• Art,  Faith,  Family & Friends,  Yayas Art

    No Regret

    “No Regret” is among my first attempts to create meaningful art. I was 55 years old when I began to draw and paint. It was my means of processing the grief and regret I felt at losing my brother, Charles Haines. He was in his prime… a beloved father of 5; an artist, classically trained. When we were but kids, he told me that I had an artist’s eye. I decided to finally believe him. I saw a photograph of an old woman looking out a window. Her spirit reminded me of the scripture-loving women in my life – my mom, Alice, my husband’s grandma, Martha and my own, Alice…

  • Art,  Faith,  Yayas Art

    Still, Still with Thee

    I was inspired by a hauntingly beautiful poem, penned by Abolitionist, Harriet Beecher Stowe – but the painting is a tribute to Harriet Tubman, who escaped slavery, but chose to go back and lead others out. Still, Still with theeWhen purple morning breaketh;When the bird waketh;and the darkness flee. Fairer than morning.Lovelier than the daylight,Dawns the sweet consciousness.I am with thee. The painting evolved… Below is one of the earlier stages of the painting still on the easel… It didn’t reflect the austerity of the travelers, or at least as I imagined it. If you have a chance, watch the movie Harriet, about Ms. Tubman. So very moving.

  • Art,  Family & Friends,  Yayas Art

    Cici

    Do you have a friend who spurs you on to love, good works and creativity? Cherish them. Cici was mine. She was a gifted photographer. When she visited from Charleston, we would go on, what we called, “extreme posing excursions” We would stage crazy pictures and laugh til we cried. I lost Cici a few years ago. She passed away from a rare and mysterious disease called Progressive supranuclear palsy. PSP is a degenerative disease that kills the brain leading to loss of balance, slowing of movements and difficulty moving the eyes. It came on suddenly. She mentioned having trouble moving her left hand. I noticed her gait was slightly…