Why Design Matters and art update!

Once again, I know I have not been posting as often as I want to, but soon that will change as I will finally have more time on my hands in the next few months. I am still painting in conjunction with pursuing my interest in web design. One of the fundamental reasons for this pursuit is to incorporate my artistic skill in a unique way and explore new ways of integrating art and technology. I’ve always been fascinated by human interaction and perceptions of beauty. One of the best things about being an artist is watching how people react to my art.

Key to this pursuit is answering the question, what is a good design? Principles, such as The Golden Ratio implemented by the Ancient Greeks, are rooted in the human psyche. We, for instance, are built to seek patterns and expect certain types of interactions. For example, when we enter a mall, we expect the mall to have a certain layout and color, we might expect to have escalators at the center of the facility for easy access, and we expect the bathroom to be near the food court. This example also applies to colors. Certain colors make us feel certain ways for certain reasons. Why is this important? Simply put, good design is there to aid and improve human interaction. Good design creates an experience that is useful and impactful. It is no wonder that marketers place a great deal of emphasis in understanding human psychology. As an artist, I have learn quite a bit from these principles.

Would like to hear your thoughts about design! What do you think of when you think of a good design?

I am also happy to announce that my art will be permanently housed in the future Blacks in Classics Museum in VA. My Scarborough painting is already at the location. This ongoing project will feature select key Black figures that have influenced Classical thought in the United States. The Grand Opening will be on Juneteenth this year.

Portrait of William Scarborough, Oil 16″ x 12″ Panel, by artist V.W., 2021

The second painting I am working on is of Anna Julia Cooper:

Portrait of Anna Julia Cooper, Oil on 16″ x 12″ Panel

Other key figures that will be painted are Frederick Douglass and W. E. B. Du Bois.

I am also excited to be one of the featured artist for the Beaches Fine Art Series’ 50th Anniversary Celebration in Jacksonville, FL. My art will be featured alongside The GRAMMY® Award-winning vocal ensemble Chanticleer in March 2023. I will provide more details on that event as well as two other solo shows this year.

View my upcoming art shows here. I will be updating this information this coming week!

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Journal 1: Random thoughts and work in progress…

Journal 1: Random Thoughts through the Course of my Artistic Journey

I decided to start journaling my thoughts once a week or so in order to relate what I am feeling. I must first mention that I speak as someone who is still emerging in the arts. I have been pursuing the arts seriously for about a year and so I am still growing. I felt the need to share some of the thoughts I have been having and some of the personal things that I am experiencing. I decided to break them up into numbered paragraphs so that I do not sound like I am rambling too much.

Thought 1:

I have been noticing an increase in posts on social media, Youtube, Facebook, and Instagram, claiming that if you read a certain book your art sales will increase, and so on. Many artists have a hard time with marketing, which is understandable. As a new artist, this sounds appealing. Most of these books will tell you what most people already know, which is that one needs to be honest, dedicated, and be willing to put yourself out there. These are not things that anyone does not know. The interesting thing about these people selling books is that they are making money off of people buying them and not necessarily their own artwork. I decided to think deeper about the type of artist I want to be and what I did not want to do. I think it is everyone’s right to do what they want to do and I have no problem with people educating others. I just would hate for someone to buy into the whole idea that there is some magic formula for selling art or being an artist. I read somewhere that Van Gogh only sold 2 paintings out of 2000. In the age of capitalism, I believe that what is good is not always what is popular. Although I would love to sell more art, I am more concerned with enjoying what I do. It is easy to get swept into the mindset that one is as good as one sells. That Is not true at all!

 

Thought 2: I think honesty is the most important thing when pursuing the arts. It is okay to try new things and experiment, but I think that the goal is to come up with your own voice. I feel that my art is constantly changing and that I am still at the stage where I am experimenting, and I am absolutely okay with that.

Thought 3: As someone who has been diagnosed with Anxiety, I am constantly worried about everything I do. Personal family issues make its way into my mind as I paint. I learned how to use these struggles to empower my art. Instead of trying to shun them away, I use these concepts and explore ways to put them to use. I find that my art is about exploration and the search for symbols, mainly because I am in search of something unseen. Landscapes have been my main choice because I am attracted to the connection between humans and nature. However, I find myself exploring these same concepts in still-life and in portraits. I don’t ever see myself focusing solely on portraits or figures.

This is a painting I am currently working on. I am trying to take things slow so that I don’t overwork the foreground. I really like using loose and swirly brushstrokes and adding a bit of texture.

A Turn: 24″ x 18″ Linen Panel