aquababie's world

i'm five days late...

for my own anniversary! 

it's been three years since i started this blogging thing.
 i'm still enjoying every minute of it!

i'm slammin' evil...eeeeeevvvvvviiiiillllllll!!!

some friends and i filled in for the regulars at the slam evil podcast.  if you want to check it out, here's the link.  the guys are fun to listen to as well :)  you should subscribe! 

slam evil! podcast---t & a edition

shameless plugging..and a sale too!

i will be offering 10% off your total purchase on my site aquababie handmade until september 30th! 

i've discovered there isn't a place for you the enter the code.  everyone shopping will receive the 10% even without it.  after your order has been processed, your 10% will be refunded back to the account used.

diverse views of art

this week the gallery is featured in the fall arts issue of the jackson free press

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Diverse Views of Art

by Ward Schaefer
September 10, 2008

“Art should reflect the diversity of people,” Lorenzo Gayden says.

Gayden, a Jackson native, opened the Sanaa Gallery this July “to add the beauty of the African American experience to the (Jackson) art scene.” Located in Fondren Corner, Sanaa takes its name from the Swahili word for “work of art.” The gallery embodies Gayden’s commitment to diversity: from its walls, painted in several different soft colors, to the variety of media on display, which ranges from abstract painting to photography to jewelry.

Gayden is a jazz trombonist and an artist in his own right. His love of music is evident in his paintings, as well as the work of many other artists in Sanaa. Shambe Jones’ wood-burning portraits of Bob Marley display impressive technique, contrasting powerful iconography with non-traditional media. Two abstract ink works by Lonnie Robinson, “Saturday Night” and “Sunday Morning,” evoke the similar ecstasy in secular and religious celebrations.

The idea for Sanaa, which also offers custom framing, first came to Gayden two and a half years ago while he was working in the framing shop at Hobby Lobby. The Miller Urban Entrepreneur Series provided funding help in May. Gayden was one of 12 applicants and the first Mississippian ever to win a grant from the business plan competition.

Gayden says that Fondren was always his first choice for a location. The Fondren Corner building already houses a traditional watercolor studio, two photography studios and another contemporary art gallery, making it an ideal place to develop a conversation through art.

“When you come to this particular building, you get diverse views of art—each one compelling, each one beautiful,” he says.

Gayden plans to open new shows roughly once a month, striking a balance between focusing on individual artists and collecting work around a specific theme. One exhibit, tentatively titled “New Traditions,” will “highlight using non-traditional media and using traditional media in non-traditional ways,” Gayden says.

Gwendolyn Magee, a renowned Jackson fiber artist whose work hangs in the Mississippi Museum of Art and the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., will display some of her exquisite abstract and narrative quilts to the show. Of her work, Gayden says, “This is what you do when you take what you’ve inherited and push it to a whole other level.”

http://www.jacksonfreepress.com/index.php/site/comments/diverse_views_of_art/

all hail the princess :)

i just wanted to give a big thanks to princess dominique!  she posted an interview she did with me about the relaunch of my website.  i am very grateful.  if you've never visited her blog, you really should.  she's an author of several books, dispenser of great advice and a fabulous woman! 

here's the link to check out my interview.

aquababie handmade is live!!

 i just wanted to let yall know my website aquababie handmade is live and kicking!  i've had a bath products business for many years.  then i started making jewelry.  although i've done both, i never had them on one website...until now!

i'm pretty proud of myself because i took my own destiny in my own hands to get this baby done.  i will be adding new product in the next few weeks.  just wanted to share with my fam :)  and please pass along my link if you like. if don't bookmark it, you can always find it through the link in my blog. 

yeah me! 

higher ground...and all that good stuff

yours truly will be jamming this sunday with stevie wonder in memphis.  i won two tickets due to my vast knowledge of useless information and telephone skills.  YEAH ME!!!

jacktoberfest this friday!

for my local folk:

this friday i will be participating in the 2nd annual jacktoberfest.  it will be held in downtown jackson on congress street, in the block between capital and amite streets..  this event will feature artists like myself, along with music.  it's from 11 am to 11 pm.  and best of all, this event is FREE to the public. 

for more info, check out the jacktoberfest website.

for my local folk:

this friday i will be participating in the 2nd annual jacktoberfest.  it will be held in downtown jackson on congress street, in the block between capital and amite streets..  this event will feature artists like myself, along with music.  it's from 11 am to 11 pm.  and best of all, this event is FREE to the public. 

for more info, check out the jacktoberfest website.

olde town market tomorrow!

for my local folk, i'll be in clinton tomorrow at the olde town market from 9 am to 1 pm.  i'll be set up with my jewelry.  and as always i'll have a slideshow :)  hopefully i'll see you. 

jam wrap-up

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i must say i had a ball at jubilee jam.  from my perspective, it was two days of being surrounded by artists who are very serious about what they do.  i saw some great artwork.  if you want to check out more pictures, check out the link of the lightandglass studio .  he took great photos of all the artists.  they've even a few of me (looking crazy) and my sweetie.

day 1:  the day was overcast which kept the heat at bay.  we were prepared with plenty of water and gatorade in two flavors...red & blue :)  after setup, we basically just hung out getting things just right.  the gates opened at 6.  we saw  a trickle of folk rolling through.  then about 9 or so, the winds started to pick up, along with thunder and lightening.  with the weather like it was, we all got a reprieve from the oppressive heat.  about half of the artists, including myself decided to take products down.  about an hour later, we decided to set back up.  i even made a few sales :)

day 2:  the heat came back with a vengeance.  it was hot...standing in hell with gasoline drawls hot!  after the set-up, it was miserable.  we basically "chilled out" until the gates opened at 3.  i had tons of materials, so i did some work on site.  most of the artists did as well.  folk were painting.  one guy even had his pottery wheel out there.  i must say my  sales were pretty good.  i got plenty of foot traffic and compliments as well.

although i didn't do anything but hangout around the artist village, we were close enough to hear the music.  when i ventured out for food, the street was packed.  i'm pretty sure jubilee jam was a success.  hopefully i'll be back for jubilee jam XXI.