One of the things I love about making art, is its ability to freeze time, to keep us conscious of a moment that would normally pass, so that it can never be forgotten.
I painted “Buzzard” (above) in India ink when I was 16 years old. It was one of my first full scale aqueous media paintings. In this piece I see the careful attention to detail, the painstaking rendering of each feather, each shadow, and the love and joy I put into this work as if it were to be the last record of my soul on this Earth — that’s the way I always paint. Looking at this painting makes me happy, in a way that a simple photo never could.
Painting: “Buzzard” by Adesina:
India Ink on archival watercolor paper, painted at age 16, 11″ x 14″
Incidentally, I took the photo itself, of me with the painting, only a few weeks ago. I had elected to finally put the painting up for sale, after decades of not wanting to part with it. In a rush of nostalgia, remembering what it was like to be 16, and exploring a talent I held dearer to myself than even the life that enabled it, I decided — why not take one last photo with my painting, wearing my Sweet 16 dress?? And so I searched my boxes for it, and there it was, the black velvet floor length dress I wore at my Sweet 16. And yes, yes it still fits!
So I sat on the ground, wearing this old dress full of memories, holding one of my favorite paintings that I’ve ever done, and I took this photo that you see here. And then I brought it into Photoshop, adjusted lights and darks, dodged and burned, cropped the image for composition, and basically made another mini work of art, out of the photo of myself with the art lol. You didn’t think I would just leave the photo as it was, flat and boring just out of the camera, did you? Hehe never! I’m an artist; I must put my artist’s touch on every image I create.
I still feel apprehensive about letting this piece go. It’s part of my history & my heritage; it’s representative of my journey & my joy as an artist. But I recognize that the purpose of art, is not only to freeze time, as this painting has done for me, for so many years, but it is also about sharing one’s journey with others. And I know my love of nature, captured in this hand-painted rendering of a creature not often regarded as regal, but who is clearly so, nonetheless, is something that many people share with me. Additionally, I know that there are others who also desire the experience of gazing upon a work of art, where every line, shade and shadow is painstakingly hand-crafted.
This painting is not just a record of a buzzard against a black background. It’s a record of the love a 16 year old budding artist had, for nature and all of Her creatures. It’s a pause in the passage of time, and a journey I’d now like to share, with the world.
Thank you for spending a moment with me here, and if you are interested in having this piece in your home, please follow this link, or contact me if you would like a print; I will not be making unlimited prints of this piece, however I may make small postcard prints of it upon request.
xoxo,
Adesina
Art has been used to instigate, support and bring about social and political change for a very long time. Today, artists the world over, use their skills and expertise to spread awareness as well as to comment on a host of global issues.
Since some of my readers might be confused or unclear about how art has the power to bring about and encourage change, I’m going to elaborate on that a little over the course of this blog.
There are so many smaller elements that make up the whole; and if you go through each of the headings below, by the end you will see how collectively each contributes to the overarching effects that art has on society.
By providing us a safe space to explore, art helps teach us to try new things, understand different perspectives and challenge norms and rules that we might have grown up with.
By providing inspiration, art can push people to do better, be better, and evolve, as well as face and conquer various problems they are faced with.
Being a form of expression, art encourages people to come out with what they are holding onto within. Often times this brings likeminded folk together. When together, like minded folk, with ideas on how to improve the world around them, get things done.
Art can be used to discuss and dialogue on matters which could otherwise offend people to the point of violence, in a lighter, more psychologically acceptable way. In other words, it can be used to challenge wrongful acts and injustices, without offending.
Whether you’re appreciating art together or creating it, a sense of community is formed. Art brings people together and encourages personal involvement. This paves the way for timid yet highly intelligent individuals, who want to take part in meaningful causes, to do so. The interaction helps breed confidence and further productive action!
Another amazing trait of a good piece of artwork, is that those interested will endeavor to understand the deeper meaning in the work. It doesn’t matter if you’re following the life of an artist or analyzing their use of color and style of stroke. The skills you’re honing, are those of critical thinking and analysis. Both are crucial when it comes to sociopolitical involvement and action!
We don’t all speak the same language, but a sculpture, a painting, or other thought/emotion provoking piece of art work can be understood by most. Even if it does not look appealing by conventional standards, the ability of a piece of art to evoke a feeling, is what communicates its meaning.
Art is a language understood by people the world over, regardless of background, educational history or age.
Though on their own these elements might not seem consequential, together they set the stage for the ways in which art can create and inspire critically thinking, socially active, as well as socially empathic, human beings. It is individuals like these, who both on their own, and collectively, push and rally for change the world over! And this, is why I as an artist, am driven to create.
If you would like to purchase affordable art prints, sculptures, paintings or ceramics, while supporting meaningful causes, then please feel free check out my site, Adesina.com, or give me a shout on social media: @ArtByAdesina on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, DeviantArt, YouTube, and various other platforms.
xoxo,
Adesina
Happy MerMay!
So I started this drawing last MerMay, and even though I signed it, I never really felt I had finished it. So since May has swung around again, I thought I’d take it out and add some more color!
Here is last year’s post — Hit the right arrow to see the original progress video 🙂
And here’s an update from today! Check out the deep blues and greens of the water – What do you think? Should I add some coral to the sea floor?
I hope you guys like the picture so far, and stay tuned for a finished version!
Love,
Adesina
Happy Tuesday! I hope everyone is having a great day so far — I definitely am! I recently got to visit the house of one of my collectors, and LOOK — two of my “Rebirth” wine bottles from back in 2011!
It felt so good to see them displayed in a loving home setting, and to pick them up and remember all the time it took to paint them (30 hours just to paint the one with the eye – “New Sight Blooms”), not to mention how proud I felt to do all that work knowing 100% of the proceeds would benefit charity.
When I was first approached by Rawhouse Wine to paint these bottles, I was really excited, but honestly I was also overwhelmed, because I have a very detailed painting style, and I knew that painting six bottles, to the high standards I hold myself to, would be over 100 hours of work, and for free, since they were auctioned off for a children’s art & music charity.
But then I thought about when I was a child, and how badly I wanted to be an artist, but the NYC public school system was always cutting arts education, making it nearly impossible for me to get access to the training I needed. And I realized that I have to the power to help other little kids just like who I was all those years ago. So, I buckled down, joined team #nosleep lol, and I did it! And if I remember correctly, it was down to the wire and I was delivering the finished bottles something like the day before the auction, and up to the last minute, I still didn’t know if I’d be able to finish.
After the auction, I took two of the beautiful professional photos that Rod Savant took of the bottles, and sold them at an art show to benefit Artistic Dreams International, another children’s charity that I actually used to volunteer for, teaching drawing to underprivileged kids up in Harlem.
So you can imagine all the emotions I felt when I saw these two pieces again, still holding a place of honor in a home, so many years later. This is the legacy I wish to leave behind: Beautiful art & loving philanthropy, always.
What is the legacy you wish to leave behind? Perhaps there is something we can collaborate on, to help the community, and bring more beauty into the world? Feel free to leave a comment below, or message me here. I’d love to hear from you!
Love,
Adesina
Happy President’s Day! I hope everyone is enjoying the day off and reflecting on our nation’s history and how we can constantly improve, moving forward. In the words of President Kennedy, “Ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country.”
I asked myself that question last month, and decided that the condition of our civil rights is one of the more urgent issues at hand in politics today. One of the many reasons I decided to start my “I Have A Dream” charity campaign for Black History Month.
And now, I’m so honored to share with you, that The Lifestyle Republic has picked up my story, and featured me this month in a video interview that delves into my past as an artist, and gets right into the thick of the current charity campaign.
Thank you so much for spending some time with me today, and if you would like to participate in the “I Have A Dream” project, and donate to the ACLU to help preserve our civil rights (100% of the profits go to the ACLU), please get an art card of your very own, for just $5, here on eBay.
Thanks again and have a great week!
<3 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
It’s not always easy to find time to paint when I’m running around on camera. But it’s not for naught, because all that I’ve experienced helps me to refine my vision for one of my upcoming series.
This morning I dug out this unfinished painting, “Beauty Blinded,” from a few years ago; I’m not sure yet if I want to finish it or start anew. It’s part of that series I just mentioned, which I’ve been dreaming a lot about lately: Women + Mass Media (working title, hehe). After nearly eleven years working onscreen, I’ve seen for myself how this business affects us; both those of us in front of the camera, as well as those watching at home. And it’s something worth examining.
Growing up, I was taught that a person’s most important characteristics lie within: intelligence, talent, kindness and strength of character are traits to strive for. So I worked hard, earned top grades, and practiced my art & musical instruments with diligence. Focused in this way, I found little use for personal beautification, and that coupled with coke-bottle glasses and my nerdy nature, made for a rather homely presentation; but it did not bother me, because I knew I was a good person and that’s all that mattered.
Fast forward to many years later, I suddenly found myself on television — an unexpected turn that surprised me as much as anyone else. And I quickly discovered, that in this business, it’s not what’s inside that counts. In this industry, the most important thing is to be “beautiful.” And mind you, being beautiful on television, isn’t the same as being beautiful in real life. In real life, we think our friends, our mothers & sisters, our grandmothers & daughters, are beautiful not just because of the color of their eyes or shape of their face, but based on the content of their hearts. But on television, as in most mass media, beauty is very rigidly and narrowly defined. Despite talk of body positivity running rampant, so many of my colleagues are cutting themselves up with plastic surgery: I can’t tell you how many friends of mine didn’t “make it big” until after a boob job. Meanwhile, I myself have been admonished for the tiniest blemish (Horrors! An imperfection lol!), and then praised when I lost weight, even though I’m already quite thin. Rather like a dog who has retrieved a ball — “Good girl!” they say. Am I? Am I good? Because this kind of praise, as condescending as it is vacuous, doesn’t feel good.
And what about the viewers at home? What about the people connived into believing that their air-brushed celebrity crushes are as perfect as they appear, or that they too, at home, should aspire to squeeze and alter themselves to fit an unrealistic ideal in the name of self-improvement? And in my personal experience as a math & SAT tutor, I have discovered that so many little girls are more concerned with being pretty & popular rather than being smart, or even just being good human beings.
These conversations and thoughts are not new. We’ve been discussing this for decades. And when I was a child, my parents did not allow me to watch much television, in part for these very reasons — in my home, gender roles, unrealistic beauty standards, and the dangers of mass media consumption were topics for discussion. But now, having experienced first-hand the pressures that we, the women behind the scenes in media, are actually exposed to, I have something I’d like to add.
Working in the media, I could make a documentary about this subject, or conduct interviews; I could write a report or make a YouTube series. But since I am an artist first, perhaps I’ll just put brush to canvas and see where that leads me.
Thanks for reading, and as I’ve often said on the air, stay tuned.
I’ve been painting since I was ten years old, and one of my goals was always to paint as realistically as possible, which meant long, painstaking sessions in oil, watercolor & acrylic.
But we live in such a fast-paced world, that I’ve been desiring lately to get my ideas out more quickly, and on a larger scale. So I recently turned to street art for inspiration, and decided to give spray painting a try.
Right off the bat I discovered that spray painting is not as easy as it looks. Instead of small movements of the wrist and fingers, it’s a whole-body process, requiring quick, decisive strokes & a sensitive trigger finger. Moreover, not just any spray paint will do. And did you know that spray paint cans have different sized caps? Well I didn’t either! But I soon learned on my own, and in the process, I think I might have become hooked!
I created a speed-painting video to document the process:
A very different outcome than my usual precise little canvases, but I love it nonetheless! This little lady is finished, and ready to find a new home!
Repost from Instagram: 70 square feet, 50 hours, + 2 gallons of paint = My Little Prince Nursery Mural is Done!!! So happy with how this one came out :). I was down to the wire on the last day; endless thanks to my best friend & fellow artist Jessica Perilla for coming in and helping me flesh out the background, and taking this picture of me when we finished at 3am(!). Already got great feedback from the client!
