I was a graduate student at Georgia Southern University studying oil
Southern University studying oil
Southern University studying oil painting one of my teachers Murray
painting one of my teachers Murray
painting one of my teachers Murray Cochran asked me a question that led me
Cochran asked me a question that led me
Cochran asked me a question that led me to eventually develop a mixture that I
to eventually develop a mixture that I
to eventually develop a mixture that I use to create dimensional images that I
use to create dimensional images that I
use to create dimensional images that I call sculpted paintings now the question
call sculpted paintings now the question
call sculpted paintings now the question she asked was why are most of the
she asked was why are most of the
she asked was why are most of the subjects of your paintings white women
subjects of your paintings white women
subjects of your paintings white women like in this piece here and first I took
like in this piece here and first I took
like in this piece here and first I took offense but as I thought about it a door
offense but as I thought about it a door
offense but as I thought about it a door to consciousness opened inside me and I
to consciousness opened inside me and I
to consciousness opened inside me and I realized that I had the power to have
realized that I had the power to have
realized that I had the power to have critical thinking and that led me to the
critical thinking and that led me to the
critical thinking and that led me to the really to the realization that I had the
really to the realization that I had the
really to the realization that I had the power to choose why did what I did
power to choose why did what I did
power to choose why did what I did through purposeful questioning so even
through purposeful questioning so even
through purposeful questioning so even though the fact that I was born in
though the fact that I was born in
though the fact that I was born in Kingston Jamaica none of that was
Kingston Jamaica none of that was
Kingston Jamaica none of that was reflected in my work it was like I’ve
reflected in my work it was like I’ve
reflected in my work it was like I’ve been living in a fog just imitating the
been living in a fog just imitating the
been living in a fog just imitating the things that I had seen on TV or in
things that I had seen on TV or in
things that I had seen on TV or in magazines and I was oblivious to my own
magazines and I was oblivious to my own
magazines and I was oblivious to my own consciousness so even though this fog
consciousness so even though this fog
consciousness so even though this fog was open or the door to this was opened
was open or the door to this was opened
was open or the door to this was opened when I was in college I was still
when I was in college I was still
when I was in college I was still technically in that fog about 20 years
technically in that fog about 20 years
technically in that fog about 20 years later oh and even though I my work had
later oh and even though I my work had
later oh and even though I my work had become more self reflective and I have
become more self reflective and I have
become more self reflective and I have had some modicum of success with having
had some modicum of success with having
had some modicum of success with having pieces in the collections of Luci Baines
pieces in the collections of Luci Baines
pieces in the collections of Luci Baines Johnson who’s the daughter of LBJ and
Johnson who’s the daughter of LBJ and
Johnson who’s the daughter of LBJ and Lady Bird Johnson and also in call :
Lady Bird Johnson and also in call :
Lady Bird Johnson and also in call : Powell’s collection Queen Latifah
Powell’s collection Queen Latifah
Powell’s collection Queen Latifah I still had felt pretty mediocre and
I still had felt pretty mediocre and
I still had felt pretty mediocre and after my fifth child and and hitting my
after my fifth child and and hitting my
after my fifth child and and hitting my 40s I said I know everyone has a purpose
40s I said I know everyone has a purpose
40s I said I know everyone has a purpose to their life but mine could not be just
to their life but mine could not be just
to their life but mine could not be just having babies so so I need to figure
having babies so so I need to figure
having babies so so I need to figure find my purpose because I believe that
find my purpose because I believe that
find my purpose because I believe that everyone is born with a purpose in life
everyone is born with a purpose in life
everyone is born with a purpose in life so that led me to ask my first conscious
so that led me to ask my first conscious
so that led me to ask my first conscious question where I said to myself why are
question where I said to myself why are
question where I said to myself why are you here literally and figuratively
you here literally and figuratively
you here literally and figuratively and the answers led me to get a divorce
and the answers led me to get a divorce
and the answers led me to get a divorce remarry quit my job and focus on my art
remarry quit my job and focus on my art
remarry quit my job and focus on my art work I had created this piece a few
work I had created this piece a few
work I had created this piece a few years later but I still felt really
years later but I still felt really
years later but I still felt really stuck and I that foggy feeling kept
stuck and I that foggy feeling kept
stuck and I that foggy feeling kept coming over me again and why I had
coming over me again and why I had
coming over me again and why I had learned when you’re in the fog when any
learned when you’re in the fog when any
learned when you’re in the fog when any of us are in the fog we ask ourselves
of us are in the fog we ask ourselves
of us are in the fog we ask ourselves how can I get out of this fog safely and
how can I get out of this fog safely and
how can I get out of this fog safely and you know that when you see brake lights
you know that when you see brake lights
you know that when you see brake lights in front of you that’s probably a safe
in front of you that’s probably a safe
in front of you that’s probably a safe direction to go in and you’ll be safe so
direction to go in and you’ll be safe so
direction to go in and you’ll be safe so I applied that to the question for
I applied that to the question for
I applied that to the question for myself and after I created this piece I
myself and after I created this piece I
myself and after I created this piece I felt really really stuck so I started
felt really really stuck so I started
felt really really stuck so I started asking myself questions and I realised
asking myself questions and I realised
asking myself questions and I realised that when you’re in this place right
that when you’re in this place right
that when you’re in this place right here you have to start asking yourself
here you have to start asking yourself
here you have to start asking yourself questions and the questions that I asked
questions and the questions that I asked
questions and the questions that I asked myself was what in art created this
myself was what in art created this
myself was what in art created this image why was this image important and I
image why was this image important and I
image why was this image important and I discovered that you the premise that
discovered that you the premise that
discovered that you the premise that this image is based on is you as a piece
this image is based on is you as a piece
this image is based on is you as a piece transporting you into this place
transporting you into this place
transporting you into this place by creating an illusion through
by creating an illusion through
by creating an illusion through dimensionality and it
dimensionality and it
dimensionality and it if it evolved in me thinking okay so
when oil painting was created in the
when oil painting was created in the fifteenth or seventh century whatever
fifteenth or seventh century whatever
fifteenth or seventh century whatever your belief is when it was created those
your belief is when it was created those
your belief is when it was created those images were necessary but today with the
images were necessary but today with the
images were necessary but today with the proliferation of imagery a flat image is
proliferation of imagery a flat image is
proliferation of imagery a flat image is kind of redundant so I thought what
kind of redundant so I thought what
kind of redundant so I thought what would happen if I could actually get
would happen if I could actually get
would happen if I could actually get that image to come off the canvas
that image to come off the canvas
that image to come off the canvas instead of just creating the illusion of
instead of just creating the illusion of
instead of just creating the illusion of coming off the canvas so I started
coming off the canvas so I started
coming off the canvas so I started trying a bunch of different things to
trying a bunch of different things to
trying a bunch of different things to mix it into my oil paints to try and
mix it into my oil paints to try and
mix it into my oil paints to try and achieve that anything from sand to dryer
achieve that anything from sand to dryer
achieve that anything from sand to dryer lint and none of it was really working
lint and none of it was really working
lint and none of it was really working you know one day I noticed that there
you know one day I noticed that there
you know one day I noticed that there was some sawdust in in my studio that I
was some sawdust in in my studio that I
was some sawdust in in my studio that I had used in the past to create images
had used in the past to create images
had used in the past to create images like these where I had mixed the sawdust
like these where I had mixed the sawdust
like these where I had mixed the sawdust into the oil paint just to create
into the oil paint just to create
into the oil paint just to create texture so I said well let me try that
texture so I said well let me try that
texture so I said well let me try that so I mix the oil paint in and the result
so I mix the oil paint in and the result
so I mix the oil paint in and the result was pretty gummy and plus it it took
was pretty gummy and plus it it took
was pretty gummy and plus it it took forever to dry so I decided well
forever to dry so I decided well
forever to dry so I decided well acrylics dry faster so let me try Alex
acrylics dry faster so let me try Alex
acrylics dry faster so let me try Alex so I mixed this sawdust in with the
so I mixed this sawdust in with the
so I mixed this sawdust in with the acrylic and it was still gummy so out of
acrylic and it was still gummy so out of
acrylic and it was still gummy so out of water then it was way too soupy so I had
water then it was way too soupy so I had
water then it was way too soupy so I had some acrylic medium and I said well let
some acrylic medium and I said well let
some acrylic medium and I said well let me try add that to it and it was a
me try add that to it and it was a
me try add that to it and it was a little better but there was way too much
little better but there was way too much
little better but there was way too much pigment so I finally said well why don’t
pigment so I finally said well why don’t
pigment so I finally said well why don’t I just add the sawdust directly into the
I just add the sawdust directly into the
I just add the sawdust directly into the acrylic medium and then Eureka I found
acrylic medium and then Eureka I found
acrylic medium and then Eureka I found my own brake light in the fog
and what it did was this idea of
and what it did was this idea of following your your breadcrumbs and
following your your breadcrumbs and
following your your breadcrumbs and finding your bright lights in the fog I
finding your bright lights in the fog I
finding your bright lights in the fog I I call the break light my breadcrumbs
I call the break light my breadcrumbs
I call the break light my breadcrumbs because they leave you to the path of
because they leave you to the path of
because they leave you to the path of your own life’s purpose so even though I
your own life’s purpose so even though I
your own life’s purpose so even though I developed this mixture I know one of the
developed this mixture I know one of the
developed this mixture I know one of the world to do with it and develop it ain’t
world to do with it and develop it ain’t
world to do with it and develop it ain’t easy and this image made me realize I
easy and this image made me realize I
easy and this image made me realize I need to do some more research and uh
need to do some more research and uh
need to do some more research and uh because I quit I equated it with being a
because I quit I equated it with being a
because I quit I equated it with being a hot mess so I kept doing more research
hot mess so I kept doing more research
hot mess so I kept doing more research and as I was doing my research a past
and as I was doing my research a past
and as I was doing my research a past breadcrumb came to mind where I am at
breadcrumb came to mind where I am at
breadcrumb came to mind where I am at which is high relief sculpture and the
which is high relief sculpture and the
which is high relief sculpture and the piece on the right is a piece by the
piece on the right is a piece by the
piece on the right is a piece by the artist Luca della robia who was a
artist Luca della robia who was a
artist Luca della robia who was a sculptor back in the fifteenth century
sculptor back in the fifteenth century
sculptor back in the fifteenth century and I created the piece on the left to
and I created the piece on the left to
and I created the piece on the left to try and work my way into this sculpting
try and work my way into this sculpting
try and work my way into this sculpting thing but as I realized as I worked on
thing but as I realized as I worked on
thing but as I realized as I worked on it I realized that I could a couple of
it I realized that I could a couple of
it I realized that I could a couple of things I realized first that the image
things I realized first that the image
things I realized first that the image on the right
on the right
on the right was created by the sculptor removing the
was created by the sculptor removing the
was created by the sculptor removing the material the marble to create the image
material the marble to create the image
material the marble to create the image and the image on the left I created I
and the image on the left I created I
and the image on the left I created I was adding material to create the image
was adding material to create the image
was adding material to create the image and I was like that’s pretty cool and
and I was like that’s pretty cool and
and I was like that’s pretty cool and radical right there so but then I also
radical right there so but then I also
radical right there so but then I also found out that I was sculpting as I was
found out that I was sculpting as I was
found out that I was sculpting as I was creating this image so I had always
creating this image so I had always
creating this image so I had always loved sculpting and painting and it was
loved sculpting and painting and it was
loved sculpting and painting and it was allowing me to do that so it was coming
allowing me to do that so it was coming
allowing me to do that so it was coming together but it still was really wasn’t
together but it still was really wasn’t
together but it still was really wasn’t very cohesive then a few months later my
very cohesive then a few months later my
very cohesive then a few months later my husband and I took a trip to Barcelona
husband and I took a trip to Barcelona
husband and I took a trip to Barcelona Spain and while we were there I saw
Spain and while we were there I saw
Spain and while we were there I saw these trees
these trees
these trees that had this bark that looked like
that had this bark that looked like
that had this bark that looked like collages I’m like what in the world of
collages I’m like what in the world of
collages I’m like what in the world of his trees I find out there were sycamore
his trees I find out there were sycamore
his trees I find out there were sycamore trees and I thought okay it’s coming
trees and I thought okay it’s coming
trees and I thought okay it’s coming together I’m seeing it this little great
together I’m seeing it this little great
together I’m seeing it this little great with my sadhus it’s perfect culmination
with my sadhus it’s perfect culmination
with my sadhus it’s perfect culmination and it also had knots in it and I was
and it also had knots in it and I was
and it also had knots in it and I was like well the knots are created by
like well the knots are created by
like well the knots are created by removing a branch a negative thing has
removing a branch a negative thing has
removing a branch a negative thing has happened to this tree and I thought I
happened to this tree and I thought I
happened to this tree and I thought I would change it to a positive by
would change it to a positive by
would change it to a positive by changing that to a face so all that led
changing that to a face so all that led
changing that to a face so all that led me to create my first sculpted paintings
me to create my first sculpted paintings
me to create my first sculpted paintings and I call these are part of the Signum
and I call these are part of the Signum
and I call these are part of the Signum or series that I created my husband um
or series that I created my husband um
or series that I created my husband um after he saw these pieces he was like
after he saw these pieces he was like
after he saw these pieces he was like that looks pretty innovative you should
that looks pretty innovative you should
that looks pretty innovative you should probably get that patented so I did more
probably get that patented so I did more
probably get that patented so I did more research and I want to compare trees to
research and I want to compare trees to
research and I want to compare trees to humans and I found out that humans are
humans and I found out that humans are
humans and I found out that humans are 35% carbon
35% carbon
35% carbon trees are 50% carbon and the stars are a
trees are 50% carbon and the stars are a
trees are 50% carbon and the stars are a hundred percent carbon and I was like we
hundred percent carbon and I was like we
hundred percent carbon and I was like we can’t waste this carbon so we have to
can’t waste this carbon so we have to
can’t waste this carbon so we have to use it to do something and I thought
use it to do something and I thought
use it to do something and I thought this is a perfect thing to create with
this is a perfect thing to create with
this is a perfect thing to create with that carbon and also in my research I
that carbon and also in my research I
that carbon and also in my research I found out that the components of trees
found out that the components of trees
found out that the components of trees are cellulose hemicellulose and lignin
are cellulose hemicellulose and lignin
are cellulose hemicellulose and lignin so my research led me to file a patent a
so my research led me to file a patent a
so my research led me to file a patent a process patent that’s pending for Hemi
process patent that’s pending for Hemi
process patent that’s pending for Hemi Seligman paint which I call him as he’ll
Seligman paint which I call him as he’ll
Seligman paint which I call him as he’ll for short and um as I fell term follow
for short and um as I fell term follow
for short and um as I fell term follow your breadcrumbs came to me as I was
your breadcrumbs came to me as I was
your breadcrumbs came to me as I was leaving trails of sawdust all over my
leaving trails of sawdust all over my
leaving trails of sawdust all over my studio so I was like yeah
studio so I was like yeah
studio so I was like yeah follow your breadcrumbs I like it um so
follow your breadcrumbs I like it um so
follow your breadcrumbs I like it um so all of these things uh these ideas came
all of these things uh these ideas came
all of these things uh these ideas came together to create what I call
together to create what I call
together to create what I call tie establishment art and through this
tie establishment art and through this
tie establishment art and through this anti-establishment art I use recycled
anti-establishment art I use recycled
anti-establishment art I use recycled sawdust that I mix with a clear acrylic
sawdust that I mix with a clear acrylic
sawdust that I mix with a clear acrylic polymer and I use my paintbrush to form
polymer and I use my paintbrush to form
polymer and I use my paintbrush to form it into like the dough and then I use my
it into like the dough and then I use my
it into like the dough and then I use my face paint brush to form the images and
face paint brush to form the images and
face paint brush to form the images and to create the dimensional images and I
to create the dimensional images and I
to create the dimensional images and I use reverse sculpture an additive as
use reverse sculpture an additive as
use reverse sculpture an additive as opposed to a subtractive process to
opposed to a subtractive process to
opposed to a subtractive process to create the image and they are best
create the image and they are best
create the image and they are best viewed to fully appreciate the dimension
viewed to fully appreciate the dimension
viewed to fully appreciate the dimension in person as opposed to sitting on your
in person as opposed to sitting on your
in person as opposed to sitting on your phone and flipping through I also wanted
phone and flipping through I also wanted
phone and flipping through I also wanted to promote the awareness of preserving
to promote the awareness of preserving
to promote the awareness of preserving our natural resources and encourage
our natural resources and encourage
our natural resources and encourage touching which is a no-no in the regular
touching which is a no-no in the regular
touching which is a no-no in the regular art community and highlight the need to
art community and highlight the need to
art community and highlight the need to cherish one of our most significant
cherish one of our most significant
cherish one of our most significant resources that has been taken for
resources that has been taken for
resources that has been taken for granted since the beginning of time
granted since the beginning of time
granted since the beginning of time women and to stand against societal
women and to stand against societal
women and to stand against societal expectations gender bias and human
expectations gender bias and human
expectations gender bias and human trafficking so Einstein said that
trafficking so Einstein said that
trafficking so Einstein said that imagination is way more boring than
imagination is way more boring than
imagination is way more boring than knowledge because knowledge is anchored
knowledge because knowledge is anchored
knowledge because knowledge is anchored to the past but imagination is where the
to the past but imagination is where the
to the past but imagination is where the future lies so as I hold my craft and I
future lies so as I hold my craft and I
future lies so as I hold my craft and I create each new piece my imagination
create each new piece my imagination
create each new piece my imagination evolves and expands like with this piece
evolves and expands like with this piece
evolves and expands like with this piece that I call blue grouper where I
that I call blue grouper where I
that I call blue grouper where I incorporated in the fin the recycled
incorporated in the fin the recycled
incorporated in the fin the recycled plastic bottles to highlight the
plastic bottles to highlight the
plastic bottles to highlight the overfishing and pollution in our oceans
overfishing and pollution in our oceans
overfishing and pollution in our oceans so I don’t know where my next
so I don’t know where my next
so I don’t know where my next breadcrumbs will what they are or where
breadcrumbs will what they are or where
breadcrumbs will what they are or where they lead but I am in awe and humbled by
they lead but I am in awe and humbled by
they lead but I am in awe and humbled by the fact that a question asked by my
the fact that a question asked by my
the fact that a question asked by my teacher could lead me and have such a
teacher could lead me and have such a
teacher could lead me and have such a profound effect in my life because I
profound effect in my life because I
profound effect in my life because I acted on a question that didn’t make
acted on a question that didn’t make
acted on a question that didn’t make sense to me instead of just blowing it
sense to me instead of just blowing it
sense to me instead of just blowing it off
off
off now I believe that each of us here has
now I believe that each of us here has
now I believe that each of us here has our purpose and if you act on it you
our purpose and if you act on it you
our purpose and if you act on it you should be able to follow your own
should be able to follow your own
should be able to follow your own breadcrumbs thank you
breadcrumbs thank you
breadcrumbs thank you [Applause]
[Applause]
[Applause] [Music]
[Music]
[Music] you
you
you [Music]
”
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