The Outsider Artist Within

Free Knowledge Must Bring Your Own Container (18×24)

This morning I received news of Outsider Art, not labeling me as such, but nonetheless bringing attention to the fact that I haven’t attended art school.

(Full disclosure, I don’t have an MBA, no MFA and I haven’t spent hours studying the human form or still life.)

“Outsider Art” is defined on Wikipedia as “Outsider artists who are artists with little or no contact with the mainstream art world. They are frequently on the margins of society: for example, slaves, prisoners, and the mentally ill. Their creative output is referred to as Outsider Art.”

I wasn’t sure how to feel. The word “outsider” is a pretty discouraging word, it’s cold and divisive. Unlike the word “insider” which conjures up thoughts of inclusivity and warmth.

Perhaps the only reason that I continued to read the email, was because the person who sent it, a stranger, is highly regarded in the art world and knows a lot about art curating.

It peaked my interest, as so many things do and I Googled it. Come to find out Outsider Art is relatively a new term, though the act of making outside art surely began with the drawings of the first caveman, acknowledged, collected and curated.

There’s Outsider Art Fairs held annually around the world, one is held at the Museum Of Modern Art (MOMA) in New York City annually. There’s also American Visionary Art Museum (AVAM) in Maryland https://www.avam.org/exhibitions-and-events that has year round exhibitions.

When I first began this blog I struggled with a decision, should I just write or should I also share my art. I vocalized my hesitancy in those first days of blogging, I didn’t consider myself an artist and a trained artist named Chris Ludke* (who writes a blog named Plein Air Experience), left a kind comment for me. Later Chris shared my blog. It was validation and acceptance. Slowly my confidence grew from that first nudge and I’ve been posting my paintings ever since.

Which brings me to my news…

Next month one of my paintings titled “Free Knowledge Must Bring Your Own Container” will be exhibited on solo display part of Billboard Hope 2021 in Boston’s historic John Elliot Square in Roxbury from August 30- September 26th. Meanwhile, across town, in the South End, running simultaneously and independently another of my paintings, titled “Ameryca’s Two Sons” will be on display, as part of the Forbidden Fruit Fall Exhibition at Boston’s Piano Craft Gallery (Sept 3 – Sept 26th).

I’m stoked!!!

In 2016, I was hospitalized for nearly a month fighting for my life and a team of dedicated doctors saved my life. Later the hospitalist visited my room and told me “Go home & do nothing” and I’ve been painting ever since, releasing the #OutsiderArtist within.

*Check out Chris Ludke here: https://chrisludke.com/

Wall Art

A wall is meant to do more than just hold up your ceiling & divide rooms. There’s something magical about waking up & looking at a handsome wall.

If you don’t have art hanging on your walls, go & make some, or buy some. But do get some. I promise you, it’ll change your life. It’s changing mine💯

The Art Called Vinyl

I vividly recall the first time my brother let me hold one of his most beloved possessions, a record. He carefully instructed me on the proper handling- how I was to cradle the album by the edges. That it was sacrilege to touch its surface, as the oils from my skin would ruin it. I was genuinely scared, as if record moguls would come snatch me up for such a heinous infraction.

He called it respecting his albums. Even now, I’m mesmerized by watching a record spin around and around. I always pause before placing a needle on a track’s groove.

And I’m happy that it’s called a “groove” because that’s exactly what it is! It’s truly one of the best technologies ever invented. In fact we should have a national Vinyl Day and to celebrate, we should peel the label off an album, because it doesn’t matter what song has been recorded, the art is in the vinyl. And we should gently carry it by the edges, carefully place it on the spindle, and as it begins its 33 1/3 spin (what a cool speed:) we should lift the needle above the midpoint of the album’s grooves & set it down and we should settle into it. Just listen.

I listen to jazz, Coltrane and Sonny Rollins. Whew, I love that sound, the crackling goes deep and inspires me while I paint.

#ampainting #HappyVinyl #Art #contemporaryart #BostonArt #technygalleries #hiphop #rap #ripnipsey

Laptop Backpack Art

Anxiety at the airport should be limited to the act of flying.

And the fear of flying shouldn’t include trying to locate your carry-on laptop bag, after being randomly pulled out of line and searched by TSA at the airport’s security checkpoints. Because being separated from your laptop bag for just few minutes, shouldn’t feel like hours.

That’s what happened to me recently, while traveling to the west coast. Where as hard as I tried to keep my eyes on the security bin where I had placed my beloved backpack, as I held my arms straight out and tried to comply with the TSA’s instructions, I did lose sight of my backpack.

It made me think, why does this continuously happen? How, in a knowledge based society, full of smart tech & a dispensary named Google, are all of our laptop bags basic black?

How is it that we can use finger swipes across devices and gain access to a broad swath of data information, but the bag that carries that most important device all look the same?

Imagine a company outing or a meeting, and your laptop bag gets confused with the CEO’s. Now imagine the same exact scenario, only this time your laptop bag isn’t basic black. #Technicolor💯

Pile up! A variety of the same basic black laptop bags

Hello World 🌎

#TechInnovation #DataScience #BigData #LaptopBags #ThinkOutsideTheBag

C’mon @Targus

What To Do When The Graphic Designer Is AWOL???

Frustration is tiring. So if I seem lackluster today, low energy and less approachable than in the past, it’s because I’ve had an extremely frustrating experience.

It all began when my artwork was selected to be included in a big art project. I was happy. Then came the specifics, that is my artwork would need to be converted from JPG to PDF with 300DPI and enlarged plus A4. Ok I said, knowing that I had a guy who could get the job done.

Except here we are a month and a half later and the guy I hired to do the art conversion has gone AWOL!!!

Maybe ‘Rona got to him. I’ve called. Sent text and Sent emails. Left numerous messages and I’ve driven to his place of business. There’s a sign plastered across his glass door “Walkins Not Allowed”.

So what’s next? I believe that after a year of this never ending global pandemic, jittery nerves and anxiety got the best of him and he’s gone into hiding out of fear. I don’t blame him, I just wish he had finished my project ahead of the deadline, because now I’m left scrambling.

If anyone out here knows how to scan large paintings and convert it to pdf +4 let me know. Thanks in advance.

What Laptop Bags Could Look Like

I was just thinking… We spend an exorbitant amount of time creating and saving ideas to our laptop’s hard drive. And then we shove our laptops, filled with all those great thoughts into a black laptop bag, effectively dimming our own brilliance.

What if that causes our brains a momentary lapse, a downshift, a version of writer’s block?

I wonder what would happen, if instead we slid our laptops into bags woven in graphene, strands of intelligence, colorful diversity with sustainable business plans?

Folks have been telling me for months that most companies who sell black laptop bags have no interest in change and that I should accept that. But in my mind, why wouldn’t they?

I’ve had discussions with executive producers, pitching ideas over there and facing obstacles over here, not being told to stop, but not being encouraged to keep going, it’s been challenging but I keep thinking… what if?

So I keep going at it. After all they don’t know me. I’ve been adding color to my bags since I was a little girl, back then I used crayons. By the time I went to college, I had started attaching ribbons to identify my suitcases at the airport, and as with all good ideas, it’s evolved to painted laptop bags.

People see my bags online and ask can they buy one. They ask how much would I sell one for. They’re disappointed when I say they’re not for sale. The upside is that I know there’s an interest for my colorful laptop bags. And I know there’s a burgeoning market, and yes, I know the age group as well. Because I’ve been busy creating it, slowly and meticulously.

Meanwhile, as my personal bag collection grows, my husband wishes I would sell them all. In some ways, that’s why I’m writing this post, because someone out there on LinkedIn understands my drive and how it might just work. Maybe…

People want to see the world differently: they no longer want to look out at a sea of black laptop bags at a tech convention. Me either and after a global pandemic, where people are re-emerging they’re eager to see things fresh and new! Me too.

Things don’t have to be mundane. Yes, we can be hopeful and inspire. Yes, it can be a limited edition. And maybe my bag with its little colorful design might make people smile a little bit, even if it’s on the inside.

I was just thinking… what were you doing?

#writing #creativity #design #laptopbags #culture #datascience #startupcompany #thinkoutsidethebag

Backpack Art Sleuth

We use computers every day, never understanding the hidden code that handles the complex tasks that simplify the interface, so we can use it.

hello world 🌍

A CPU is magic, so why are we limited to black bags & black laptop backpacks?

#DataScience #UserFriendly #OutsideTheBag #LaptopBackPack #LapTopBag #Targus #Samsonite

The Art of Crowdsourcing

In 2009, I stumbled upon a contest on Twitter, #HelpUsNameUs. A small company was going public and needed a new name. They had this ingenious idea to use social media to get their new name. Guess what? It totally worked!

They went on Twitter and began crowdsourcing for a new name using the hashtag #HelpUsNameUs. The grand prize for this global contest was a new piece of technology, an electronic reader (e-reader) a Kindle.

What’s fascinating about this contest is that it completely worked. The company received submissions from every corner of the globe, and had hundreds of names to choose from, thus proving social media was indeed an upcoming marketing tool, and even more poignant, that we were living in a globally hyperconnected digital world.

By the way, I won the contest with my submission of the name Pyxl and was awarded the coveted Kindle.

To put this contest into its proper context, the following month Microsoft awarded a contract to an advertising firm and paid them millions of dollars to name their new search engine, Bing.

Now it’s 2021 and Covid-19 bans have been lifted and we’re returning to our old jobs, our old workspaces and as we clear the dust off our desks, we need to think outside the box.

We need to be more innovative and remind ourselves that the potential we had for greatness still exists post-pandemic.

Crowdsourcing is a best use practice of people, it gives us a pool of diversity, great ideas and in a hyperconnected digital world, it gives us a chance to become our better selves.

Walt Disney was right, it really is a small world after all.

Here’s the Press Release Update from 2009:
https://bit.ly/2SFTkMZ

#crowdsourcing #socent #createrelevance #createmeaning #digitalworld #twitter #marketing #socialmedia #twitter #advertising

Create Relevance

There are two kinds of people in this world. Takers & Givers.

Which one are you?

Do you know?

If you’re unsure, then you should ask your family and friends, because they’ll think they know.

Interestingly enough, they might not know who you are in your heart of hearts, but if they had to guess, do you think they’d guess right?

If you’re wondering which one I am? I’m a giver, a stranger who just gave you a thought. 🙂

#TuesdayThoughts #CreateRelevance #Art #Technygalleries

Mankind-Ness & Art

Mankind-Ness”

After Covid, you would think that we humans would get it together. That we might be empathetic, have compassion and be kind to one another.

After ‘Rona, you would think people wouldn’t mind a little inconvenience, that we would take patience out of your pocket and use it to understand someone else’s trials & tribulations.

Mankind… ness. Rebooting society so that we become our better selves.