6 days agoThe Black Music Month PortraitsJune is Black Music Appreciation Month, which celebrates Black musical influences that comprise an essential part of a treasured cultural heritage. The celebration was founded by Kenny Gamble (of the music production duo Gamble & Huff) and Dyana Williams. Williams said, Gamble came up with the idea. He had gone…Black Music Month4 min read
Jun 25On Black Magic (Storyboard P) & My Portrait of Greg TateThe last time I spoke to Greg Tate was at the Schomburg in NYC where I saw “Black Magic” street dancer Storyboard P dancing in the lobby. Both of us had been talking about Story in our lectures and writing about his performances. I wrote an essay for a group…Poetics3 min read
Jun 2Art, Learning & MIDI: A Tribute to Dave SmithOn June 1st, Dave Smith passed away. For those who have never heard of Smith he was/is known as the “Father of MIDI” for his role in the development of MIDI. In 1981 Smith set out to create a standard interface protocol for communication between electronic instruments. With the proliferation…Dave Smith3 min read
May 9Kendrick Lamar’s “The Heart Pt 5”: How They Did ItBy now, thousands of people are watching Kendrick Lamar’s new music video for “The Heart Part 5,” during which his face changes to portray different celebrities who are Black men under fire or heroes who have passed away. The technology used to create this effect is likely NVIDIA’s Face Generator…Kendrick Lamar3 min read
Apr 3Math Equity & Questlove’s CoatThis week Ahmir Thompson AKA Questlove posted several photos of the coat he wore when he won an Oscar for Best Documentary for “Summer of Soul”. The appearance was nearly overshadowed by something else (I won’t mention it) but what caught my attention was the details on the coat: This…Mathematics Education3 min read
Mar 1Remixing AI & the Visual Image: A Novel Approach to PortraitureThe general approach to sampling a song involves taking a portion of sound from an audio track and processing it through a digital audio device such as a sampler. Then, the sample is chopped up, looped, or arranged in an…Visual Art3 min read
Feb 1BHM is Every Month: Celebrating Black History Through PortraitureI was commissioned by Ms. Magazine through Janell Hobson to create a portrait to commemorate the 200th-anniversary birth of Harriet Tubman. This project is part of a multimedia series featured on the magazine’s web site with a special section in their print magazine. One…Black History Month4 min read
Jan 27Light, Color & Code: An Homage to Mary BuckleyDuring my foundation year at Pratt Institute, Mrs. Mary Buckley (Mary Buckley Parriot) taught me how to look at light, color and the relationships between the two. Our first assignment was to share previous work. She told me that my paintings reminded her of Edward Hopper and Romare Bearden. Hopper…Color Theory3 min read
Jan 8Novel Portraiture: Color Theory & Digital ImagingColor theory encompasses a multitude of definitions, concepts and design applications — enough to fill several encyclopedias. The three basic categories of color theory include the color wheel, color harmony, and the context of how colors are used. When creating images using Deep Dream Generator…Portraiture3 min read
Jan 7To Sir, With Love: In MemoriamWatching “To Sir, With Love” didn’t inspire me to teach but it did remind me of what I love about teaching… especially with challenging students. I have always been able to reach or work with students who are labeled “at risk” or “troublemakers.” Actor Sidney Poitier, as Mr. Thackeray, aptly…Sidney Poitier3 min read
