Project 2020

                                             almost done  I was so excited to start Fran's book. Everybody ahead of me really put a lot of energy into their work, and I wanted to do the same. Her book is so rich in detail, texture, and color. She told us to have fun with it, so I did. My goal was to create a textured landscape using cardboard, burlap, handmade, painted and printed papers for the ground. I focused on the poem by Amanda Gorman read at the 2021 inauguration "A Hill to Climb." Next, I will write an excerpt from the poem, "Somehow we've weathered and witnessed" which to me relates to Black peoples ongoing struggle in this country for our humanity in the midst of constant assault. I decided to use layers of acrylic paint for the sky, starting with a deep blue of night to the warm oranges and yellows of sunrise.            ...

I love the black paper Aziza provided for us!  Like Julee's book it prompted me to create a completely black and white piece.  Our project has focused on reflection---on ourselves, the current times, and the future.  This made me think about creating a piece that is a mirror-like reflection. The black paper got me thinking in photographic terms--positive and negative images. In reflecting on myself and the need to be even more resilient due to the personal and global events I experienced in 2020, I used the self-portrait I made for Julee's book and printed it with white ink on the black background and black ink on a white background. To illustrate the concept of resiliency in current and future times I used the thistle as a metaphor. Similar to the dandelion, the thistle, the national flower of Scotland, is a tough, medicinal, and beautiful weed, but with very wicked thorns (don't mess with me)!  This image I also printed in white ink on black paper and black ink on ...

The Process When I began working on Francine's book, I had a different idea in my head, but once I actually had the book in my hands I decided to let the materials I had guide me.  I really want my participation in this project to push me into using mediums I don't usually use.  I don't want each page I create to be a 'signature' Pam piece. I have a lot of stuff from teaching and from print work.  I knew I wanted to use the happy little girl template Francine provided.  I have a lot of small leather samples and used one of those to create the body for the girl.  I then used material samples and some 'hair-like' blue yarn I had.  As I began to think about the story my pages would tell --given 2020 was dubbed the "year of the woman" in celebration of the 100th anniversary of the 21st Amendment, giving (most) women the right to vote and the historic election of our first woman/ BIPOC Vice President--I decided to focus on positive messages for women an...

I decided to make a monoprint of a crocodile for Gail's book, with an emphasis on the eye. I learned that the crocodile has a highly evolved eye, that can see in both water and in the dark.

This mask represents the "metaphoric mask" that my ancestors had to wear to disguise their feelings and disappointment while negotiating through a racist American society.  However, through further research it is also a fact that they had to disguise how smart they were as it relates to knowing how to read and speak proper English. Literacy threatened the major justification of slavery--that black people were"less than human". Therefore, it was to the slave's advantage to express "bad English" to whites because, as Fredrick Douglass (1817-1895) said, "Ignorance is a high virtue in a human chattel; and as the master studies to deepen the slave's ignorance, the slave is cunning enough to make the master think he succeeds." (Paulette Brown-Hinds, Black English during Slavery). In Kamala's book, half of the mask opens to reveal the inside of the page. There, you will find the shape of Africa with a sampling of names of different languages...

This is a follow-up on the remake of my book that was lost in the mail early on in the project.       At Pyramid Atlantic Printmaking Workshop, I had fun revisiting and solidifying my knowledge   of this process. I am using a letterpress machine to print out the statement that flows throughout my book. The statement: The crocodile lives in the water, yet breathes in the air... represents resilience, which is directly connected to the survival of African Americans in America against all odds.   Back to the drawing board! Here I am re-constructing the box that will house my book. Unfortunately, I couldn't find the same papers and fabrics that was used previously, so It will look a bit different from the original one. Actually, it only took one day to build the   structure and another day to embellish. Below are the different materials and fabrics used   along with the letterpress statement that will be attached to the back of each contribution....

Pam's book entitled "Retablo of Resistance"challenged me to complete eight signatures, which consist of two pages folded in half using all sides. After selecting my center page from an assortment of pre-made papers supplied, the journey began. Her theme was very close to mine in that resistance and resilience takes you to the same place, survival! The page I selected was about the freedom and the necessity to vote, so apropos leading up to the November 3rd 2020 election. I printed BLACK LIVES MATTER on black paper and collaged it diagonally across the page.  I also added 2020, VOTE, and WOKE with adhesive black letters and VOILA! done. The cover and back pages were much more complicated. Using another transparent gel medium mask, I superimposed fragments of mono prints, metallic papers and Adinkra symbols. The symbols were cut away from the mono print paper with an exacto-knife, leaving an empty space, while creating a relief affect. This technique has become a new way of...