This weekend was spent wonderfully as I was constantly around fruitful conversations and got to continue my historic tour of Chicago. My friends and I went to the South Side Community Art Center located in the Bronzeville neighborhood of Chicago. It is the first black art museum to ever open in the United States and is the birthplace of many great African American Artists. I didn't take any photographs because I was quickly distracted inside. We were greeted by a wonderful women by the name of Janette and she excitedly took us on a marvelous tour and insight of the significance and history behind this mansion.
In the main gallery sat a piano that Nat King Cole would come and play on for events! Nat King Cole!
Artist Charles White even began his roots with this museum. At his time the Art Institute of Chicago did not allow African American students but he became an exception. Janette told us how he would walk from this museum to the Art Institute to take classes and then would walk back to excitedly show the rest what he learned/done for that day.
I also need to share I was graced with the art of B'Rael. His piece Sacred Ground was located in the event space and there's just so much going on, so much story telling within all his art work really. Please check it out now.
Needless to say the entire experience was impeccable and I will be returning as much as I can to be involved with this community in anyway I can.
In trying to summarize the weekend I would have to summarize with "Purpose > Passion". Years ago, I moved to Chicago to pursue my passion and relentlessly I did. I would write to myself, I just don't know how to do anything else I just know how to do this and because of such, once I finally achieved my passion I felt very lost.
Janette mentioned something about pursuing a purpose over passion that has been resonating in my thoughts and I don't know how to formulate in words just yet. But I'm finding things that is making me feel driven again (fingers crossed) and it's through this purpose of mine. (And seeing purpose all around me).
My sketch/artwork was done with the procreate app on the Apple iPad.
Without realizing it, most of my sketches take me about an hour and a half even though it may feel like 30 minutes to me. So for this sketch I tried to encapsulate my weekend in less time (my overdrive brain has made me super tired! I needed sleep!). I thought of Nat King Cole's piano and started sketching hands on a piano...uh...hands are hard! I took another step back and found a silhouette of a jazz player, saxophone-ing his heart out and played with many different painting brushes to create textures and layers to the image.