Women of Power- Spirit Mask Series: 12 Faces of a North American African Woman

I am writing about my rst series of painted photographs, e Women of Power-Spirit Mask series. ere are twelve works in this series, and all works are oil pastel and acrylic paint on my photographs, which are printed on archival inkjet paper. Living peacefully as racially diverse or ‘di erent’ in American terminology is a performance piece. ere are public performances and private performances as a manner of expressing oneself. O en public performances require a Mask to shield the Wearer as well as to enhance the aesthetic theatrical display of express yourself, living life. e outward appearance of each Mask in this series is a tribute to all the Woman Warrior Wearers know and have experienced. Ancestral themes along with ritual purpose unfolding in a timely manner, contribute to the formation of the Wearer’s monthly Game Face. In creating these masked expressions, I feel to simultaneously, both em-

I am writing about my rst series of painted photographs, e Women of Power-Spirit Mask series. ere are twelve works in this series, and all works are oil pastel and acrylic paint on my photographs, which are printed on archival inkjet paper.
Living peacefully as racially diverse or 'di erent' in American terminology is a performance piece. ere are public performances and private performances as a manner of expressing oneself. O en public performances require a Mask to shield the Wearer as well as to enhance the aesthetic theatrical display of express yourself, living life. e outward appearance of each Mask in this series is a tribute to all the Woman Warrior Wearers know and have experienced. Ancestral themes along with ritual purpose unfolding in a timely manner, contribute to the formation of the Wearer's monthly Game Face.
In creating these masked expressions, I feel to simultaneously, both em- From these powerful dedicated women, I have learned this one thing, provocative masking is both protective of who you are, promoting of your purpose and expressive of whom you know yourself to be among the valued mores of your own diverse cultural group. My discovery process of applying pigments to the photographic surface developed through creating this Women of Power-Spirit Mask Series in 2014. Initiating the Series was my 2013 photograph, "American Gothic Too: Homage to 1942. " As the photograph title infers, my aim was to create a contemporary interpretation of the historic photograph by Gordon Parks taken of the US Farm Security Administration charwoman, Ella Watson in 1942, at the Library of Congress, where she worked. Prior to this, I always considered my photography to be documentary, that I am there to document this moment in this place. I had never before staged a photograph, but what I saw in my mind, I wanted to re-create. e custodian in my art building had always reminded me of the woman in that Parks photograph, because her countenance displayed a similar calm resolve in her daily dutiful manner. Both women displayed faces of con dence in their own abilities. Our custodian, Artis and I had worked together in the same building for thirteen years. I remember many conversations during her lunch break, when she would be sitting in the corridor near my o ce. I was coming to work and she had already been there for ve hours. One day, I nally got up the courage to ask Artis to pose for me. I showed her a print of the original Gordon Parks photograph. She held it, just looking for several moments. Finally, she said, "We don't use mops like that anymore, but I can nd one, and I'll bring my broom. " I shouted in joy, "I take that as a Yes! ank you very kindly. " As Artis handed the Gordon Parks photograph back to me, she acknowledged, "some things change, some things don't. " I nodded in sincere understanding and agreement. Two days later, I came with the ag from my father's co n, and a Poro Judge African mask from my own collection. We set up and shot photographs during her lunch break, in the last week of our working together. Near the end of our hour together her eyes kept closing because she was hungry without lunch on time. at photograph with her closing eyes, that one particular shot spoke to me, that it needed to become more than it began. us, my Women of Power-Spirit Mask Series of painted photographs was inaugurated and continues.
In addition to the Mask, each woman Wearer is enhanced and empowered by the Feathered Cloak she displays as part of her public adornment. is mantle

Feathered Friend
is is how we come into this World, gi ed, friendly, curious, tender, so and feathered. We are created ready to love, to learn and to share our Divine attributes.

Butterfly Indian Woman:
Growing up to take on the young woman's point of view on Self and relationships among natural systems, one comes to realize individual personal place, group spaces and personal purpose granted by the Universe. e Native American Indian and the Butter y co-habit and play together, because they understand that they are both freely owned by the land. is translates to the security of knowing that the Universe which greatly and wonderfully made you is maintaining you as well.

Brown Eyes Blue:
Encountering societal warfare and its devaluing process, while mentally overthrowing it, can make a woman of color sad, and physically tired from time to time. us, the desire to mask, to rejuvenate with happy sounds coming in, and de ect the rest. is mask is a response to the 1982 Sonia Sanchez play, I'm Black When I'm Singing, I'm Blue When I Ain't.

Rose-Colored Glasses:
Self-search through art aids in the recovery of a displaced sense of Self and is expressively healing. Peace and security are evoked when viewing the world from one's own positive rosy perspective daily or as o en as possible.

Two Waters Woman:
During my initial visit to Brazil in 1998, I was given the opportunity to have a reading and a translator on sight to express in English, the information being given. In uences to pursue an adult woman's viewpoint came from my mother. She advised, to capture of all facets of yourself and enjoy the ow of your growth through life pursuits. e reader said, I was a Woman of Two Waters. My path is guided by two Orisas of water, Yemenja, the goddess of the Oceans and Osun, the goddess of the Rivers. Any water issues coming in to my life might be the result of my priorities being out of alignment. We must recognize there can be Divine hierarchies, and understand that all Rivers run to and are tributaries of Mother Ocean.

Nigerian Queen Mother Mouthpiece:
Women role models are imperative for the deeper journey into self, adult woman knowledge. e desire to take this deep inner dive brings role models into my path. Sometimes brief encounters, and some enduring encounters usher in deeper self-love and self-respect. Families in diverse world cultures recognize the status of the voice of the Senior Woman of their clan. Even the King must listen when his own Queen Mother speaks. e inspiration for this mask re ects the importance of the Queen Mother in Nigerian culture. One section of her Mask corresponds to the shape of the upswept hairdo worn only by the Yoruba Queen Mother. Her Mask comes with its own adorning mouthpiece.

Speak No Evil:
First Instruction from my Ancestors was immediate and resolute. ere is much evil to be seen and heard in today's world. To overpower it, one must not speak of it and give it any longer life. Avoid temptation, and keep expressing only peace and truth. My mother o en said, if you can say nothing nice about someone, say nothing at all.