Window To My Soul Exhibition

 

The reception for the Window To My Soul Exhibition commenced on June 4th at the Athens Public Library, in beautiful Athens Ohio. The exhibition was a mixture of some of my most poignant earlier work that has resonated well with a wide audience, plus a few newer pieces that cohesively blend into my artistic vision and body of work.

 

 

The exhibit displayed 10 pieces, from limited edition prints to original paintings. It called for each visitor to have a sense of connectivity with fine art; connectivity that is increasingly lacking, as fine art is being vastly devalued because of what I believe is the de-sensitivity to it, partly as a result of the oversaturation of the market with bad or meaningless art. In my artist talk which is an important presentation at all my exhibitions, I challenged each individual to engage in provocative conversations surrounding each work as they engage with the symbology embedded in every piece.

Peilian Wu

 

I had the opportunity to share the space with another phenomenal artist, Peilian Wu. In her own words, Wu explains that her artwork is “influenced by formulas in traditional Chinese paintings which can be traced back to texture strokes in Ming landscape painting.” Her interpretation of the Ohio landscape in this style was a refreshing take on the natural beauty of the area, which I as a fellow international artist have come to love and represent in my own art. What I admired most about her work is her conveyance of cultural identity through her traditional style, which is seen as a direct extension of herself as a Chinese artist.

 

It was nice to see a few familiar faces who supported my previous shows in Athens, but even better to see some new faces who got introduced to brand ABFA that evening. My gratitude extends to each and every person who attended the exhibit and to those who helped to make it a complete success.

Myself and Curator Todd Bastin

 With another exhibition under my belt in Athens, I set my sights on surrounding towns in Ohio, aiming to diversify their artistic landscape and open doors of opportunity for artists of color like myself who have found a home in hidden gems across the American landscape similar to Athens Ohio.

 

 

 

 

 

2017 Year in Review.

It is hard to believe that yet another year has gone so quickly. It still seems like it was yesterday I was entering my first art exhibition in high school. 2017 was a year of new and valuable experiences. I was apart of four exhibitions, got introduced to gallery operations and the exhibition process and was even tapped to be as a guest speaker. With a few goals in mind, the ball got rolling fast, and the entire year proved to be a very productive one for Adrian Blake Fine Art.

       

The year began with the creation of one of my most visually compelling illustrations, “When the Rain Comes”, which proved to be a favorite in the exhibitions I was apart of. My first solo exhibition Freedom in Creativity turned out to be a tremendous event, planned perfectly to fall on my birthday, so it was a two-in-one celebration. The turnout surpassed my expectations and the support from those who attended made it even more special.

Doors kept opening after my solo exhibition, and I ended up in three other exhibitions that year: The Introspection Art Exhibition held in Cleveland Ohio, the In the Margins Exhibition held in Athens Ohio and Majestic National Juried Exhibition in Nelsonville Ohio. At each of these exhibitions I had the privilege to interact with some extremely creative artists, most notably Robert Peppers- art professor at Ohio University, who curated and also displayed works in the exhibition in Cleveland.

 

 

 

Adrian Blake, ASU Presentation 2017

The opportunity to be a guest speaker at the annual African Students Union Gala at Ohio University presented itself, and I embraced it with open arms. At the event I spoke about taking the responsibility as creative individuals; being aware of the things taking place in our society, and realizing that we can directly affect change through our creativity. This end of year event along with the completion of my Beauty Strength and Grace series of paintings culminated one of my most memorable, productive and inspirational years as an artist. 

 

2018 has begun friends, and with it new challenges and opportunities will be faced. I give a big thank you to all who supported Adrian Blake Fine Art in 2017, for with each of you I create more confidently knowing that I have earned that support through art that connects with each of you in their own unique way.  

 

Beauty, Strength and Grace, A Series.

 

“Dipped in chocolate, bronzed in elegance, enameled with grace, toasted with beauty, my lord, she’s a black woman.” – Dr.Yosef Ben-Jochannan. Dr. Ben said it perfectly, echoing some of my own thoughts when it comes to the Black woman. Skin color and culture aside however, my series of paintings titled Beauty, Strength and Grace express my feelings towards the traits I believe the ideal woman possesses and demonstrates.

Complete Surrender

Beauty. “ True beauty in a woman is reflected in her soul.”- Audrey Hepburn. As much as beauty can be superficial, and be defined through outward characteristics, it should be more of a combination of factors that aid in the realization of the essence of true beauty. In my painting Complete Surrender my subject represents that outward beauty, but also that inward beauty that makes what the eyes see so much more appealing.

 

 

 

Blissful Reminiscence.

Strength. “She’s been through more hell than you’ll ever know, but that’s what gives her beauty an edge”. – Alfa. This trait manifests itself well when one is under duress, and to some extent is the defining characteristic of a person’s existence. Throughout my life I’ve seen strength demonstrated by the two women who have helped to make me into the man I am today, my mother and grandmother. Their sacrifices, sweat, tears and resilience are represented in my painting “Blissful Reminiscence.”

 

 

Finally Free. 

Grace. “ Grace is the beauty of form under the influence of freedom.”- Friedrich Schiller. In Finally Free, my subject has found her liberating force, and in doing so puts on display that gracefulness a woman develops when she finally knows who she is, despite adversity. That moment of acceptance of who she was and the realization of who she truly is meant to be as a result of her triumph.

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the Margins Exhibition.

   

    The In the Margins Exhibition was created with the intent to give a voice to the marginalized groups in the local region. The exhibition featured artwork from talented artists with varied backgrounds, who brought their own unique take on the premise of the exhibit. The curators had a vision of tackling the unique questions surrounding life within the margins as artists; and the artists, which included myself posed answers to those questions through our submitted works, ranging from painting, to sculpture, photography, poetry and dance.

Life within the margins as an artist is oftentimes arduous. We are subjected to rigid confines of social conformity, and sometimes face political backlash because of our willingness to express our individuality- especially in times where it is challenged by social norms. The impact of these margins can be seen in our individual communities and globally, and if not addressed with our platform of expression, our future as artists and creative individuals could be tremendously affected.

Above, I stand with Kasey Jones, one of the curators of the exhibition. There was strong encouragement for people of color, women, LGBTQ, immigrants and people with disabilities to apply, in order to set the stage for diversity in thought and creative assertion. The gallery was a wonderful venue for the exhibit- very spacious and promoted a fluid movement of people, and accommodated the performers perfectly.

Exhibitions like these are very important, especially in communities with diverse populations. They speak their own language of acceptance of all people, and promote creative expression of all those who feel pressured to live life within margins that seek to confine us in so many ways.

On The Easel Today.

On the easel today July 5, 2017 features my newest painting titled “Complete Surrender”. This piece culminates a series of work that I have been brainstorming for some time. The title of the series is: “Beauty, Strength & Grace”, and features two other works, which you have possibly seen a time of two before: “Blissful Reminiscence” and “Finally Free”. All three paintings embody the essence of the title of the series; yet stand alone in their individual meanings.

In this painting, my subject is adorned in a warm, radiant light, which envelops her in a rather intimate fashion and crowns her with a halo. Her posture and subtle expression is that of complete surrender, as her stark beauty is glorified. I challenged myself with this piece, as I do with all my paintings. This challenge was creating transparency and softness in texture in the fabric that adorns her. Those two aspects of painting are two of the most difficult for any artist, but in trying numerous approaches I am at the brink of accomplishing what I intend to.  There is more work to be done however, in spite of the current successes throughout the piece. My paint is still wet, and my brushes are eagerly waiting to be summoned.

Introspection Art Exhibition.

Yet another exhibition is under my belt for 2017, and this one was particularly full of fresh experiences. The Introspection Art Exhibition held in wonderful Cleveland Ohio at The Shinn House Gallery featured works from three artists, myself, Robert Peppers and Kevin Daniel. Each artist had a very strong body of work, and each of us brought unique experiences to the exhibition as artists with varied styles and mediums of expression.

My medium of expression, as you know, is painting. The display consisted of most of my newest works from earlier this year, and works from 2016. Kevin Daniel had a very interesting body of work with his photography, through his experimentation with compositional elements, particularly atmospheric lighting. Robert Peppers, who curated the exhibit and being the most experienced of all in the exhibit, displayed a number of sculptures, which boasted intricacies in design and mastery in technique. The gallery space accommodated us well, with three rooms dedicated to each artist.

Being in Cleveland for the first time was a wonderful experience (considering that no one at the exhibition knew I wanted the Golden State Warriors to win the NBA championship). A tour of the city was on my agenda, and of course a visit the Cleveland Museum of Art. That was a must. The opportunity to showcase my work to a different audience, along with collaborating with one of the most well known Black artists in Peppers, and talented young artist in Daniel, is something of tremendous value. The turnout and feedback at the opening of the exhibition was pleasing, and the conversations about each work- not only about my own, but also of my fellow exhibitors awarded me broader artistic knowledge as I navigate my way to my successes as an artist.

Freedom in Creativity Solo Exhibition.

“The Studio is a laboratory, not a factory. An exhibition is the result of your experiments, but the process is never ending. So an exhibition is not a conclusion.” – Chris Ofili.  In quoting one of the most inspiring black artists of the age, I want you to understand how I see my art, my career and my ambitions in being an impactful artist. Freedom in creativity comes from that gut feeling you have to create based of pure emotion, thought and love for what you believe in; your god given talent to effectively communicate visually.

My first solo exhibition Freedom in Creativity was held on April 6, 2017 in Athens Ohio at the Arts West building. That day was special for a number of reasons. Not only was it the reception of my first solo show, it was also my birthday. It was a day I will never forget based on those two things primarily. Tremendous thought was put into the title of the exhibition, where I wanted to convey my thoughts on not only my art, to those who were to be exposed to it, but also my thoughts about art in general, and the challenges artists face as we journey along our individual paths.

In speaking to the guests who attended the exhibit, I raised the point about artistic freedoms being challenged, even trampled on: “That which we create is born from inspiration, which come to us in countless forms. A double standard prevails however, that inhibits that full expression and sometimes hide what we create.” This was the meat to my exhibition that Thursday evening. My intent was to open eyes to my varied interests as an artist; never to be labeled as a particular kind, or be constrained to doing one type of work. Artistic freedom should prevail, especially in a societies that sometimes unknowingly confine artists to particular types of expression.

For the exhibition I partnered with one of the most important organizations in Athens Ohio, Passion Works. This partnership arose from my interest in what they provide for special needs individuals in Athens and surrounding towns. Some of their artworks were on display, in order to raise awareness of their efforts with special needs, and also inspire further support of their members. The exhibition was a success in every aspect. From my experiments, I created- but the process continues. This exhibition was not a conclusion.