auctioned works

I came across the flyer inside the foyer of Prince Art & Framing one day as I was purchasing supplies.

I like doing artwork for charity when I can and I needed to reach out and meet new people, expose my work to new people, a win-win. I reached out for more information and submission guidelines. I met with the director of the event and had a good conversation. I was devoting my bricks to the memory of my Grandmother Dollie Mae Munlin-Kidd who had passed away from breast cancer in 1980.

The first brick “Memorial” is a solid structure where a single candle is placed on the top and burned all the way down with another candle, of a different color can be added. After time, the entire brick is covered in layers of colored wax becoming itself a giant candle. 

The second brick “Perseverance” is one brick broken up into three pieces. The parts can then be reconstructed into different forms. Surviving, adapting and moving on with life despite being different.

I do not know who won the silent auction for my bricks. Though cordial, I was distant this whole event. I even remember sitting at a table to myself, thinking of my grandma holding back tears the whole time. I was surprised when my photo appeared in the paper when there were over 2 dozen other Artists that participated.  

My friend and fellow Artist Contemporary Cedric Michael Cox, commissioned me to do a live painting that would then be silent auctioned off to someone at the event. That day was an interesting one…

First, as I was packing up my supplies I noticed an odd smell on my paints. Turned out that my cat Panther had peed in the box with my paints. I was livid! I hate the smell of cat pee. It was driving me crazy and I didn’t have the time to buy a new set of paints. 

Second, it started to pour down raining outside and I had to walk 6 blocks to the location. Nate was hanging with me, so we walked down to the Historic Carew Tower where the Havana Martini club was located.

When painting, I usually have large plastic sheets on the walls and the floor to protect them from paint splashes. The Blue was painted at home to speed up the process once I was at the club. I had met the person who won the painting and we even worked for the same company 4 years later, but I have forgotten her name over time.