Smaller world

The exhibit is up and running. I had a great time engaging the students, faculty, and staff during the reception and I believe it was well received. One of the models was in attendance and it was good to see him again.

The highlight of the evening for me had to be meeting the daughter of a former athletic director and coach from my alma mater. I told her stories of her dad disciplining me on the ice skating rink durin our summer youth sports program. I grew up to later include his portrait in a poster contest promoting  a basketball tournament.

https://dailynorthwestern.com/2018/02/14/lateststories/dittmar-exhibit-challenges-stereotypes-black-men/

Northwestern will be seeing Black men

The staff at Dittmar did a wonderful job with this marketing for the exhibit next week. I love how they combined the men. The gaze is amazing. I can’t wait to see all the paintings hanging at once.

Seeing Tyrone

Tyrone is completed. This is probably the rare time when he will be truly visible. The painting was completed in less than three weeks. I really wanted this completed for the exhibit at Northwestern.

It will also transition my focus from Black men to senior citizens. After a short break I will begin Irene and Dennis.

Tyrone

Tyrone is nearing completion. All that remains is his pants and hood lining. This was one of the most challenging painting of the series. Not because of painting technique but because of his narrative and having to stare into his eyes. Of all the men in the series he is probably the most “invisible.”

I learned Tyrone’s story as I was assisting him with an online job application. He never had an email account or worked with computers and was trying to apply for jobs as a dishwasher. As we were setting up his email account I discovered he did not own a smartphone either. He will never read this blog page.

Tyrone grew up in Chicago. He dropped out of school in the seventh grade. He shared with me that he was arrested and went to prison for a gun possession. He has a felony conviction on his record. The lack of an education and a criminal record has prevented him from accessing many of the things we take for granted.

As I bring Tyrone into view it is easy to reflect on how one wrong choice can take a person down his path. This could have been me.

When the viewer looks very close into his bloodshot eyes, they will see their self reflected back.

Artist Talk

I needed to practice my Artist Talk so the senior center hosted a program featuring me and the Men on December 11. I brought four of the Men and the Serengeti painting. The chairs were arranged into a horseshoe to encourage conversation.

This was probably one of the rare occasions where this audience of senior white People talked about race and stereotypes. Many of them knew me as a volunteer and were surprised to learn I was an artist.

Today as I was leaving the center after a workout two of the attendees stopped me to chat about how much she enjoyed the talk and a previous experience where she stereotyped. The fact that she stopped me to chat let me know I’m doing important work with this art.

The gaze

I was sitting in the studio today having completed varnishing LaMar and decided to pull out the other paintings to review my progress. There is a distinction between how I approached each male with color and brushwork. Some have detailed strokes while others are flickers or markings. Fabrics vary among the men and each presented a unique challenge to capture.

What I was fixated on during the inspection was being surrounded by the collective gaze and the feelings it conjures. I’m sure the feelings will differ with each viewer and I hope they pay attention to the feelings. This is worth exploring and discussing in a group setting.

LaMar

The final painting before the Northwestern University exhibit. This was completed in three weeks. I met this brother at my Chicago exhibition in February 2016 and never knew his name or story. I’m really pleased with the combination of realism, color, and the size.

I named him LaMar.

Rashaun Rodney and Marshawn

The three men were completed on November 11 and I was able to relax for a week before resuming the last piece before the February 2018 show at Northwestern.

Between the brothas

I spent the first half of 2017 taking a break from (In)Visible Men to get this painting completed. The image was taken from my retirement trip to Tanzania to trek Mt. Kilimanjaro and safari in the Serengeti. These children were out walking in the savanna and approached us while we were looking at the termite pillar. I love how the figures look like the elongated carvings from some of the cultures there.

I haven’t forgotten you brothas

I haven’t forgot you Shawn, Rodney, and Marshawn. I was away from this piece for more than a year.  I’d been busy climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro and working on a piece from the trip. But I’m back and this will be complete before December in preparation for a February 2018 show at Northwestern University.

Reunited

Robert and Blanche Stephens of Washington, DC contacted me on January 21the day of my retirement reception inquiring if I was the same Ricardo they found on the Internet who painted this still life they purchased in the early 1980s. Of course I was and I was delighted that they found me coincidentally on the day of my reception. They purchased this piece during an exhibition in Winston-Salem while I was in college more than 35 years ago and we had not been in contact nor had I seen the painting since they took possession. I was happy to hear from them and they shared a pic of the painting which I hope to see in person when I travel east to visit family. 

The Raggety Ann doll was used in a series of paintings during this period to create a narrative about a little girl named Rebecca living in the rural south. Four paintings were part of the series and I would love to see them exhibited together.

Friday's are workdays

These paintings aren't going to paint themselves on a Friday afternoon. I found the slot today as we say in golf and painted Rodney's t-shirt. I love his posture and you can feel his weight underneath his shirt. 

Progress in the face of nihilism

It may not look like much progress to others but it's progress to me after being away from this piece since November and retiring from the University at the end of January. The time at the easel has been spent painting sweatpants on Shawn. 

I had to prepare statements from each model in the series describing their invisibility and their comments continue to profound me in the depth of their experiences, fears, and hopes. That's the one good thing that connects these men and others is the hope and ambition to achieve in life. Still, nihilism is our greatest threat. 

Chicago will be seeing Black men

Melodye's hands were a blur as she described the nuances and varieties in Black men physical characteristics and my willingness to take on this challenge when depicting the Men. Her mind races faster than her hands as only an artist would with her excitement over hosting (In)Visible Men this month. I'm still amazed at the irony of her discovering my work in October while I was always a fan of her children's books.

This will be the first public exhibition of the work in Chicago and I'm excited that former students and friends living in the city may be able to see my work. The opening reception is February 12 and the show runs to March 4, 2016.

Why do I have to die to be seen?

Don't get it twisted, I have no suicidal inclinations! I'm an artist and I live to create life. But don't wait until I'm dead to see me.  And read this article in the NY Times. I remember having to seek out Black art history while I negotiated a white dominant discipline. 

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/29/arts/design/black-artists-and-the-march-into-the-museum.html?_r=0

I Still Paint....As Black Men Die

There's no explanation for why this paintings is still in progress. No deadlines are looming and retirement is less than 35 working days away. I was down with the flu last week and thought the time home would motivate me but it didn't. Too much negative news in the media involving Black men and the Laquan McDonald shooting in Chicago is discouraging. Today I painted because I needed to paint. Under painting is relaxing too. I hope the month of December will be productive and no one dies. 

CMN 340 Visual Politics

This is the final two weeks of (In)Visible Men at the YMCA. I received this wonderful note from an instructor in a communications class at the U of I who attended the show with a class. I appreciate the feedback.

Mindless Monochromatic Meandering

Spent the evening with the men. Progress is slow since my deadlines are my own. It was very relaxing to sit at the easel this evening. I had lower braces placed Tuesday so the distraction from mouth issues were welcomed. Sucking on pretzels is the only way to eat them. Almonds are out of the question. 

Three Gentlemen

As I was sketching Shawn, Rodney, and Mashawn on the canvas today I reflected on the thought that these men wanted to be seen. They sought me out. I'd been attracted to Mashawn for more than a year. He's Hatian and his size betrays his attitude. He's a very humble man. He stopped by the office with Rodney and Shawn. I had never met the others but I was surprised when Rodney shared he was a graphics major. No information on Shawn yet but I loved his indifference when we took the pics and his stare into the distance in contrast to Rodney and Mashawn's gaze. Yogi will have to wait. 

Deidre's Acquisition

I'm so proud of Deidre. She was 12 years old when her parents reproduced Mother Africa in 1994 as a limited edition. 21 years later she became the owner of the original. I'm going to miss that painting but I know it's in good hands.