Happy Monday! It's a new week and another opportunity to go out there and be the best you, that you can be. Me personally - I'm headed to the accountant's office to do my taxes. I'm happy to get that behind me for another year.
Today I want to highlight a piece of artwork that I did for a friend of mine and colleague - Towanda Allen. We went to school together at Southwest Institute of Healing Arts. She was on a different track than I was, though. She studied Transpersonal Psychology - with part of it being the Coaching field.
Almost since I've known her, she's been planning a Mother/Daughter Empowerment Workshop. I'm not sure of the title, but it's meant to uplift mothers and their daughters who may need to be given the tools to be strong, independent women. (I'm sure Towanda would have a much better/clearer description of it). As planning this workshop, she also has been telling me she wanted me to do a major artwork for this - a piece of theme artwork. The theme is Bravery - or - to be Brave. I was honored to be a part of this project.
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| Finished Art - Brave - digital paint |
She wanted a piece that could be used as fine art (printed), and as a graphic with the theme - "Brave." After giving it some thought, an idea came together. A brick wall with Brave on it - in graffiti style with a little flower coming up thru the cracks in the cement, in front of it.
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| original sketch |
As usual, it starts with the sketch, taking a photo of it and bringing it into Photoshop. I brought in a brick wall photo to overlay the sketch and started painting the graffiti on a layer above it. I wanted the artwork to be graffiti, but bold and optimistic. I worked the flower in, on a layer in front. Kind of a tough, brave, but somewhat vulnerable little yellow petalled flower.
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| early stages |
OK - the symbolism is very obvious - you may even say it's cliche. That's alright with me and my client Towanda liked it also. Some of the young girls who will attend her workshops are those vulnerable, gutsy little flowers, coming up thru the cracks. Coming up in a tough place to grow, but coming up and doing the best they can.
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| Finished Art |
Towanda Allen is an inspirational coach and also has a radio show on blogtalk radio. She's written a book and working on another (first is in the process of getting published). For more information about her seminars keep an eye on her web site:
Her radio show: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/theconnector2013/2013
That's it for now. Keep spreading the love people - be kind to a stranger today - help someone out in need. You'll be amazed at how good it feels...and it's the right thing.
Peace,
Tom
Nice work, Tom. 8^D
ReplyDeleteThanks Rick! Have a good one.
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