Artistic Evolution

My Evolution as an Artist...and my favorite creations

1972

In August I taught myself to draw on a dare after winning many consecutive chess games from a high school buddy who had grown up as an artist since we were two years old. He challenged me to an art contest that he knew he would win since he had been drawing his entire life! It was well known that I avoided art like a plague because I stupidly assumed I couldn't draw.

But of course I wasn't backing down from a challenge so I said "let's do it!" In his snickering generosity he gave me 3 weeks to practise. Thru sheer willpower I permanently reduced my sleep from 8 to 3 hrs nightly because of extra time needed for drawing practise and art studies.

I chose to study photorealism as a primary style because of the difficulty factor. (A mistake done in abstract art is impossible to notice). So I began studying photographs, physics of optics, lighting, textures, shapes, etc and constantly practise my hand to eye coordination.

I also trained my eyes to see this reality as though it were drawings and paintings which truly alters your view of things.

Next I mentally subtracted the difference between drawings and photos and applied it to my drawings. I even sprayed them with varnish for that glossy photo look! And of course I whipped his butt again and easily won the contest...

Exotic Polynesian women from National Geographic in pencil were my first drawings ever!

Bardot in pencil was my first from magazine photos.

Nude Figures in pencil were next because of difficulty.

Sunset in Colored Pencil was next to break out of the fear of working in color.

Cartooning in realistic 3D in Charcoal pencil was next.

John Seinstacke Journalism Scholarship for Outstanding Achievement MSU workshop for accomplished minority High School Journalists provided my only way to attend MSU since art scholarships were not being given out for students of color at my high school.

Jackson Citizen Patriot Newspaper reporter for the Jackson Citizen Patriot newspaper

Editor/Producer for the entire Voice of the Youth Section of the newspaper

1974

Quill and Scroll Award for Outstanding Achievement in High School Journalism

Many many many pastel drawings ! Some days I could do 4 or 5 per day....

1975

Geometric Composition in Squares1 won 1st place Pastels at MSU student show .

Jackson Citizen Patriot feature article on accomplished artists .

Taught myself to draw left handed while in a cast fingertips cut from glass door on campus.

1976

BiCentennial ArtTrain featured Artist from Jackson, MI with 2 paintings that toured the Eastern half of the country as examples of young African American Art.

Jackson County Fair took 1st thru 7th Ribbons in the Pastel Category. No point in competing after that.

1977

Jackson Blazer Trueblood Comic Strip

1978

MSU Ujaama Awards featured artist

Ella Sharpe Museum featured artist First Jackson Open Invitational Jackson, Michigan

Green White portrait conte

Blue white portrait Pastel

Red green portrait Pastel

The Subdued Mood pastel 18x24 (Last painting before leaving home for good).

1979

Poster series for MSU's African Culture Festival

AKA Sweetheart of the Year for artistic contributions

"I Began With Promise" wrote my first poem

1980

Channel 6 Lansing Featured artist on News Highlights on Art Festival Wrote many poems averaged 2 per week

1981 Wrote many poems averaged 1.5 per day.

Illustrated 187 Floor Plans and Site Revisions standardized to 8 1/2x11 sheets for Lansing School District .

Guest Speaker Duke Ellington School Performing Arts Wash DC topic was the responsibility of an artist and the residual effects of their creation on society at large.

Guest Speaker Arts Center Brooklyn NY

REOLDs Automo tive Museum Grand Opening Graphics brochure,coloring book, etc,

1982 "I, Like a Raindrop, Landing in This Pool of Humanity, Offer My Ripples" poetry book finished (180 poems)

Jackson Blazer newspaper article on Phoenix Studio Phoenix Studio (art and poetry)

Featured in Orwellian Magazine only edition under accomplished artists

Phoenix Studio featured on Orwellian Live cable television interview.

................Decimal Harmonics Chart for color coded comparative analysis of numerical patterns in decimal division of 360 circle (incredibly complex) took 5 weeks/432 hours of filling in 1/10 inch squares with colors corresponding to numbers.You have to see it to almost understand it. 24x36

The Hands of God Playing the Song of Creation pastel on matboard 32x40

Geometric Composition in Squares2 on Tan pastel on velour paper 19x25

Ramaniya pastel on velour 24x36

1983

Created Bennu (cartoon phoenix that lives in lava and spouts timeless wisdom)

Jackson Blazer Trueblood comic strip

Jackson Community College named to advisory board computer graphics curriculum for visual troubleshooting during a project.

Jackson Public Library "Carnegie Hall" 40 piece one man show.

Channel 47 Lansing, MI television featured artist for Bank of Lansing outdoor art show & Festival

Performed with Pashami Dancers of Lansing at Wharton Center for Performing Arts

Designed ParaChess (a radical new chessboard design)

Designed Biorhythm compatability chart and wrote program for same.

Paintings and poetry in 8th consecutive Black History Program at MSU

Suzis Nails My first Painting in oil on canvass 19x25 Jumped thru the oil painting fear barrier...

Ola La nude Pastel on velour 19x25

Beach in a Shell Oil 19x25 from the Fractals in Nature series

1984

Wharton Center for Performing Arts (Paintings comprised major portion of show).

MSU Brody Complex Black history program 40 piece art exhibit plus inspirational poetry.

1983-1987 Technical Illustration for General Dynamics, Modern Engineering rendered military and domestic vehicle parts and other engineering graphics Warren/Detroit MI .

Portrait inside Butterfly Wing pastel on matboard 32x40

1986

REOLDS Museum 6 Billboards

With Pride Regardless pastel on matboard 32x40

1987

Identity for Hazel's Creations hairshop

Identity program for WXLA radio in Lansing, MI

GM Oldsmobile Lansing, MI Headquarters Black History 30 piece art axhibition

The Golden Mask of King Tut oil 30x40

Jackson Public Library "Carnegie Hall" 45 piece art exhibition

Co founded Impact Imagery design

1988

Identity Imagery for local fashion designer

United Phone Book Cover design DBI Office Supply image redesign logo etc.

Solarized Nude monochromatic oil on canvass 18x24

The Swans Colored Pencil on matboard 32x40

The Fractal Diver Ink on Fomecore 30x40

Patricia's Prize pastel on matboard 16x20

1989

Identity Imagery and logo for McFadden & Associates Business Group

Identity imagery for Fantasy Adventures Comic shop

DBI Billboards

Geometric Composition in Squares3 pastel with gold film on matboard 32x40

1990

My only daughter Yvette Dominique Leon was born. I took a hiatus from major art activities in lieu of her attention and development.

Canady Law Offices Logo and Identity program (imagery for cards, brochures, magazine ads, etc.)

Canady Law Show graphics for opening credits for cable television program

Canady Law Philosophy wrote and rendered in lobby 7 framed Calligraphy pieces with the letters cut out with exacto knife instead of drawn with ink.

1991

The Ultimate Extension pastel on tan velour 19x25

1992

Khadija The Masked Muslim Detailpastel 32x40

The Silver Shell film on board 16x20

1993

"MalcolmX-The Voice of One Man Can Make a Difference" pastel on matboard 32x40 for trade show in Washington DC.

Pencil Study Charcoal pencil on pastel paper 18x24

1994

The Bride

20 piece one man exhibit Marriott main lobby East Lansing, MI

1995

The Power Within 1 white pastel on brown matboard 32x40

Beauty meets beauty color pastel on black matboard 24x36 (beauty in nature series) 1 of 28 planned

1996

Strokes of Color poster African American Pioneers in Golf Ink on vellum 24x36

Mirror Chess (Mirrored Chess Board) mirror on glass

Mirror Box (Interactive Visual Delight) displayed at childrens festival

Victoria in the Shade Charcoal on matboard 16x20

1997

Beauty meets Passion pastel on matboard 32x40

Naomi Stereogram pastel on matboard 32x40

Naomi in Gold pastel and Gold Marker 24x36

Yvette and Tacara Diptych Pastel on velour 18x24

The Power Within my first major limited edition printed

Began work on Love poems for Black Women

Between the lines series began

Topographic Woman1 Gold Marker on matboard 12x12 (BTL series)

Topographic Woman2 Gold Marker on matboard 12x18 1998 (BTL series)

1998

In Square Dreads pastel on matboard 16x20 (BTL series)

Pointillistic Buddha (Between the Dots series) Gold Marker on matboard 16x20 (BTL series)

How Many Zebras Do You See? Gold Marker on matboard 16x20 (BTL series)

Patricia's Prize pastel on matboard 16x20

Patricia's Portrait pastel on matboard 16x20

1999

Feb The Art Attack "Taking No Prisoners!"

The Art Attack at Owen Grad Center at MSU was an excellent opportunity to show my stuff and inspire lots of international students and local residents.

To see more in this sequence....(me at work on a painting!)

June23 1999 Portrait for my grandmother Rev. Rosa Hall for her funeral. I didn't show it but I'm still being affected by her absence. While painting it I relived every conversation we ever had. Then when I got to the last one there was an amazingly huge feeling of emptiness.

Mid Dec 1999 " Blessing From the Ancestors" oil on canvas 24x36 was done with the most incredible pain imaginable. Every stroke is in my permanent memory! My right hand was in a cast from cyst surgery. I had to do this to distract me from the giant toothache on the end of my right arm! (Luckily I was born ambidexterous and my left serves me well...)

That operation on my right wrist has changed my entire outlook! It was reinjured in mid October and finally operated on Dec 6th 1999. Now I really appreciate my talents because they were almost taken away for good! So I will be even better this year! I have NEVER seen this much pain in my entire life! Now I really understand those who commit suicide-the pain is no joke!

Another operation will be necessary this summer because it's growing back... Can we say le` Ouch ??? I should be almost totally left handed by then...but my smile is and will ALWAYS be my deadliest weapon....no pain can stop it for long.

Seductive Eyes Oil on canvas 16x20

2000

May 2000 Venus Noire pastel on matboard of a relatively famous Canadien radio personality and current French translator soon to be TV personality. She has taught me more about Canada than anyone or anything else. There is amazingly beautiful architecture and nature there!

June 2000 Webpage Upgrade! This year I finally get the hang of webdesign and majorly upgrade my website into this incarnation from the original form created 2 yrs ago. Many thanks to Collette Woods (The Black Scribe) who lovingly bugged me and dragged me into Cyberspace in 1998 until I finally saw the value of it all. (2 yrs later it still amazes me!)

And many many thanks to Ryan Schoenbeck (The Whiz) who with his gracious help demystified the workings of the machine AND put together most of my original webpage.

Thanks to the struggle! "Learn to do it yourself is always good advice! (My complex ideas are always beyond those who give free help). Many thanks also to Dreamweaver3 for being the sweet program you are!

June 15 Book Cover image for the novel "Best Friends" in Toronto, Canada.