Artist Spotlight: Sheila Pree Bright

This past week I had the pleasure of meeting the wonderful fine art photographer Sheila Pree Bright. I am new to the world of following photography, but I must admit that when I first saw her work on display I became intrigued immediately by the message conveyed in the portraits.

Sheila Pree Bright is best known for her nuanced but complex studies of racial identity and her ability to shatter audiences' perceptions of people of color. One of her most famous exhibits would be Young Americans and was premiered at the High Museum of Art Atlanta. Young Americans explores the identities of American citizens (18-25) and those seeking citizenship by presenting portraits, posing with the American flag.

I was amazed when I saw this exhibit and upon further research she is now in my favorites as far as artists go. The notion of snapping a picture and building a story to accompany in the way that Sheila has done, speaks to a different level of being artistic. One can easily look at her portraits and began to assume what the picture is saying but then you read the plaque and realize it's so much more. Her most recent exhibit is entitled "Girls, Grills and Guns", and is currently on display at the Sandler Hudson Gallery located in Atlanta, GA.

CNN covered the Young Americans exhibit...

What it means to be American

For more info check out her websites:

www.sheilapreebright.blogspot.com

www.sheilapreebright.com

From N.O. to ATL...moving artwork

Artist Patricia Nobella hails from New Orleans, Louisiana and relocated to Atlanta, GA after Hurricane Katrina. Her artwork inspires me to become more involved with Black art and research other artists who she models. Artists such as Romare Bearden, Henry Ossawa Tanner, Jacob Lawrence and Jean-Michel Basquiat to name a few. Nobella attributes being from New Orleans as a major inspiration for the artwork she creates. Not only is she a talented painter she also creates jewelry and can hold a note or two...lol. Check her out at the Apache Cafe on Wednesday nights and visit her website for info on artwork!

www.patricianobella.com

Nobella Creations - some of the art/jewelry

Think Outside of the Box

Salvador Dali is possibly one of the greatest artists/painters that many have considered crazy but I would like to think he was a genius. I never took notice of the works Dali created until the exhibit "Salvador Dali: The Late Work" opened at the High Museum of Art Atlanta. Dali started off as a surrealist painter and his works influenced some of the Renaissance masters. He is best known for his most famous piece "The Persistence of Memory" and his artistic repertoire expands to film, sculpture and photography.

Salvador Dali could even be seen with the likes of Alice Cooper and Andy Warhol. After his separation from the surrealist movement in 1934 Dali took a more scientific approach to art... It takes someone with great talent and skill to successfully paint pictures like this or even have the mind to make a picture come to life...

Julian Beever is a dope artist...

I would love to walk outside and see this...art isn't always hanging in a building! The detail that goes into making even one of these is crazy!

Check him out