Gingersnap

The second part of the ongoing REACH artist series at Sinclair Community College, James Pate's "Attack" charcoal drawing series is an exploration of the tempestuous beauty, alluring grace, and ferocious power in the African American female body. Opposing oppression and weakness, she is bold, brazen, and bare, her nude, voluptuous body a towering strength in every kinetically activated composition. A stunning companion to Linda Stein's "Fluidity of Gender: Sculpture" exhibit, Pate's sensuously captivating world of sleek, crisp lines and elegantly etched value structures showcase a woman clad not in clothing, but the fiery cloak of awareness in every fiber of her skin, telling the viewer that she needs no hero, no rescuer of the detrimental reality and terrifying peril. On the verge of being attacked and pursued by targeting minute airplanes, she pays the metaphorically crafted danger no mind, averting her gaze away, seeming disinterested, nonchalant, or ...

This has been an incredible Sunday. I say that after walking an hour and twenty minutes to a gallery reception. The October skies were cloudy, the temperature was pleasantly warm, and the sweetly singing birds couldn't sound any better.... Okay. In all honesty, there were no actual birds, more like squirrels, but if those squirrels could sing they would probably sound just like those chirping imaginary birds in my head! I just had a good, positive feeling about today, intuitively knowing that very soon I would be in the company of some wonderful people. That I was! Star of the hour, James Pate graciously socialized with the best of Dayton art celebs like Willis "Bing" Davis, Dwayne Daniels, Kevin Harris, Delora Bufurd Buchanon, Terry Hitt, other known local artists and admirers of all ages were in attendance! Rob missed out on an unbelievable experience. And I'm not talking fried chicken or sugar cookies here! Alive, hopping, and jazz bopping, Ebonia Gallery was defin...

Visited my former high school art teacher and best friend of 14 years (gasps! it's been a while, eh?) Carol Rogers at Belmont High School today. Look at these amazing prints from her creative high school students! Fun! Wildly funky! So impressive! They're using materials Mrs. Rogers got from the local recycling center, a place that always has discarded items that seem useless, but make for some very unique art! She's so great at eyeing objects and knowing that spark of magic! It's a trait of hers that's so profoundly influential to me. Isn't any wonder why I love her? And I'm not the only one! Heehee! :) Feeling a little inspired already and cannot wait to get to my drawing board! I so do miss printmaking! Mrs. Rogers and I had shared birthday lunch at Joe's Pizzeria with brilliant and awesome, James Pate, a man who is always filled with influential ideas and great insight. Such an honor that he took time of his schedule to follow us there! (We lost him ...