WHAT THEY SEE

I am so blessed and favored to be able to work as an illustrator. There are only a handful of Black Illustrators out here and I am wanting to see more! My parents freaked out when I declared that I was going to be an artist. They had so much fear in their hearts where this was concerned. I mean, " How can a child. An African American child, be what it's never seen before." My folks believe that I could be a singer and musician because that is what they were. Now, an artist is something different. I mean when I was a child even the cartoons that my sister and I watch didn't have people of color in them.

Years later I am working as a full time Illustrator and Storyteller. I didn't see that coming!! No sir. I didn't get a degree in Fashion Illustration or art of any kind. I dropped out in my 3rd year from F.I.T

(The Fashion Institute of Technology). My parents didn't have the money. I worked in a Hospital as a trained Phlebotomist. I took care of people with HIV, Women with Cancer, Children and newborns and pre-mature babies. I was so good that they called my name all the time to draw blood on the hardest and most difficult of patients. I even got an award for it.

Never had a clue that working in a hospital would help me to become a better illustrator, but it did. I learnt so much about the body and emotions. I was up close and personal with it at times, but l learnt people. I studied children, Happy, sad, angry, sick, well, and yes even dead. It was a lot, but It cause me to see the world with all of its beautiful facets. It's not one dimensional , but filled with so many important and purposeful facets of life.

Moving forward, now I get to draw everyday. The good, the bad, and the ugly, but always joyful parts of life. I get to work with Random House and Penguin Books, FableVision, Chronicle Books, and yes, Targets for Christmas! I am so very excited to have been able to work with even my favorite store Targets. It happened through prayer and positive thinking and saying. Your life follows your words. So get busy saying positive things and instead of the negative. You speak that negative stuff and that is all you are gonna get. I had to let some people and somethings go and while it pained me to let somethings and people go, I sure did feel better and found myself living my best life finally. Leaning you can't always share your dreams with the people around you. Everyone is not for you, but you do need to be for yourself in the most balance and healthy way. So, take time to listen to Spirit. Know yourself. Know what you want and go after it. You only need your permission to do so! Run to your destiny my friend and don't look back!