Painting Elite…Corey Barksdale, Steven Lopez, and Lionel Milton
All artists have other artists that they admire. I am no different. My first experiences with art, were like most peoples, simple doodles, elementary school art class, coloring books, finger painting, collages, clay and papier-mache. I loved art class as a kid. Even in elementary school, I saw it as a break from the monotony of daily classwork. However, at some point, I just forgot that I could do it. It was as if I was hit on my head and the artistic portion of my brain shut down for a decade.
As I got older, my mom got into polymer clay and my interest in art was rekindled. Through her travels as an accomplished craftswoman, she met many many talented artists throughout the country. One of those artists was Meta Strick. Meta is a fantastic mixed media artist from Vermont with abilities that are absolutely stunning. A true creator, connoisseur, and teacher of art, Meta is an inspiration.
I really began to take painting serious when I went to the Kehinde Wiley exhibit Recognize, when it was showing at the National Portrait Gallery in Washington DC. I was blown away by the detail of each painting. The polish on the chair of the LL Cool J painting. The intricacies of each of the backgrounds. The size of each piece. The realism. The silky smoothness of the oil on canvas. Mostly, the color. I loved the colors.
So, I picked up a brush and let the 11 year old wanna be artist out the closet and began to splash paint around. First on old t-shirts, then on stretched canvas, and now on anything. These days I’m mostly interested in painting people. I like expressions, the way lighting alters the face, and creates creases and wrinkles, curves and bumps. I am inspired by the work of Lionel Milton, Corey Barksdale, and Steven Lopez. I admire these guys so much because their talent is truly remarkable. They influence my own style and my own creativity.
I have a passion for art because of the people that do it. I respect those that are brave enough to take the risk to create the unimaginable. Keep painting my friends.
More Art for Humans
Cheeks by Calvin
Saggy Britches
Now I’m no fashionista. But, I’m not quite a Brett Favre, Wrangler jeans wearing, tucked in plaid shirt, straw chewing cowboy type either. I do consider myself somewhat fashionable. No, I can’t recite to you what’s hot for the fall according to GQ, but I can tell you that pea coats are always in.
See as an artist I understand there are rules. For example, there’s the color wheel. By rule certain colors should be used together, think purple and gold, green and yellow, and orange and blue. Also as an artist, I understand rules are most certainly meant to be broken. That’s why you splash a little pink or a little gold onto the canvas to liven things up.
However, one rule that should never ever be broken in art or in life; you just DO NOT sag your skinny jeans! If skinny jeans were meant to be sagged they would not be made so skinny.
Exhibit A
Lil Wayne multitasking
Now, I love Wayne like the rest of the world. The guy has skills, he is immensely talented. In fact, he can poop and rap at the same time. Truthfully, I’m just not interested in seeing his behind. His jeans are begging to be free like Djimon Hounsou in Amistad and they are halfway through the revolution. It’s not a good look. Pull your britches up playa.
And when did sagging your skinny jeans become the style? Skinny jeans themselves are not a new trend. In fact, they’ve been around for 60 years!
Elvis wore skinny jeans in the 50s
The Ramones in the 70s
Guns and Roses in the 80s
The 90s saw a brief hiatus to the skinny jean. In were Hammer pants and baggy jeans with Timberlands. At least with baggy jeans you had a reason to sag them. They were HUGE!!
We are currently in the era of disgraceful jeans. I’m ashamed.
However, there is hope!! He goes by the name of Michael Jordan.
MJ did not get the skinny jeans memo
Ok ok ok, so I’d rather wear skinny jeans (pulled up around my waist of course) then rock those things MJ’s got on. Don’t wanna be like Mike. You are still the man though MJ. Actually, he’s still America’s third most popular athlete. Dude hasn’t played basketball in a decade!!!
More Art for Humans
The Seed (2.0) by Calvin
Anti-Social Media…
Here ye, Here ye. I would like to propose a toast to the death of the word “social.” ”Social,” you fought the good fight, may you rest in peace.
When Webster first defined social, he probably said something about togetherness, enjoying the company of others, and human relationships. Now the definition of the word social, or better yet sociable has completely changed. Sociability is directly linked to your presence on social media sites. Think about it, is a person with 10 followers less social than a person with a million? According to you, maybe yes, but they both Tweet to their followers alone on their phones in the bathrooms while they take craps. How social are we really?
Believe it or not, I do really love social media. I think it is our generations greatest achievement next to BuckyBalls. I have had Facebook since 2004 when it first launched. I was on Facebook when it was “theFacebook” and only college students were allowed on it. Back when Facebook looked like this.
Facebook 2005
So naturally, I am not against Facebook or any social media at all. However, I’d be remiss not to mention the irony associated with so called “social media.” When’s the last time you updated your Facebook profile with a buddy. ”Hey Mike, lets update our profiles together?” Ugh No. It just doesn’t happen. Or Tweeted during dinner and your dinner partner found it to be socialable. The fact is, we almost always use social media alone!
However, there is no denying that social media has kept me in contact with buddies from a decade ago that I’d probably not even remember their names of it weren’t for Facebook. In the end, that will be the legacy of social media. Hopefully, not what Kim Kardashian ate for dinner.
More Art for Humans
The Bolder Lisa by Calvin
It’s time…
The Young and the Bold is a collective of different artists that aspire to change the world of art. The art world has become overrun by suit wearing, slick haired, corporate types, locked in stuffy rooms discussing the dollar values of our priceless pieces.
That is where we come in. We are your backdoor men. When your husband leaves for work you call us. In the following pages you will find art, lifestyle, sports, entertainment, who killed Kennedy and the location of Elvis.
I hope you enjoy viewing this as much as we enjoy creating it.
A Reasonable Doubt by Calvin
