So grateful to have two of my artworks selected for @rosssuttongallery ‘s partnership with @artsy for Black History Month.
See all of the beautiful, important works selected on Artsy and see the Ross-Sutton Gallery showcase here:
/show/ross-sutton-gallery-ross-sutton-gallery-at-black-owned-galleries-now
It’s so meaningful to me to have this piece of my mom showcased, especially while we’re in the continued work of preserving family history.
My heartfelt thanks
🌹
#BlackOwnedGalleriesNOW
The Bride (Mommy’s Wedding Day)
• Prints of this piece and a few others are available on my website if you want to be sweet for Christmas! You can get the info on my profile page ♥️🫰🏽
This painting is 73 x 92 cm
Oil on Canvas
Over the past year, I’ve been doing a lot of research on memory. I’ve been researching methods of memory preservation, narrative preservation and just overall how to take in what we’re being told or what we’re telling a little bit more deeply.
It’s personal for me not only because of what’s happening currently in the US with books and archives being taken away, and what’s happened already to the history that’s missing or was destroyed in African-American history, but also because of the loss and disconnection we’ve been through in our own family.
Especially as I get older, I feel eager to remember as many things as I can. Even if there’s little archives to rely on. I’m also making an effort to preserve memories through these paintings, either the stories I’ve been told or things I imagine family doing. I do hope when I share them that others think of their own memories and connections. I’m hoping to carve some things in stone, internally. For more people than just me.
So far I’ve gathered 6 ways to test memory/narrative preservation during storytelling. My mom has been gracious enough to let me test them with her. This time was scent, so I’m using a strong lavender oil to smell while she’s speaking.
The stories in the video are broken up, but I wanted to share this moment for the sake of writing this post about the project, because it’s connected to my art as well. Apart from that, I find the work to be extremely important. I want to preserve my family’s narratives and hold tight to my own history and if it feels like it’s working, I want to share that too. I’ll likely share more as I’m testing other methods along the way.
Here’s one little grainy video of a part of my project, The Narrative Preservation Project, with mom.
1 - Every year there used to be an oyster roast at my grandparents’ house for the holidays. I promise it seemed like every family member that ever existed squeezed into their little house and front yard I’m not even exaggerating. There was so much food inside the house that sometimes you couldn’t even really see the counters and all the uncles and my grandpa would start the fire outside and start prepping and roasting the oysters. It was so loud for like 12 hours straight. I loved that. After my grandmother passed, oyster night eventually stopped. But some of my favorite memories ever. One day I hope I have people pouring out of my house.
2- Just for the general savoring of the fact that there was always some body of water or fountain around the places we tend to gather, otherwise there was greenery, and often music too. Helps me convey and feel the feelings as well.
❤️❤️🦪🫂
On my mind lately 🦋:
1- What Is Poetry to You? by Cecilia Vicuña
2- Sister Outsider - Audre Lorde
3- See: # 1
4- 💌
5- Dreaming Rivers Dir by Martina Attille
6- very real
7- Jazz - Toni Morrison
