Newness

These ladies are from a series I'd like to do (have done, am currently finishing) called Postcards. They're 4*6 watercolours. I did the first set of these in July.

A new year is beginning and I'm as excited as a person who likes stability can be; smiling anxiety. But it's good and I look forward to new experiences and journeys as I always do; having faith that it'll be alright thought it surely isn't always alright.

I'm headed to Palo Seco for the weekend and will be ringing in the new year quietly, in rural Trinidad, on the beach, with the people I care about. I'm very excited. I'm a homebody, I have few close friends and I enjoy spending time with them and spending time with my family is important to me. I promised pictures last time and didn't deliver but I will this time!

A few things brought newness this year; new nephew, new job, new opportunities, new joys, new sorrows and a newness to the way I choose to love.

I'm digging this today; in remembrance of those (in many years past) I let go, those I chose to keep, the things I dragged out of unscathed, the things that left scars and the things that I can't yet forgive:

“Out of suffering have emerged the strongest souls; the most massive characters are seared with scars.” - Khalil Gibran

Keep good and happy new year,

Experiments in Acrylic

I'm blogging from Belmont today.

Usually, I work in watercolour because I love its fluidity, graphite because of its starkness. My style is quite different in acrylic paint than it is in those media.

I dig it though and I'm pleased with these ladies. Meet Moremi, Anansa and Ella.


Season's Greetings and Keep good...

Listening to Ella Andall's Osun Bamise

Really?

Many thanks to Abena for this feature. Abena blogs at Girl, It's Not Just You which is a great blog.
Exams are over and I'll be posting what I've been working on recently later tonight.

Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could. Some blunders and absurdities have crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day. You shall begin it serenely and with too high a spirit to be encumbered with your old nonsense. - Emmerson

Be good.

Real Beauty

Name: Brianna McCarthy

Your girls (your art) are always so enchanting. It's interesting that they're also natural. How important do you think natural hair is to a black woman's identity?

Thank you! I think natural hair is about understanding, acceptance and self-love. That’s not to say that women who don’t have natural hair lack these things, it’s that so often we don’t appreciate our hair because it doesn’t ascribe to a particular ideal of beauty – we want to be like something else because we’ve been taught that what we have is not good enough and that needs to change. It’s not a simple matter of any woman of any race saying “I wish my feet were smaller”, it’s a pervasive mindset that we need to be different, less Black, more non-black – we struggle with our hair texture and skin colour and there is a whole plethora of stereotypes that go along with those things. All this to say, I love blackness, ethnicity, “mixedness” that’s celebrated, loved and appreciated. I hope that there’ll come a time when it won’t be necessary to even discuss this. It’s my hope that my ladies illustrate women who simply are – ethnic pride, ethnic understanding, acceptance of the diversity of humanity and strength.

Name an obstacle(s) that black women are presented with and how you think they can overcome that obstacle.

I think our biggest obstacle is how much we struggle with self esteem. Of course that can't apply to everyone but it's the biggest problem I see. Overcoming it, I believe, takes stepping into yourself, not strictly as a Black woman but as a person, an entity who has much to offer. I also think it takes a certain level of dismissing the he-say and she-say, the extra opinions that have us constantly trying to prove something. Just be your very best and love who you are.

What keeps you strong and motivated?...What keeps you going each day?

Faith. Knowing that I haven’t learnt even a quarter of what I need to learn. I tend to be an untrusting person; almost to a fault so I’d like to see how that progresses as well. I enjoy finding out new things – even when they come as hard lessons. Knowing myself,cultivating sincerity and empathy in myself and seeking excellence in what I decide to do. Fascinating, strong and extra-ordinary people are also motivators. Day to day though, my strongest motivator has to be that innate need to know, to find out, to have discourse about what happens; I’m a talker, I talk about what bothers me, even if it’s difficult because I’ve seen that there’s merit in honesty.

Update: At Alice Yard Tomorrow

This coming Saturday, we will launch the Alice Yard Shop, a new intervention in Trinidad's commercial art market. Rather than a permanent retail outlet, the Shop is an exhibition and sale of artists' limited editions and multiples, design objects, and some original artworks, reasonably priced and intended to be affordable to beginning collectors. Every few months the Alice Yard Shop will exhibit a new selection of works and objects, which will also be available for purchase online.

The first Shop exhibition and sale opens at 6.00 pm on Saturday 19 December, 2009. It will feature objects by a range of artists who have been involved in Alice Yard's activities over the past year, including Akuzuru, Christopher Cozier, Marlon Darbeau, Michelle Isava, Jaime Lee Loy, Brianna McCarthy, Nikolai Noel, Suzanne Nunez, Richard Rawlins, Seon Thompson, Rodell Warner, Adam Williams, and Robert Young.

All are invited.

For more information, contact helloaliceyard@gmail.com

Pucker Up

I was asked to do an interview by Craig over at Kiss My Black Ads. This is it; I'm actually quite happy with it. Do enjoy!

12/16/09 Interview: Brianna McCarthy

How did you discover artistic ability?

Accidentally. I’m not even sure. I’ve always, for as long as I’ve known myself, been attracted to creating things. I come from a resourceful family; a low income background has a tendency to provoke that! So, I knew that it was possible to alter most things, do without some things and make completely new things. Art was and escape for me too – I daydreamed too much as a child, drew too much, wrote too much – gave me the opportunity to be somewhere else constantly.

How is your ethnicity a source of inspiration or strength in your work? Or is it just sort of a default setting that has little bearing.

It's both. I just am what I am, the product of many things and that's both mundane and exciting. I’m certainly influenced by my ethnic make-up or cultural influences as I want to know them intimately – it’s all very beautiful. Someone asked me once why all my paintings were of Black women. I had to think about it. I knew the answer, but what was it? I happen to be Black, female and West Indian; it’s what I identify with and influences how I see myself – therefore, it comes out in my expression.

Is being a woman artist different from being a man designer, do you find it liberating or challenging?

Liberating. I love being female and I love that men are different. I think male designers are quite different from female artists. My partner is a male designer and the differences between us, which I can attribute to creative differences, are fascinating. I make things I think are gorgeous to look at and that bring positivity because of that; he seeks to solve a problem through design. It’s quite interesting.

Is that question irrelevant?
Haha! I think it's relevant if you're into that dynamic.

What aspect of your art do you really love?

The reactions my work provokes. When someone really enjoys what I’ve made, it’s a good feeling. When I’m done and I know, from the piece, that it’s done and I’m happy with it, it’s a good feeling.

What's the most challenging part of what you do?

Figuring out exactly what it is that I do! My call card says “Brianna McCarthy – Makes Things”. Seriously though, being self taught is awesome I think but I wonder what I missed out on sometimes. I went with my other loves (Literature, French) for university. I didn’t ever consider studying art. I might change that at some point though.

What's your dream job?

Finding a way to create for a living outside of working at an agency or design company. I actually enjoy, if that's the right word, working in the corporate field -- it provides me a little balance.

Can you discuss any specifics about the process of creating a few of the pieces you sent.

The portraits of the 5 girls were done on a four day family vacation on the south coast of Trinidad. It was beautiful – the weather, the sea, the people – a great vibe. But I was pretty pensive that weekend – these girls were done during and after that time – a period of clarity. They’re honestly some of my favourites.

Any advice for neophytes?

Being a neophyte myself, I’d have to say – keep learning, stay focused, be smart about who you take advice from and trust yourself a little. Risk is good most times, even though I don’t often take my own advice in that regard. Most of all, be honest with yourself about yourself.

Lauren Hinds, Cloth, Frocks and a Little Boy Named Ari

I'm excited about a few things today.

One of my favourite people finally started her blog. Lauren Hinds is an illustrator, designer, bookbinder (I have a handmade journal from her; it's absolutely gorgeous) and a friend of mine. She's currently based in the US where she's studying.

My family has grown a bit with the addition of my fourth nephew earlier today. Ari's a perfect little boy, with a full head of black hair, trying to suck his hands last I heard. I'm very excited -- I love those boys to bits.

I was asked to model for a regional design company called The Cloth. Great experience, exhausting but awesome. The photographer is Arnaldo James who can pull mood and texture out of anywhere.

Coming out of that experience, was an opportunity which I will post about at a later point. I'm thrilled about it though.

I'm studying and whatnot so forgive my lapses. Exams are next week so I should be back on stream after that.

Also, I was featured on two very cool blogs: Parapluies at Soleil (Khristian is an illustrator and a generally fly person) and Dolls of Colour. Thank you ladies!

Keep good and blessings!

Paper Things

I wanted packaging that suited me - bright and whimsical but not overly cute. Last weekend I pulled out all my scrapbooking devices(I haven't been using them) and delighted myself. I was honestly delighted. These are my paper things.

And...I opened an Etsy store...feel a little iffy about it all but while my mood persists it's here.

Sunchaser

I think she's enchanting. I'm pretty sure you'll see her magic too.

It's been a while!

A few things have been going on. I photographed my first wedding with RW. It was a fantastic experience and I’m pleased with the results. It was lovely ceremony and it feels so good to have gotten photos which were exciting.

Shooting for Closer started, which was another interesting experience. The human interpersonal dynamic, between strangers of different races, classes and places in Trinidad, is something else to watch. A very active day on the Promenade complete with long drives to Maracas Bay and Paramin with Dave and RW. There’s much to be gotten when the people around you are of the good kind.

A piece of madness; I was an extra in a short film here. It was too much fun to meet up with friends I haven’t seen in ages and to make some new acquaintances.

I’ve been busy with assignments and life things; it’s fantastic to see so many new visitors though…

Oho…I want to thank Essense Vibez for her constant support and Mae for featuring me on her blog…Thank you ladies!

Blessings and keep good…

Martha says hullo...

The Description of the Curious Creatures

I love a good book. I can appreciate almost any literature, which is what happened with Amos Tutuola’s The Palm Wine Drinkard. It’s one of those books that can make you cringe in utter disbelief. Some think it brilliant, its simplicity so novel that only genius could create it, others are simply mortified.

I love it for a simple reason; the imagery which is richly elaborate, imaginative, fantastical and vividly coloured by landscape. It’s on the strange side.

Imagine following the “perfect” person, a complete person, refusing to be chased away by their bad attitudes and all those other little indicators that maybe you should run for the hills. Imagine that, then imagine watching as they remove each perfect, complete part and return it to whoever they borrowed it from. An arm here, a lovely leg there; maybe a personality as well. I know I’ve been there.

I ponder over my insecurities and the impossibilities that make me utterly paranoid. Perhaps these ladies are those. Perhaps they’re the insecurities I see in people all around me. Whatever they may seem to you, I hope you heed Tutuola’s advice “DO NOT FOLLOW UNKNOWN MAN’S BEAUTY”.

As A Matter of Fact...

This is Faith...

I've realised that I don't write much about myself on my blog, which is partly due to being very private and partly due to being unsure of what to say. I much rather be asked a question than to volunteer information. Naarya made this easier on me by having her awards come with a series of questions. This might also be a completely pointless exercise, it's fun though.

Thank you Naarya!

Here we go:

Urban Paper, Lemonade and Other Things

Many thanks to Kia over at Urban Paper Loft (stationary, gifts and apparel) for naming me an Urban Paper Girl. Check out the interview and blog!

Urban Paper Girl Brianna McCarthy
I've beginning to meet (virtually) some of the most wonderful women through this blog. I saw Artist Brianna McCarthy's blog a few weeks and was instantly smitten with her beautiful style


Also, I'm pretty pleased about this, many thanks to Don't Be A Slut for the Lemonade Stand blog award. She has an amazing blog and a powerful message. She's also described my girls as "big-eyed beautiful black girls" and I think I love that description more than any I've heard before.


You need to vibes her; amazingly tart, humorous and honest writer.





I have instructions as to how I need to pass this award along and you know I'm all for great attitude, honesty and all those good things so here's my short list:

Essense Vibez

B is for Stealing

Naarya

Black.Girl. Thoughts (Like Don't Be A Slut, Cheron already has one of these but I wanted to pass it on again)

Congrats people and here are the rules of engagement:

• Put the logo on your blog or post.
• Nominate at least 10 blogs that show great attitude and/or gratitude.
• Link to your nominees within your post.
• Let them know that they have received this award by commenting on their blog.
• Nominate your favorites, and link to this post.

and...Rodell Warner is currently being featured on The Creative Review for his Photo Booth Installation.

The Sisters Grey - Blue and Pink

'ullo.
I've been pleasantly occupied. Changed jobs, back at school, learning things that I didn't even consider. It's beautiful; doesn't always feel good but it's honest and that's what matters.

I changed my banner to something a bit more vibrant. It’s watercolour and ink on 140lb paper…I’m enjoying it right now, hopefully I won’t tire of it too soon.

How are you?

A Girl and Her Flowers

and...I got this blog award from I am the Walrus and I wanted to pass it on to a few folks:

All Things Bright and Beautiful

Essense Vibez

Retromus-ik

Lion-essence