Sean Qualls's Blog

NEW FROS & PAINTING UPDATE #11

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Hey there!

It’s been awhile,
but I’m happy to be back. Good news! Recently, I completed a couple of larger pieces in my Afro series.

I’m really happy to have finally finished this one.

FRO 74 has gone through many different stages. and I probably could have finished it awhile ago. At one point, I seriously considered abandoning it but I’m glad that I decided to push through. Sometimes, what creates a challenge to completing a piece, especially large ones, is changing my intentions midstream.

Initially, I thought FRO 74 would be a larger version of FRO 79. And even though it was based on 79, I wanted it to be different. That shift in gears caused the piece to take longer than I expected. Somewhere in the process of painting FRO 74, I decided to tilt her head to the side which felt more natural and elegant than her pose in FRO 79.

I ended up blocking off her face so I could work on the background without having the face be a distraction and also to avoid the temptation to rework it.The background probably changed more than any other part of the painting. I also considered cutting it apart and re-configuring the whole thing as I’ve done with work in the past but decided against it when I caught a glimpse of light at the end of the tunnel. As I said earlier, I'm really happy that I stuck with it because the final piece exceeds my expectations.

FRO 74 38x48", mixed media on paper

FRO 74 (detail)

BUY NOW-Fro 74 10x13 Print $35 BUY NOW-Fro 74 18x24 print $75 BUY NOW-Fro 74 24x36 print $150

Next, New FRO started off a little different and it’s process to completion was more straightforward. I began with the idea of creating a portrait that engaged the viewer directly…

more so than this smaller version.

At each stage, I enjoyed changing the configuration of her facial features as each micro-movement gradually changed her appearance. Much more than AFRO 74, this piece evolved quickly. I believe I was driven forward by the knowledge of what did not work in it’s smaller, sister version above. Her gaze is meant to evoke the moment when one unexpectedly catches a glimpse of their reflection in a mirror, caught in between thoughts; a universal, perhaps soul catching moment. My hope is to have viewers see themselves in the painting even if they are of different gender, age, race or complexion. Also, working at this size allowed me to experiment with collage in the details of her eyes and mouth.

New Fro 37x35", mixed media 2017
New Fro (detail)

BUY NOW-New Fro 10x10 Print $35 BUY NOW-New Fro 30x30 Print $150 More to come soon.

Cheers!

Sean

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Published on June 24, 2017 21:31

ArtSlopeOpening Party TONIGHT Friday, Sept. 16,7pm-Midnight

I'm excited to share a preview of this new piece that I collaborated on with friend and fellow artist Jonathan Blum!

Come check it out TONIGHT at the opening party for Brooklyn's Big Tent and the launch of ARTSLOPE a nine day art festival in Park Slope, Brooklyn. This piece will be on display with works from 30 other Park Slope artists.

At Shapeshifter Lab-18 Whitwell Pl (near 1st St), Brooklyn, NY 11215, Gowanus. Friday, Sept. 16,7pm-Midnight

I'll be spinning records throughout the night along with a few friends and fellow vinylheads.

Hope you can make it, if not, enjoy the preview!

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Published on September 16, 2016 13:23

WEEKLY PAINTING #10-Why I love Uncle Tom and Why You Should Too!

There was a time, when next to the "n" word

Uncle Tom was the worst insult that could be hurled at a person of color. Case in point, on a 1988 airing of the Geraldo Show, politician and activist Roy Innis (who has found himself on the unfortunate side of several debates including the issue of gun control) was called an "Uncle Tom" by John Metzger of the Aryan Resistance. Insulted and affronted, Innis leaves his chair and grabs Metzger by the throat, just before the whole show descends into bedlam, becoming one of the early, eventful moments in shock television.At the time, I was old enough to know what the term meant and even though I don't remember ever being called an "Uncle Tom," (as so many similar slurs were freely used to hurt people in my childhood) I was often called "oreo" - meaning black on the outside and white on the inside.
I began to wonder about the origin of the term "Uncle Tom" and decided that Harriet Beecher Stowe's novel UNCLE TOM'S CABIN was the best place to unearth some answers. To my surprise, the character of Uncle Tom was not the despicable traitor to his race, cavorting and conspiring with "old massa," that I had imagined. Later, greater insight came to me, from all places, an episode of the Jeffersons. In the show, George calls Louise's uncle, who's visiting from out of a town, an "Uncle Tom." Louise's uncle then gives George a brief history lesson about a man named Josiah Henson whose autobiography "inspired" Harriett Beecher Stowe's UNCLE TOM'S CABIN and was the basis for the character. It turns out that not only did Josiah Henson escape slavery and write his autobiography, he was a minister, abolitionist (helping many to escape slavery) and founder of a settlement and school in Canada for those escaping slavery. In addition, it seems that Stowe may have been more than just inspired by his autobiography- - http://utc.iath.virginia.edu/abolitn/henson49hp.htmlI was disturbed and irked that this man, Josiah Henson, who made such a compelling contribution to American history, literature and the abolition of slavery has had his legacy so altered and corrupted. A mentor of mine once referred to a quote that he attributed to the novelist Flaubert, - "eat like the bourgeois, talk like the bourgeois and save your anger for your art." At the time I heard it, I'm not sure if it was an affirmation of what I was already doing or a call to action, but it's stuck with me and has become an animating force for my work. Sambo, Uncle Tom, and all the wrongs of history, especially those that personally troubled me have become fodder for my art.Still mystified as to how this man's name and character became an epithet and an object of derision, I continued my quest, all the while thinking about bringing his story to my work. This is the first painting....

Followed by this....

And sketchbook work...

I began to consider the divisive power of such a term, the negative consequences of such labeling and the parameters that determine if one is indeed an "Uncle Tom" or "sellout." Who or what jury determines such a thing? In a conversation with Cornell West and Tavis Smiley, musician Bill Withers questions the true meaning of the term "sellout." He makes the point that if an item in a store is 'sold out' it's a good thing but it becomes a negative when applied to a person. Questioning what it means when some successful rappers refer to themselves as"thugs" and inspired by Tupac's "Thug Life" tattoo I created this week's piece....

My intention is to suggest that there's an amount of "tommin" or "selling out" involved with anyone who has achieved a certain degree of success especially at the level of a wealthy rapper, producer or musician (especially any who refer to themselves as a "thug" and/or has crossed over to film and television. I remember reading that Snoop Dogg are good friends. I don't know, perhaps there's a thug and Tom in all of us.And, I also recently finished this larger piece....

paying homage to Josiah Henson and attempting to recontextualize the term "Uncle Tom".There are 10x10 prints available for $30 of these three.....

And 10x13 prints also for $30 of these...

These are 16x16 for $50

And finally, I have large 28x36 prints of this one for $150

All images are printed on high quality, heavy watercolor paper with archival inks, hand signed with 2" boarders on all sides.Just respond here to buy any of these prints, or if you have questions about the originals or would like to arrange a studio visit.

Also,
WHERE TO FIND ME (this fall)

The Picture Book Re-Imagined (group show):
Pratt & Bank Street College of Education Exhibit
Closing Reception Thursday, Sept. 15th, 2016,
Pratt Manhattan, 144 West 14th St. 6-8:30pm

Under The Big Top (group show):
Opening Reception Friday, Sept. 16, 2016 (More info to come)

Brooklyn Book Festival:-Panel discussion-Censorship of difficult subject matter in children's literature-Sunday, Sept. 18, 2016
(See Brooklyn Book Festival websites for exact time & location)

Vegas Valley Book Festival: Signing & reading,
Historic Fifth Street School, 401 S. 4th St.Las Vegas, NV
Saturday, Oct. 15th, 2016 10am-4pm,
(to be confirmed)

Gowanus Open Studios:
MadArts 255 18th St, Studio #30 Brooklyn, NY
Sunday, Oct. 16th 12-6pm

Brooklyn Botanic Gardens Ghouls & Gourds:
Brooklyn Botanic Gardens
Saturday, Oct. 29th, 12-4pm (to be confirmed)

Brooklyn Museum's 10th Annual Book Fair:
Brooklyn Museum, 200 Eastern Parkway
Saturday Nov. 12th, 12pm-4pm

Brooklyn Public Library Grand Army Plaza
10 Grand Army Plaza, Brooklyn, NY
Solo Exhibit, Youth Wing
November 16, 2016 through the end of January 2017

Thx!

Sean
..............................
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Published on August 08, 2016 20:04

WEEKLY PAINTING #9

** Alex Haley's Roots,as a kid, got me interested in my own family's ancestry. Although, it wasn't until about 10 years ago, around the time my son was born, that I finally started digging on my mother's side of the family tree. If you've ever done any digging yourself you know how exciting and time consuming it can be, but in a short amount of time I made decent progress.

Then a couple of years ago, my aunt gave me these two portraits of my great-grandparents.I'm guessing the photos are about 100 years old.

Their daughter, my grandmother, Blanche, was born in either 1916 or 1917 so I estimate the photos were taken around then, give or take a few years. These portraits are a part of my family history. And until seeing them and delving into my family's ancestry online, it was a family history that I was not too sure actually existed let alone connected to a larger American history.
Part of what fuels my art (and illustration) is the desire to shine a light on those who have been forgotten by history, underrepresented or misrepresented. My goal is not to merely tell their stories but to reframe them and their lives. By reframing, I mean looking at people and events from a different vantage point and thereby changing the way we perceive them, reminding us that identity is perception and therefore malleable, not static. The first piece of work where I consciously used reframing was A Brief History of Sambo.

For me, the portraits of my great-grandparents suggest that they were people that mattered, even though their names may only be a small piece of a larger historical record. Often times African-American history is linked to the history of oppression, poverty, brutality and blight, as though they are all synonymous. In terms of success, names like CJ Walker, George Washington Carver and Frederick Douglas are important and familiar but by no means the whole story. There are countless people who we learn about during the 28 days of February, many who were part of the Civil-Rights Movement but still that's just a portion of the picture. Industries such as law, medicine, art, invention, publishing, hospitality, real estate and apparel are all areas where numerous African-Americans made a name for themselves. People like Arthur Gaston, Jeremiah G. Hamilton, John Coburn and Chloe Spear are just a few names but their success defies the perceived norm and that success was not confined
to just one era but was a truth, for some, throughout the history of Blacks in America. Given the circumstances of how we arrived here, our presence in America today conveys a success that pervades all of American history.

Back to this week's piece. In the spirit of those industrious people who's stories remain untold (and the portraits of my great-grandparents), I created this week's piece-"Black Business 1890."

The portrait is of no one in particular and the date arbitrary but the objective of the piece is to emphasize my previous points. The print is 10x10" including 2" borders on all sides. Printed on heavyweight, ph-neutral, cold-press watercolor paper with archival inks. Just respond here or email me [email protected] with Weekly Painting #9 in the subject if you would like one.

I apologize to anyone who has been waiting for these updates. It's been awhile, I know. I have more to share so stay tuned!

Oh,one more thing.
This Sunday, May 15th in Brooklyn,

I will be at the 5th Ave Street Fair, 5th Ave between 1st and 2nd Street in the artist area. I may have one or two proofs left of the Black Business 1890 and a Brief History of Sambo. Hope to see you!

Sean

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Published on May 13, 2016 12:20

SEAN QUALLS - DAILY/WEEKLY PAINTINGS #8

Part of the joy and challenge of being an artist for me,
is not knowing exactly how a work a will evolve or look when finished. And although I usually have something of a vision of what I want, rarely does a painting turn out exactly how I imagined - sometimes it's close and I'm satisfied and sometimes I'm
happily surprised by the results.
Much of my personal work has been inspired and influenced by vintage advertising graphics, more specifically products featuring African-Americans or those geared to
African-Americans.

A few years back, I created this piece based on the idea of a fictitious line of hair products called New Age Hair Grease.

On the same theme, later I did this piece but with no hand lettering.

Fast forward to 2015, I wanted to do more with the NAHG theme. I didn't have a really strong vision of what I wanted the piece to look like but knew that I wanted it to be a step forward from the previous ones.

Especially with my daily/weekly paintings, I try to keep things simple (and small) so that I can easily move onto the next one and not get stuck. Simple enough in theory but it seems like there's often a "hiccup" which impedes progress - as it was this piece was leaving me very dissatisfied.

I decided to move onto other paintings but eventually came back to it and decided to strip away most parts, the hand lettering most of all.

I also wanted to base the face on a woman from a previous piece (above) that I was happier with.

I added more overall contrast. This was definitely a case where I did not have a strong vision for the final art, but I knew it still wasn't quite there. I integrated hand lettering but decided not to continue with the original NAHG theme. I added more subtlety of color and values.

Finally finished.

I have a few prints of some of the above images available ranging from $30-$50 plus shipping.

NAHG #1 is 13X16", image size 9x12" with 2" boarders on all sides - $50

Star Power is 9x9", image size 5x5" with 2" boarders on all sides - $30 (currently sold-out, back in stock soon.)

Afro Psyche #1 is 10 x 13", image size is 6x9" with 2" boarders on all sides - $45 (currently sold out-order now, back in stock soon)

Red Psyche is also 10 x 13", image size is 6x9" with 2" boarders on all sides - $45

Fro is also available 10x10", image size is 6x6" with 2" boarders on all sides - $40
I have a limited number of prints, first come, first serve. Each one is printed on 300lbs.ph-neutral,
oba-free, watercolor paper with archival inks. Just leave a comment and we can work out the details.

Again, stay tuned. If you know anyone you think may be interested please direct them here to my blog or have them contact me and I’ll add them to my list.
Apologies to those who have been waiting for updates. Now that I'm in my new studio I hope to keep the blog updated with new work more regularly.
Sean

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Published on January 08, 2016 01:41

DAILY/WEEKLY PAINTING #7

I don't remember exactly when I first heard the story of Sara Baartman, nor do I recall the first time I heard the term "Hottentot Venus" as she became known but what I do recall is my fascination with her and her life. If you don't already know it, read more here.

Briefly, she was born in South Africa in the 19th Century and was taken to Europe in her early 20's to be examined by doctors then shown off in a circus because of her unusually large buttocks.

When she died her brain and other body parts were displayed in a museum in France until the 1980's. Author, visual artist and poet Barbara Chase-Riboud wrote a novel based on her life.Part of the animating force behind my personal work is uncovering "invisible histories" or untold stories. Another book (and similar story) I recently discovered is about Ota Benga a man from the Democratic Republic of Congo who lived in the 19th & 20th centuries.Here's this week's piece: Displaying

This one is 6x6, mixed media on masonite panel.Again, I'll be creating new posts every week, hopefully on Friday but if not, before the weekend is over. If you know of anyone interested please refer them here.Right now, I'm in Columbus, OH about to speak on a panel: “The Power of Picture Books: Illustrators Who Use Pictures to Speak” for the 17th Annual Conference for American Association of School Librarians, AASL . Also,next weekend, Selina and I will be at the Brooklyn Museum's Ninth Annual Children's Book Fair on Saturday Nov. 14 from 12-4pm.Thanks!Sean

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Published on November 06, 2015 22:02

DAILY/WEEKLY PAINTING #6

In the first picture book I illustrated,

The Baby on the Way, I was required to alternate between scenes of the rural south and an urban rooftop garden. This was back in 2004 when I first began using hand-painted paper as collage for grass and other foliage.

Soon after, I was offered the opportunity to illustrate The Poet Slave of Cuba While I did use some collage for the art, I mostly painted the foliage.

Around the same time I was creating art for the book Dizzy, about the life of jazz icon Dizzy Gillespie. I used the same stylization for flames as I had been for grass.

I came to really enjoy adding these decorative elements to my art not only enhanced the imagery but also gave me an opportunity to be more abstract in my work.

By the time I illustrated Lullaby , I wanted to take a different approach to these elements and began including magazine collage along with my hand-painted collage papers and the foliage took on a greater prominence.

And with Emmanuel's Dream, I decided that a dialed back, hand-painted collage paper approach would work best to accent the landscape of Ghana.

This week I have two pieces to share:

From time to time, I like to return to my earlier art to see what I was doing at the time. Often, I'll find elements in the work that I want to explore further. I like to think of it as finding forgotten conversations.
These are both mixed media on 6x6" on masonite.Next week I'll be in Columbus, OH speaking on a panel: “The Power of Picture Books: Illustrators Who Use Pictures to Speak” for the 17th Annual Conference for American Association of School Librarians, AASL (http://national.aasl.org/) . Also, Selina and I will be at theBrooklyn Museum's Ninth Annual Children's Book Fair (https://www.brooklynmuseum.org/calend...) on Nov. 14 from 12-4pm. Thanks! Sean

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Published on October 30, 2015 22:47

DAILY/WEEKLY PAINTING #7

In the first picture book I illustrated,

The Baby on the Way, I was required to alternate between scenes of the rural south and an urban rooftop garden. This was back in 2004 when I first began using hand-painted paper as collage for grass and other foliage.

Soon after, I was offered the opportunity to illustrate The Poet Slave of Cuba While I did use some collage for the art, I mostly painted the foliage.

Around the same time I was creating art for the book Dizzy, about the life of jazz icon Dizzy Gillespie. I used the same stylization for flames as I had been for grass.

I came to really enjoy adding these decorative elements to my art not only enhanced the imagery but also gave me an opportunity to be more abstract in my work.

By the time I illustrated Lullaby , I wanted to take a different approach to these elements and began including magazine collage along with my hand-painted collage papers and the foliage took on a greater prominence.

And with Emmanuel's Dream, I decided that a dialed back, hand-painted collage paper approach would work best to accent the landscape of Ghana.

This week I have two pieces to share:

From time to time, I like to return to my earlier art to see what I was doing at the time. Often, I'll find elements in the work that I want to explore further. I like to think of it as finding forgotten conversations.
These are both mixed media on 6x6" on masonite.Next week I'll be in Columbus, OH speaking on a panel: “The Power of Picture Books: Illustrators Who Use Pictures to Speak” for the 17th Annual Conference for American Association of School Librarians, AASL (http://national.aasl.org/) . Also, Selina and I will be at theBrooklyn Museum's Ninth Annual Children's Book Fair (https://www.brooklynmuseum.org/calend...) on Nov. 14 from 12-4pm. Thanks! Sean

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Published on October 30, 2015 22:47

DAILY/WEEKLY PAINTING #5

Hair as a crown.In a previous post, I wrote about my childhood afro-envy. Because hair adorns one's, head
it can be likened to a crown. Personally, I see hair as an outward extension of one's consciousness,
one's inner personality and not just a fashion statement, although it can be

The sixties were a perfect example. Long haired hippies made a statement about how

they were different than their parents' generation and about their desires to be free from
social norms and constrictions.

Similarly, in the 60's, the afro became a statement for African-Americans about being comfortable with themselves, defining their own values and replacing the conk

and other previous straightened hair styles with their natural hair texture. Even James Brown stopped straightening his hair and proclaimed - "Say it loud, I'm Black and I'm Proud.

And of course there were the the Black Panthers.
Finally, this week's piece was inspired by these two women:

Angela Davis

& Kathleen Cleaver

Afro Psyche #1 is 6x9" (slightly larger than my usual 6x6" pieces) mixed media on 1/2" plywood.Again, I'll be sending out updates every week, hopefully on Friday but if not before the weekend is over. If you know of anyone interested please send them this way.

Lastly, Selina and I had a blast last week at The NAIBA Conference where we accepted the Carla Cohen Free Speech Award for The Case for Loving. Here's a very blurry photo of us giving our acceptance speech.Best,Sean

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Published on October 16, 2015 16:41

DAILY/WEEKLY PAINTING #4

Going to the movies
isn't always fun for me. I find myself fighting not to surrender to the messages they intentionally or unintentionally feed us. Are films (and television) only entertainment or do they suggest how we see ourselves and the rest of the world?

In considering this question, I started to think about how much (or how little) the role of African-Americans has changed in Hollywood. At the most elemental level, I asked myself, "Are there more leading and supporting black characters in Hollywood now than there were 100 years ago?" This led to thoughts of who were the first black actors in Hollywood?" I thought of Stepin Fetchit, Amos & Andy, Mantan Moreland and, of course,D.W. Griffith's Birth of a Nation which did employ some black actors but also featured white men in "black face."

I asked myself, "who were these men (and women) and how did they see themselves compared to the one-dimensional stereotypes they portrayed?"

I began doing sketches for paintings on the subject.

First, I did a larger piece about the actor Lincoln Theodore Monroe Andrew Perry also known as Stepin Fetchit - A Brief History of Stepin Fetchit 24x30 mixed media on 1/4" hardboard.

That lead to these two smaller pieces I did for my daily/weekly painting. They are not about the characters the actors played but more of a contemplation of the inner lives' of the actors.

They are both 6x6, acrylic, pencil and collage on 1/8" hardboard. Again, I'll be updating my blog every week, hopefully on Friday but if not before the weekend is over. If you know of anyone interested in receiving updates please direct them here.
Best,

Sean

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Published on October 03, 2015 11:05