Friday, February 15, 2013

An Interview with Muralist and Artist, Ammar Nsoroma

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Artist Ammar Nsoroma

When I was 18 years old, I walked into the studio of Ammar Nsoroma. From the moment I walked in, my mouth fell open. I had never been in an artist’s studio, and I was in awe of all of the great works strewn about. Nsoroma was very shy and introverted, but he was talkative about his works. I sat and listened to his ideas and concepts and his goals for his future work. I was immediately intrigued, and although I wasn’t painting at that time, his creations lit a fire in my soul.

"Eshu/Elegba"
From The 7 African Powers Series
mixed media
(acrylic paint & collage)
2011

I would see him around town drawing people at festivals, and at age 19 I sat for my first pastel portrait. When he finished the drawing, I looked at it fascinated. “ How do you see these colors?” I asked him. The drawings had greens and reds and purples in the skin, and before him, I had never seen such things. Nsoroma looked at me, and with a soft voice he gestured towards the pastel painting, “You just see it!” he muttered. I laughed, and for years, I wondered what he meant. Those words left me searching for color, and because he told me that they were there, I began to allow myself to “see.” Nsoroma unwittingly became one of my first creative mentors.

"Shango"
From The 7 African Powers Series
mixed media
(acrylic paint & collage)
2011

."Oshun"
From The 7 African Powers Series
mixed media
(acrylic paint & collage)
2011

Ammar Nsoroma (born Kevin Tate) was born in Milwaukee, WI in June of 1967. He was the middle child with 3 older brothers and 2 younger sisters. An inspired child, he began creating at age 3, and with the support of his older brother who was an artist, he nurtured his gift. Like many children, Nsoroma drew comics to bide his time. By the time he reached high school, he was already a skilled young artist.

"Conceive, Speak & Manifest"
From The Franklin Square Mural Series
acrylic paint on mdo board
2011

At Milwaukee High School of the Arts in Milwaukee, WI, Nsoroma excelled in his art classes, and it was there that he first learned about murals, and a local muralist named Reynaldo Hernandez. At age 16, he and some of his classmates completed their first mural. He went on to win several art awards in school, and eventually won a scholarship to Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design (MIAD). Upon his graduation, Nsoroma started studying at MIAD—he only stayed for two semesters. Nsoroma said that as one of only 4 African-American students, he felt lost and isolated. He left school in 1989, subsequently loosing his scholarship. In 1990 he began to pursue his art fulltime. He traveled to New York to sell his work, and started painting murals around Milwaukee while working with the Inner City Arts Council.

Ammar Nsoroma at work

In 1991, Nsoroma decided to go back to school, and he applied and was accepted to The Art Institute of Chicago. He stayed there for 1 year. Nsoroma said that the environment was more interesting for him because he met artists from all over the world. Although he was learning, he had grown a bit tired of school, and wanted change. He went back to Milwaukee and delved deeply into his work. He began working on more murals around the city, and participating in local festivals.

Ammar Nsoroma at work

His murals became some of his most important work, and he created murals in Milwaukee, Chicago, L.A. and Washington D.C. Nsoroma’s murals were included in the book, Walls of Heritage, Walls of Pride: African American Murals. The book features a collection of 200 murals over three decades of African American art.

"The Resurrection of Watts"
acrylic paint on cinder block
Los Angeles
2002

Nsoroma’s works are imagined and inspired creations. He says that he is very inspired by various works of art and photographs, but most importantly he wants to create work that is meaningful to him. Life, spiritually, politics, and culture, are all recurring themes in his work. He says that the journey of being an artist has been challenging, and suggests that newcomers surround themselves with people that are honest and supportive. He also thinks that artists should venture outside of what they know and “paint what inspires you and excites you.”

"Khepera & the Rebirth of Africa"
mixed media on masonite
((acrylic paint, oil pastel & colored sand)
2008

Nsoroma says that it’s important for other African Americans to support the arts by purchasing art. He believes it's important to our history and growth, particularly because many of the works have deep emotional meaning. “Artist’s have the ability to take things and show them from a new perspective.” says Nsoroma. He feels that this gift is very important because it can captivate people in a unique way.

Nsoroma’s murals are outstanding, mesmerizing, and bursting with vibrant color, especially cast against the bleak landscape of urban Milwaukee. They are an inspiration to many people throughout the city, and were definitely an inspiration to me when I lived in Milwaukee. His current series of paintings focus on the African Orishas, and his visual interpretation of them.

"Yemonya in Life Giving Waters"
mixed media on masonite
((acrylic paint, oil pastel & colored sand)
2006

“Look at other people’s work, but don’t copy…try to find you.”

-Ammar Nsoroma

"Ogun" From The 7 African Powers Series
mixed media
(acrylic paint & collage)
2011
“Be as original as you can be.”-Ammar Nsoroma

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Check out this video:

All images are © copyrighted by the artist unless otherwise noted. Images cannot be reproduced without permission of the artist.

The Renaissance Man | An Interview with artist Maurice Evans

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Artist Maurice Evans in his studio

The Renaissance Man—a fitting name for a man whose creativity is not limited to just one medium. His love for creative diversity, and his patience to master them all sets Maurice Evans apart from many of the artists I have had the pleasure of meeting. His studio induces inspiration whether or not you create. As I sat to talk to him, Evans (never one to be idle) sketched out his ideas and thoughts in a notebook on the table. He lives by the premise, “Create art for arts sake,” and that allows him to be the spontaneous and comprehensive artist that he is.

Maurice Evans at work in his studio

Maurice Evans was born in Smyrna, TN to a father who was a military man, and a mother who was a teacher. Because his father was in the military, they moved around quite a bit, eventually settling in Georgia. At a young age, Evans was aware of his love for the arts, in particular the drawings in comic books. He began collecting them regularly, and found himself frustrated when they began covering the books with plastic. For him, that took away the joy of seeing the images inside before purchasing the them.

He thoroughly enjoyed art, but his first true love was music. Evans' father was a drummer, and a singer in a gospel choir, and at an early age he introduced him to great musicians like Al Green, Chaka Khan, and Marvin Gay. The music touched the young, shy Evans, and he wanted to learn more about how to make it himself. He helped his father breakdown his instruments, and when he was four, he began taking guitar lessons from one of his father’s military companions. Evans remembers the lessons being a very important part of his creative growth, and he was devastated when they ended. Evans says that he began to draw more because it was more accessible to him than creating the music he so loved. He attempted to join to band, while in school, in order to fill the musical void that he felt was missing, but he didn’t make it. That, in addition to his parents divorce, caused a devastating shift in his life, and art took precedence over music.

One Mo-Than-Three Trumpet © Maurice Evans

Maurice Evans attended Griffin High School in Griffin, GA. In high school, he was a talented art student, and it was there that he first began gaining recognition for his talent. His mother was a teacher, and she supported his creativity by allowing him to design her classroom boards each year. Toward the end of his high school years Evans made a decision not to go to the military like his father, and he also decided that he didn’t want to attend a four-year college. He decided to apply to art school, and in 1986 he was accepted to the Art Institute of Atlanta where he studied Fashion Illustration. Evans says that he chose that major because he wanted to do actual painting and drawing, as opposed to spending a lot of time on the computer.

Songstress © Maurice Evans

Crooner © Maurice Evans

During his studies at the Art Institute, Evans met designer Patrick Kelly while on a field trip with his class. Kelly was a premier African American designer in his time. Evans patience paid off that day as he waited for the designer after his show. Kelly (seeing his portfolio) offered to take him under his wing and mentor him. He told him to come to New York immediately after his graduation. Elated, Evans shared the news with his family. Right before his graduation, he found out that Patrick Kelly had passed away. Evans was devastated, but undeterred. He went on to graduate from the Art Institute with honors.

After college, he worked odd jobs, even delving back into music for a time. It was always apart of his life, but he wanted to see if he could become a producer full time. Although, that option didn’t work for Evans, his love for music stayed with him. Eventually, he took a position as a medical illustrator and worked the position for about a year until he was laid off.

Evans says that even early in life he recognized that people came into his life to help, “put him on his path.” There were moments in his life where he stopped creating, and a classmate or someone that he would meet along his journey would encourage him to continue. Many of the people who encouraged him are no longer artists, so he feels that he got better, not because he was the best, but simply because he continued.

Evans was working odd jobs again, when one day his college friend, Grace Kisa, told him about an open position at her job. She worked with a company called, Graphic Du Jour, creating unique paintings on demand. He landed the job and worked with the company for three years. He says of his time there, “ It opened me up to a new way of looking at art—a way to create art like a brand.” His relationship with Graphic Du Jour dissolved after three years and he ended up taking a job with a smaller company doing the same thing. That relationship also dissipated because he didn’t like being, “controlled,” or feeling like a “machine.” That quest for freedom prompted Evans to pursue his own creative goals and in 1994 he applied and got into the juried Black Arts Festival in Atlanta. With the help of his mother and friends, Evans had a successful exhibition, and was able to make enough money to buy a booth at the New York Art Expo. It was there that he met new clients and collectors and from there his work began to take off. Soon, he was exhibiting his work in galleries, and people were paying attention to his pieces nationally and internationally.

Evans says that he had found his creative style right before the Black Arts Festival. His stylized images with their elongated necks and arms expressed movement and color in a unique way. He had always painted still life, landscapes, and abstract art, but he had developed a new style that people latched on to. His love for music drove him to create a series called, “The Colour of Jazz.” Collectors began to gravitate towards that work, so he focused on creating more of those pieces. His love for music made him pay attention to details that many artists would overlook, like the musician’s hands and the movements they made as they played their instruments.

His paintings captured the essence of a music that crossed color barriers, and he used his mesmerizing palette to highlight the feeling and mood that the music evoked. His color palette—organic and African in its roots—is a very recognizable and respected part of his work. Evans says of his color choices, “Its natural for me to do colorful stuff, it’s a conscious effort to do something not so colorful.”

While experimenting and creating what he calls, “Art for arts sake,” Evans came upon of new way to express his ideas. He wanted to experiment with different ways of travelling so he created a series entitled, “Flying without Wings.” This series focused on the idea that there is more than one way to reach your destination in life—more than one way to travel.

Many artists and creative colleagues found the work intriguing, but some of his client base were confounded—they felt uncomfortable with the nudity and imagery, and had grown used to his previous musical pieces—an issue that Evans encountered a lot with the conservative black collectors. But Evans felt trapped by his previous art, and he really wanted to move past that work and evolve, so he continued to create the work that moved him most. For Evans, his transition and growth was less about monetary gain, but more about challenging himself to do something new and different. “You have to find the courage to go down a path that others tell you not to go down.”

Another of Evans fascinating skills lies in his gift for photography. Evans began taking pictures while in college because he wanted to shoot his own references for his paintings. It was during that time that he happened upon a model that helped him develop his own style of photography. Her open personality and willingness to shoot anywhere gave Evans the leeway to explore his imagination. She would soon become his photographic muse as he created unique art through his lens.

Evans felt that what he was doing was unique, but the gift of a book called, "Soul," from Grace Kisa showed Evans that someone else was already shooting in a similar way. He was inspired to take his images to the next level by integrating his art with his photography. He created mixed media works using his photography, and garnered a lot of positive attention for the work. His current series with Grace Kisa fuses her styling and design techniques with his photography and art. This new series, which is Afro Futuristic in nature, explores the black nude female image in a classically modern way.

A filmmaker as well, Evans has also worked on movies, documentaries and music videos. Evans is a prolific and comprehensive artist, mastering all of the mediums that he attempts with an adept hand. A Renaissance Man in his own right, Evans continues to create a vast legacy for himself in the creative world.

He leaves some insight:

On finding your own voice:

“Be careful when you like other artists. We all like other artists…the tricky part is learning from them and letting it inspire you. It’s important to tap into who you are as an artist then no one else can do what you do.”

“Finding a style is like finding your signature…we all learn how to write a’s and b’s, but your signature is your own. It takes time to develop…it takes work and effort to get it."

On buying art:

“[Many artists] have paid the price to get where they are, and that’s why the work costs so much because you are paying for a piece of that artist, and that is one of a kind."

“People should think about how art makes them feel, and buy based on that.”

On being an artist:

“Art can impact the lives of people on a visceral level. Sometimes the work may not affect you as much as it does the viewer.”

“It’s important to create for you, if people get it they do, if not, oh well.”

“ The only thing we have in life is art and love.”

-Maurice Evans

To learn more about this artist, please visit his website at www.mauriceevans.com.

All images are © copyrighted by the artist unless otherwise noted. Images cannot be reproduced without permission of the artist.

The Globalist | An Interview with artist Grace Kisa

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Artist Grace Kisa in her studio

Grace: a virtue coming from God. Her name alone conjures thoughts of kindness, morality and a general disposition of humility and love. Grace Kisa embodies all of those characteristics, but she is also a warrior—not a loud one, but a quiet warrior, one whose strength of purpose and vast imaginative capacity goes far beyond what many of us can even conceptualize.

Born in Nairobi, Kenya to loving parents, Kisa, the oldest of three girls, grew up in a global community. Her father, an economist, worked various jobs that allowed for Kisa and her family to live a very cultured and unique lifestyle. She grew up surrounded by Westerners, East Indians, and various other cultures. She was interested in art from a very young age, and she vividly recalls her uncles paintings hanging on the walls of her home in Kenya. As an inquisitive child, Kisa relished in her art classes at school, and carried her love for art home where her mother provided her with the tools to develop her work.

At age 8, she moved to Ethiopia with her family. There she studied at an American school, and was able to learn some of the ways of American culture. While in Ethiopia, Kisa experienced a creative awakening. At the young age of 10 she recognized the distinct imagery of Ethiopian art, and their unique use of seemingly traditional iconography. The Ethiopians placed images of themselves in positions of royalty, and power, even creating their images of Jesus with brown skin and coiled hair. After two years in Ethiopia, Kisa and family moved to the United States, eventually settling in McLean, Virginia.

Kisa grew up in a close-knit community with people from all over the world. Her high school represented a unique segment of America, as many of the parents of the students worked in government positions in Washington D.C. Although she lived what she calls, “a very sheltered,” and guided life, she felt freedom through creating. Her parents supported her creativity, so when she decided that she wanted to go to art school they obliged. She was accepted to the Art Institute of Atlanta, and had begun to prepare for her move to Atlanta, when her father got another position, and had to move to Botswana. For Kisa this move would be different. She was entering adulthood, and was moving into her own dreams. She spent a few months in Botswana while her family got settled, and then moved back to America in time to begin living in the dorms at the Art Institute of Atlanta.

Her first time on her own—away from her family in a new a different part of the country—could have been a shock, but she was lucky enough to have a roommate who shared a very similar background with her. Being from Cameroon, and moving to an international community in the Maryland area, her friend had many similar stories to share with her. The two of them connected, and were able to move through Atlanta’s metropolitan landscape together. For Kisa, living in Atlanta was very different—the culture and lifestyle was ironically very foreign to her, and though she was shy, she had to learn to adapt as she had often done in her life.

She majored in Advertising Design, and delved deeply into her studies. She worked for a sportswear company producing graphics while she studied and was able to get real world experience for her major. When she graduated she was in search of a job like most young college graduates. She took a job in retail for a time until she landed a job working for a production company called Graphic Du Jour. The position called for her to create original reproductions on a daily basis. She recalled emphatically, “I painted 8 hours a day…I loved it…I didn’t want to wash the paint off of my hands!”

One day her employers (who were in search of new employees) asked her to tell some of her friends about the position. The only one that responded was artist Maurice Evans. She had met Evans during her college orientation, and had seen his work throughout the school. The company hired Evans for the position and they began working together. They were both in their early twenties and they both enjoyed their position with Graphic Du Jour.

Kisa says that she learned a lot working at such a fast pace, and creating paintings on demand. The position helped to sharpen her creative skills for her own personal work. After 3 years of working with Graphic Du Jour honing her creative skills, Kisa left the downsizing company. She would eventually come to work with another publishing company who offered her similar work, Arts by Todd. Eventually Evans would join her there as well. With the assistance of Arts by Todd, she and Maurice traveled to the New York Art Expo to sell their work. Her experience with her new employer would soon dissipate, as she decided that she did not want to bind herself or her creativity into a contract. She decided to delve head first into her personal work, and pursue her artistic dreams full time. She participated in her first group show at age 25, and at age 26 she had a solo exhibition where she sold her first painting for $2500.

Kisa says that she is moved to create things that push her creative boundaries. As a photographer, painter, sculptor, designer, stylist and make-up artist, she is driven to produce imagery inspired by the avant-garde. Her recent sculpture projects were inspired by a photography series that she is working on with Maurice Evans called, “The New Africans.” The series, which focuses on portraying Africans in a futuristic manner, was styled by Kisa. Many of the unique materials that she used for the styling in the photoshoot are used in her sculptures. She also uses cut wood, and wood burning techniques to create these one of a kind pieces. She has been working on her sculptures for ten years, and has been moving forward with style and technique. She says of her art, “my work is not grounded in today.”

Her works transcends all races. She says that her work is not just black and white, it encompasses the human experience, and as a black woman she creates art from her own personal experience.

Kisa’s work can be soft and subtle or eclectically vibrant and edgy. She allows her self to create from an authentic place pulling herself in and out of different realms in her mind. Grace Kisa is an amazing human being with a beautiful spirit. Her art simply reflects the depths of her personality.

To learn more about Grace Kisa please Google her.

You can also find specific images here :
http://www.justlookin.com/bios/gKisa.htm and at
http://www.stuartmcclean.com/the-gallery/

She leaves encouraging words for emerging artists:

“Stay true to yourself…just paint and don’t try to find a style…your work will evolve.”

All images are © copyrighted by the artist unless otherwise noted. Images cannot be reproduced without permission of the artist.