We’re really big on using art to make statements on things that hold relevance in the world today. In a world where the personal is political, art stands as a brilliant way to trigger and engage in political discourse.
One of the more salient facets of art, is the personal element. Different artists go through different processes; the culmination of the artistic process being the work itself. There is no one correct way to go about producing a piece of artwork. That being said, when using your art to make a political statement, there are a few tips and pointers we’d like to share on how to go about it!
As mentioned earlier, the intricacies of your artistic process are yours and yours alone. On the flip side, there are certain items to keep in mind, that can really help you make a political statement through your artwork.
The first thing you want is clarity. Be very clear on the political statement you wish to make. Because you are working with visual elements rather than words, often the end meaning will be up for grabs, as your art will be subject to interpretation by the viewer. So considering that eventuality, it’s best to at least start off as clear as possible, in order to minimize misinterpretation later. Writing up a preliminary summary of what you hope to communicate, as a first step, is an excellent way to refine your own ideas on the subject, and will help you make the statement effectively!
It is incredibly important to be informed before you make a political statement in public, and that goes for all activists, regardless of medium. If for example, the statement you wish to make is linked to a certain situation, research that situation and its historical context. Discover the details that can both inspire and be incorporated into your artwork, and make sure you that understand what really occurred, so as not to base your opinions on false assumptions.
It always helps to be very specific when it comes to making a political statement through your art. Once you have crossed the research phase, you should have ample material to work with. If the political statement you’re trying to make is on environmental degradation for instance, find out specific situations that you can depict in your work which convey the right message.
The more specific you are, the stronger your statement is likely to be!
Once you’re clear on the message and the image or object you wish to make, determine what medium and style would be best for your subject matter. Is it a specific scene or person, whom you would need to render in great detail, or realistically, in order to make your point? Or are you more concerned with an abstract concept regarding your subject matter, which would be best executed in a looser style or with unconventional materials, like found objects or household items?
Make some sketches, and don’t be afraid to play with different materials to make mockups and maquettes. Being clear on the medium can help you better plan your work, as does understanding what style you wish to employ!
Last but not least, when it comes to making political statements through your work, where and how you display it, can very much be a part of the message you’re trying to get across. Open public spaces for instance, where there is a high degree of human traffic, can be ideal when it comes to putting out a loud political piece!
Art is a great way to make a political statement, and depending on how you go about it, it can be extremely effective. If you enjoy political artwork and are looking for images and sculptures that inspire both thought and social action, feel free to check out artist Adesina and her growing collection of artwork for sale in NY at Adesina.com! Sanchez’s work is layered, well informed, and politically driven, while being both aesthetically appealing and emotionally inspiring.
– The Adesina LLC Team
There is nothing morally wrong with creating art for the sake of art. The creation of something visually captivating and aesthetically appealing is never a bad thing. That being said, art is an extremely powerful tool for communication.
Art has the ability to fill in where words fall short, and can make a huge impact. Art can be used to communicate concerns, ideas and opinions, on subjects that are important and relevant to society, or even just to convey one’s own personal feelings. Artwork can serve as compelling commentary on the state of the world at large.
Many of us wonder how to add more depth and meaning to our work. One dimension that could potentially be expanded to enhance our artistic output, is that of purpose. There is so much more that you can communicate via your art, by fueling and directing it, with a relevant cause or message that you wish to put out. This gives you, and your work, purpose.
In this post, we will elaborate a bit on one possible route you might take during such an artistic, purpose driven process.
There are many causes worth taking up and fighting for in our world today. Some of the more commonly known, include fighting against animal cruelty, racism, and sexism; as well as advocating for women’s rights, children’s rights and environmental conservation.
Think about what is important to you. Find your cause, understand what it’s about, and then allow it inform your artistic process.
You need to figure out how you wish to communicate that which you feel is relevant and important. Get a sense of what medium or mediums you want to work with. Will it be a public display or something more intimate? What kind of impact are you looking to make with your work and how will you go about achieving it?
These questions are important to ask while you are deciding both your medium and your style, and before you begin the actual work.
Last but not least, while actually working on your painting, sculpture or other work of art, let the cause you care about, inform your creative process. Let it influence your choice of color, stroke and composition; allow it to reveal itself in the shapes on your page or canvas, or in the folds of your clay. And while creating work that is overtly about the subject matter in a very obvious way is definitely a clear way to go about it, remember that sometimes it is not a blatant message, but simply the essence of the matter, that is enough to make the impact you’re looking for. Symbolism, abstraction, and allegory are fabulous tools in that case.
Like we said, there is no evil in creating art for the sake of creating art — so many artists have done it, and will continue to do so. However, creating art with purpose, is what the world needs more of! If you’d like to see some inspiring artwork for sale in NY, lovingly created with purpose, then check out artist Adesina’s commentaries on ecology (Bleak Future), mortality (original skull art), and equality (I Have A Dream 2013), or give us a shout on social media (@ArtByAdesina on most platforms) or our contact form, for more gorgeous, heartfelt material!
– The Adesina.com Team
50 years ago yesterday, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated at 6:01pm on the balcony of his room at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee. That day, we lost one of the greatest leaders in history.
And with all that has happened in the interim: from wars to peace protests, from globalization to technological advancements; Dr. King’s messages of equality and civil rights and non-violence remain relevant. Yet, no leader of the same caliber and reach has emerged in his absence. Where are today’s leaders, who can push society forward in greater increments, the way Dr. King did?
Two weeks ago, in Washington DC, a little girl from Alexandria stood in front of the nation at the March For Our Lives rally, and spoke her mind:
Her name is Naomi Wadler, and she’s eleven years old. Please watch her speech below:
Regardless of where you stand on gun violence (and at the very least, I’d like to think we are all united in wanting to curtail needless deaths, even if the methodology is often a point of contention), it is undeniable that this young lady is incredibly well-spoken, and brave, for being so young and articulating her thoughts on a national stage, and for organizing a walkout at her elementary school.
And while I would never compare a child to any of our great leaders of the past, every leader was once a child too, and seeing our young people stand up for what they believe in this way, gives me great hope for the future, and for a better world. We need more children (and adults) like Naomi! I hope she continues to speak out and make a difference; she has tremendous potential.
I hope you like my drawing of this incredible little girl; please feel free to share it! At this time it is not for sale.
xoxo,
Adesina
Happy Dr. Martin Luther King Jr Day!
Every year on this day we reflect back on the life and the legacy of Dr. King: his mission to create equality and ease the suffering of those who are unfairly treated, because of their skin color, their gender, or their creed. Today more than ever his message is needed, and even though he is no longer with us, there are organizations that are fulfilling his Dream, one day at a time.
For almost 100 years, the ACLU has worked to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed by the Constitution and laws of the United States. They have been battling in courts, legislatures, and communities to defend and preserve the Constitution’s promise of equal liberty for everyone in our country: from fighting for free speech, to immigrant’s rights, to fighting against discrimination — in short, they uphold many of the same ideals as Dr. King did, in his lifetime.
If you would like to contribute to their cause, and have a postcard of your own, please find out more here».
In addition, here are two other charities which I urge you to check out; they are contributing to the cause of the Dreamers, and they can use all the help they can get:
Unitedwedream.org/
lc4daca.org/
Thank you so much for reading, and have a blessed day!
xo,
Adesina
Happy Earth Day! When I was 16 years old, I painted this watercolor, “Bleak Future” – to warn people of the blighted planet our children may inherit if we don’t take better care of our home. I’ve never sold prints of this piece as it is too personal, but I thought today I’d make an exception. For every $5 postcard purchased, $1 will go to World Wildlife and their important work. God bless & enjoy the day!
Today is Human Rights Day all over the world, and to commemorate it, I thought I’d share a sketch I did last night at a live model drawing session. He had such a striking face, and one of my fellow artists asked him where he was from – Tibet, he responded.
His place of origin reminded me of one of my former students at ADI, who was also from Tibet. She and her little sister shared with us the stories of the fear and danger that her family experienced there, where human rights violations are so common as the Tibetan people struggle for autonomy.
It touched my heart to think about her and what she went through, and what the man I drew last night may have also gone through (although out of politeness I dared not ask), so I decided to dedicate this portrait to the plight of those people on the other side of the world, fighting for the right to exist and be free. If you’d like to support the people of Tibet, please consider a charitable donation to FreeTibet.org.
And if you have any other resources or stories to share on this topic, please feel free to comment below, and share with your friends. God bless <3.
Just a little over a week ago, I wrapped my yearly children’s art classes at Artistic Dreams International, and I can’t say enough how rewarded and blessed I feel, to see the changes that occur in these kids when their minds are brought into focus, and their eyes are opened up to their true potential.
Last year I taught an all-inclusive, basics-building drawing class that ranged from perspective to observation, from contour-drawing to self-portraiture, and it was fantastic! We packed so much within 3 short hours a day, that I knew each child found at least one lesson that they could really hold onto, and bring into their future art projects.
This year, however, I was informed that may of the children had shown an interest in learning more technically advanced drawing skills. Thus, I was inspired to take things up a notch, incorporate some mixed media, and truly challenge them.
Drawing Exercise: Photos-to-Drawings Picture Grids.
The results, from kids no older than 8 or 9, and some as young as 4 and 5 (not pictured here), speak for themselves:
Now, normally I’d recommend this exercise for kids ages 10 and up, but with help (especially with the grid construction), even much younger children can get something out of it. I took the liberty of making a video of how I created my own Picture Grid: this one I call the “Surrealist Half-Picture,” because much like in Surrealist art, most of the drawing is recognizable and fairly realistic, but I added a few unusual details (which the kids really enjoyed), to make it all my own.
I showed this video to the children at the start of class, and immediately I could see how it motivated them to get started!
As always, teaching was super fun, but two elements of the class stood apart as my favorites of the day:
1) That golden period where all the kids are eagerly bent over their work, hushed and focused on their pieces, happy & in their own little worlds.
And 2) That magic moment when a child is nearing the completion of their work, and they lean back from it, only to realize that – WOW! It actually looks like the picture! I remember this moment vividly for myself when I was a kid doing a grid exercise; it was one of the first times I realized I could really draw if I put my mind to it, and it was a tremendous self-esteem booster. It is deeply gratifying to see a new generation experience that same revelatory and positive feeling.
So what’s the takeaway? It’s this: Art Matters. Artistic Dreams educates young people with little or no access to the arts. Without ADI, many of these kids would never have the opportunity to learn from professional artists and uncover their hidden talents. Some of these children have learning disabilities, are monitored by case workers, or have trouble in school. In an academic setting, they may be labeled as different; or perhaps just as bad, they might be educated in a classroom so crowded, they receive no individual attention at all.
Not at ADI. The ratio of teachers to students can be as low as 1 to 3 (I had 3 teaching assistants myself!); every child receives individual attention; and every child is treated as though they are as competent and capable as all the others. For example, we had one student who was diagnosed with ADHD, and yet, they were able to sit quietly for over an hour, creating a beautiful, highly detailed drawing that any child would be proud to show a parent. Imagine if they could apply that same focus to a math problem or a reading passage? (Read my recent post: Art Education Matters»)
And I don’t take the credit for this. I may have designed the drawing lesson, but ADI has created a program that is truly unique: incorporating yoga, meditation, leadership skills, and accountability into the art curricula that art teachers like myself, bring to the classroom. I have never experienced anything like it — I was just as happy to learn yoga as the children were — and it is a model that I hope can be utilized in academic and extracurricular settings across the country, because it works!
I donate my time and art materials to ADI because they utilize art and music to transform the lives of students all over the world. It doesn’t matter if we reach 10 students or 10,000 – to me, it’s worth every penny and every effort. But of course, the more kids we can reach, the more lives that can be changed. If you want to learn more, please visit ArtisticDreams.org, or make a donation here», and help ADI expand its amazing outreach.
Special thanks to my fellow teachers, May Nazareno, Jake Menichino, Jessica Perilla & Ingrid Alvarez for helping to keep the kids engaged and focused; their presence was invaluable.
Thanks so much for reading, and until next time,
Adesina <3
About 1 in 4 Americans suffers from some form of mental illness in any given year 1. And because of the stigma often associated with mental illness, many people afflicted do not seek help, which means the number is likely even higher.
I am fairly certain that each of us has either experienced mental illness ourselves, or has someone close to us who has; and considering its prevalence, isn’t it time to get rid of the stigma and acknowledge that mental illness is NOT something to be ashamed of?
May is Mental Health Awareness Month in the United States, and is a perfect opportunity to support one another (and ourselves) in getting educated about what mental illness is, what it isn’t, and how we can all help each other to become or remain mentally healthy. (Learn about mental health/illness here»).
To that end, G Gallery in Bellmore, NY, is holding an art show entitled “ASYLUM – It’s All In Your Head,” sponsored by the Long Island Crisis Center, which provides “24/7, free, high quality, confidential and non-judgmental programs and services to support and empower Long Islanders at critical times in their lives.”
This promises to be a diverse showcase featuring passionate local artists, and I am very pleased and proud to say – I am going to be one of them! Two pieces which I created that reflect various states of mental distress will be on display, as well will be offered for sale.
So please save the date: Saturday, May 18th 7:30 – 9:30 pm
…and the place: G Gallery, 2717 Grand Avenue, North Bellmore, NY, 11710
Wine & hors d’oeuvres will be served, and any questions may be directed to Liz at: 516-376-2737.
Hope to see you all there, and please remember, mental illness is nothing to be ashamed of, and you should never give up hope. We are in this together. <3
Love,
Adesina
I am so excited that my Charity Art Auction portrait, the sale of which benefitted the Sandy Hook / Newtown School Support Fund, has been completed and given to the donor!
I took much longer than I intended, as well as artistic license, because just doing a simple portrait did not seem like enough. Working closely with the donor, I asked her what her favorite things were, and cats came up very high on the list. Realizing she did not have one herself, I thought it would be nice to include one in her portrait. I then chose one of her most interesting features, her hair, and stylized its rendering, giving it a very illustrative quality, and much more dimension than if I had left it as a simple mass of black.
In the end the portrait came out much more finished and imaginative than either of us could have guessed, and I hope that the donor enjoys having it in her home, as much as I enjoyed drawing it.
Looking forward to portrait #2!
xoxo,
Adesina
I learned to love art at a very young age. When I was only 18 months old, my father taught me to move past stick figures, teaching me to draw animals with fully fleshed bodies, arms and legs. I was hooked, and drawing has been a favorite pastime ever since.
Later on my parents taught me to read and write, introduced me to math, and encouraged me to explore the natural world with magnifying lenses and litmus papers. Clearly I have a lot to thank my parents for — there is an obvious correlation between parental involvement in a child’s education, and the academic success of the child.
What is often overlooked however, is the connection between academics and art. While my father taught me to draw, and my mother taught me to play piano, it wasn’t long before the schools I attended made it clear that the arts were not a priority – to the point where in high school, there were no formal art classes available past Freshman year. And when I voiced my disappointment, school administrators reminded me that with my good grades, I had a chance at an Ivy League education and shouldn’t waste time on art. As if my being at the head of the class was in spite of, and not at all due to, a childhood spent holed up in my room drawing and painting in my spare time.
But what if that wasn’t so? What if each drawing I made, carefully observed from the world around me, was actually a math problem in disguise? What if the careful selection of color and texture, was no less than an attempt to create a language more descriptive than the English, Spanish, or even the Latin that filled our textbooks? What if the wild ideas I illustrated on paper – monsters, comic strips, caricatures – were in fact an extension of the creative writing processes begun in the classroom? What if the arts were not antithetical to academics, but an integral part of them?
I am not formally trained in these matters. I don’t have a degree in childhood education, and the classes I teach don’t venture outside the explicit realm of visual art. However I was a child once, and when I was, I knew how to learn: quickly, easily, and in such a way that the information was both fully understood, and fairly permanently retained. Nowadays, I can still do quadratic equations with ease, yet some adults I know can’t even remember how to properly add fractions with unlike denominators! Clearly there was a difference in how we learned and retained information. But what was it, and how did it come about?
So recently I got to thinking about my babyhood years: my father patiently by my side, crayons in hand. He showed me, not just how to draw, but really, how to SEE, and then to REMEMBER what I had seen, long enough to put it on paper. What a concept for an 18 month old! Who can tell what an impact that early art education had on a young, developing mind? Might being taught to think visually & spatially early on, lead to academic achievement later in life?
There are already studies showing causality between high spatial visualization skills and problem-solving abilities in physics 1, and others pointing out how music training helps children process language 2, 3. So why is that when it’s time to tighten our belts, the first thing to go in schools is the arts program? And then we wonder why our children are failing!
Today, when I teach kids how to draw: when I show them the proportions of the face, or ask them to follow the line of my pencil as it traces the complex outlines of a still life, I’m not just doing it to make little modern-day DaVinci’s out of them. I teach these kids how to draw; how to see and remember, because the skill set they are developing is universally applicable: The intense attention to detail, and the thought processes involved in transferring those details from a 3D plane to a 2D piece of paper, are excellent practice for things like the careful collection of data necessary in the scientific method, and the transfer of the literal meanings of literary passages, to the larger metaphoric meanings they reference.
Kids need to learn how to carefully observe, and then they need to learn how to retain, apply, and RECONFIGURE what they have observed: in science, in math, in literature, and in life. And learning how to draw is an excellent introduction to this process. It trains the brain.
With the present ever-increasing infringement upon children’s arts education, I really hope that we can start to make changes in how we prioritize the arts in public schools and in the home. I hope there are more studies, more research, more interest in the arts and in how learning art and music affects the development of young minds. I hope that when it comes time to cut the fat, it’s the antiquated ideas that go, and the art classes that stay. I hope that teachers of all academic subjects begin to learn ways to incorporate the arts into their own lesson plans to make learning easier and more comprehensive. And I hope that parents recognize that a child obsessed with the creative process is a good thing, to be encouraged at any age.
I can’t quantify for certain how much of a difference art has made for me in seemingly unrelated areas of endeavor, but I can say this: I grew up in the Bronx – at the time, the poorest congressional district in the United States. I went to public school, and I am a minority to boot, and female. Yet I LOVED math and science, and aced the SAT’s …And, I was taught to draw when I was just a baby. Coincidence? Perhaps, but this is one brown-skinned girl from the ‘hood, who was able to buck the trends, paintbrush in hand.
“Bleak Future” by Adesina, age 15.
And isn’t it every child’s right, to at least be given the opportunity to do the same?
Thanks for reading,
Adesina xoxo
PS,
Please check out some of my favorite National & Local Children’s Arts Programs below:
Artistic Dreams International
Project Sunshine
City Kids
Free Arts NYC
