a painting!

Pearls of Wisdom:
"Any existence deprived of freedom is a kind of death."
~ Gen Michel Aoun

Be blessed!