I’m making it a point to visit at least one art show, gallery or whatever and read at least one book a month in 2018. So far so good. I also want to buy a book a month. Not so good. And I want to create more illustrations. This too, not so good so far.
I attended the closing artist talk for Thankful last month. It was held at the Future Dead Artists gallery and workshop on Fort McPherson in Atlanta. Some of the photos are not part of the show, but works of the operator and curator of the space, Eugene Byrd, III.
I love when artists are given an assignment as simple as “What are you thankful for?” to express visually. Or is that simple? I don’t know how I’d narrow down my list to create something that could be explained and understood. Or would it even need to be understood? Everyone had a different response.
I went and looked through before the chat started to judge and form my own opinions. But, like most of the time, I was a bit off with my interpretations. The answers ranged from blissful childhood memories to fatherhood, freedom and painful growth. It’s always a treat to get into the heads of these dope artists and listen to them go mad nerdy over their creations.
What are you thankful for? Do you think it’d be difficult to express visually?
❤
black|burgundy 
I’m Thankful for my brother Stephen whose Autism gives him the ability to expand and express greater spiritual awareness than any one else I know. We are a Sibling Partnership. I often express my Thankfulness and Gratitude via writing, photography and now mixed media artwork.
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Beautiful. I can definitely tell you love him very much. And I love that “sibling partnership.”
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Thanks. It’s just the two of us now. So we’re a team.
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I’m thankful for the gift of knowledge, the beauty in a sunset, the ability to write and be expressive, and my family and friends and my dog, Jernee.
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I can easily visualize that, Tre. Nice to have you back.
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It’s good to be back. Thank you for this post, kelley. There’s a lot here to digest.
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“I am thankful to be breathing when so many are not,
I am thankful that I’m warm when so many are cold.
I am thankful to have a place to come home to every day.
I am thankful for life, it is more precious than gold.
I am thankful……………………..”
Thank you Kelley! I love this one!
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Lovely. Too often we forget those simple gifts in life because we’ve never been denied them.
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How right you are! And I’d like to also add that I am thankful to have come across your blog and through your blog, I’ve learned something about you even if it’s only, ‘virtually’. Kelley, you’ve a heart more precious than a gem, but most of all, you HAVE HEART.
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You’re too kind. Thank you. It’s nice to know I’m felt even through the interwebs! That is powerful.
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Great finds here, Kelley! Fabulous!
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I’m thankful that I have been allowed to see into myself whether I like it or not. Expressing it visually might not be difficult but it would definitely have a lot of twisty lines, sharp turns and red and orange whirlpools and a female figure screaming out loud. Though I am not an artist. So probably no one would be able to figure it out.
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Whether you like it or not… I love that. So many of us struggle to face the not so likeable parts. And other parts we just refuse to see.
AND you just described the piece, which I can see. And explained it well. You are most definitely an artist.
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Why thank you!
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i’m thankful for my husband, my friends, my makeup…lol. It may be difficult for me to visually create only because i am not that creative lol
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In that order lol!! I love it. It could be literal or abstract. And created with actual makeup, the shades they send you that don’t match hehe
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I am thankful to be me. Thankful that I have that self love that was spoke of on the previous post. A lot of people don’t love their self. i am thankful that the Most High has made me who I AM!
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Beautiful! A lot of people cannot speak or even think the words you’ve said.
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I’m thankful for so much: loving and reciprocal relationships, an abundance of time, an abundance of creativity, conscious thoughts, and insatiable curiosity…just to name a few.
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Beautiful.
Again, those little things mean the most.
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