shadrieka On Friday, I took my students to the Baltimore City Detention Center to draw and interview some of the inmates in Cell Block E. I am most grateful to Dr. Kevin McCamant for working all semester to help make this a reality for us. Dr. McCamant is a psychologist who works with MICA’s community arts … Read more
Head over to the Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC, to see an impressive collection of art from the Marine Corps Aviation Collection. I never knew airplanes could be so poetic and inspiring. I had a great time at the museum and smiled to myself as I thought about Brian Floca’s beautiful art in … Read more
Today I participated in a luncheon and open discussion with roughly twenty students, two female faculty members, and a visiting artist of color, about being a minority at a predominately white institution. Growing up in the south, I was privileged to attend a predominately black elementary and high school. Acceptance and understanding was never an … Read more
One of my dreams has been to use my location drawing/visual journalism work as final artwork. I lived that dream through Bird, and have taken it to another level by illustrating this year’s Baltimore Transmodern Festival poster. A lot of my most interesting projects find me serendipitously, including BIRD. This job was no exception. When … Read more
Award winning artist, R. Gregory Christie has launched a kickstarter campaign to open a working store and studio in North Dekalb Mall in Atlanta, GA! Why should you support this? 1. There are no other stores like this in Georgia…especially North Dekalb Mall. 2. It’s Greg Christie 3. I wanna go and hang out there. … Read more
It’s official, I am hanging a shingle to do more drawing based work at my agency, Painted-words. You can see the new Visual Journalism gallery here. Just think of the possibilities! Now, to figure out how to clone myself to get everything done. . . dilema.
On Friday, Visual Journalism observed and drew a possessions trial (by jury) in Circuit Court. Here are my drawings. You can see some of my students’ work here. We didn’t stay long enough to hear the verdict. Mr. Regis, the defendant, is a young African American male facing a possessions charge. Detective Reiser stopped him … Read more
On Friday my Visual Journalism class took a trip to the Third Batallion, Baltimore City Fire Station. Here are my drawings. Stay tuned for a link to my students’ work. It was a great day of drawing. Engine Company 30, Truck Company 8, Medic 12 3220 Frederick Ave. 21229
Last Saturday was the African American Children’s Book Festival created and organized by Vanesse Lloyd-Sgambatti. It was a huge event with a fantastic turn out. This year veteran superstar picturebook makers, Jerry Pinkney and Walter Dean Myers were in attendance. I sat in between Floyd Cooper and Jerry Pinkney and was able to get a … Read more
Tune in tomorrow morning at 7:25AM to the Bill Anderson Show, 900AM WURD Philadelphia, as we talk about this weekend’s African American Children’s Book Festival! The show streams live over the internet here.