Women Who Run with the Wolves

I ran out to buy this book about two weeks ago after a wonderful post by my mentor, Shantrelle P. Lewis. I had never heard of the book, which is considered a classic, but, as I searched through the pages built upon womanly wisdom I was amazed at the style of writing and the sheer passion of each word that Clarissa Pinkola Estés had chosen. The article that introduced my mentor to the book was written in the June 2009 issue of Ebony Magazine featuring Jada Pinkett-Smith. It wasn't Jada's words that touched my mentor but her husband Will's.

excerpt:"Jada Pinkett Smith-Unscripted" June 2009 issue,Ebony Magazine:

When he first met her, he says, “I could see the range-from the White House to the ghetto. I could see the untapped resources. I just felt like I was looking from a helicopter shot at a mountain range and I can see the diamond two miles beneath the surface.”

Calling forth the diamond in Jada led Will to a book he calls “my understanding women bible,” (Women Who Run With The Wolves). "There is a Native American story in the book about this old hag. The story was called ‘Singing Over The Bones’ says Will. “And this woman was in this vast wasteland of all these broken bodies and bones. She was singing these bones back to life.”

“What I got from it is the idea that if you kill one part of a woman, you kill the whole, he explains. “The woman was singing over the other dead parts of herself and she was bringing the fullness back to life. She was an old hag because she had tried to kill certain parts of herself, and in killing those parts of herself, she killed the whole-the amount of resentment that comes in with women that try to kill parts of themselves to try to fit in their husbands’ limited view or try to squeeze into their husbands’ limited capacity.”

Will says he has worked hard not to hamper his wife’s spirit or development. “There is no other option if I want the full glory of everything my wife has to offer me emotionally, and spiritually and sexually, and all of that. If I want that then I have to increase my capacity for what I am able to handle from my partner.”



+Pick up your copy at your local bookstore or here

There was a Dandy Named Andy

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I love this illustration and chair combination! It would go so well in my dream art studio. Check out the other "Andy Dandy" chairs by Jimmie Martin (Design duo Jimmie Karlsson and Martin Nihlmar) who collaborated with photographers Christopher Makos and Paul Solberg to create these pop inspired chairs. They are a limited edition of 5 and only available from 20ltd.com.











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+Check out more Jimmie Martin and be amazed here

Yinka Shonibare MBE

I've been studying the works of Yinka Shonibare MBE over the last year and was ecstatic to find out he has an exhibition “Yinka Shonibare MBE” at the Brooklyn Museum, its certainly on my fall to do list when it travels to the National Museum of African Art at the Smithsonian. What intrigues me most about Shonibare's work is the amount of research placed into his concepts before producing the works of art and the Dutch wax printed textiles are simply fantastic. I love the drama of costumes and I am a devout textile fanatic (more on this later) so seeing these two elements combined is a double dose of inspiration. He also empowers me as an artist to go out and make your dreams happen no matter the obstacles, his disability has not slowed down his process.











pics via Yinka Shonibare MBE + Brooklyn Museum

+More Yinka Shonibare MBE here

What Dreams Are Really Made of

(C)2005 Tanekeya Word"

This is what dreams are really made of...a bit of imagination and a whole lot of ambition to turn it into reality.


In an effort to get organized for my move and to begin my journey to grad school I have been posting less. I'm focused on loads of artistic projects and I hope to get back on a regular blog schedule soon (thanks for following the blog). Moving back to DC after a year sabbatical of traveling, painting, and developing has left me quite energized and ready to take on the world (imagine my focus, energy level, inspiration and productivity turned up to 20...fierceness)! Keep Dreaming and remember to "Live What You Love!"

POP Treat: Isabel Samaras "Confessions of a Pretty Wild Thang"

Isabel Samaras exhibition "Into the Woods" combines pop-culture with surrealism and I love it! As an artist and creative/art director, works based on concepts are my favorite; I love to see a thought evolve without the artist losing their audience. Maybe, that's also why I create series and why I collect series too. I'm just impressed by how far an artist can take an idea in a short span of time. Samaras killed this concept and do you see the porcupine rocking the Melody Ehsani Love+Hate rings....go Melody!







all pics via Isabel Samaras








+ More Isabel Samaras here

POPULARazzi: Right Back at Cha'

I've been working very hard in the studio on a few projects that will be revealed this fall and throughout next year. Thanks so much for visiting the blog and I will be back to the schedule program on Monday. Expect to see some wonderful posts coming up...if you haven't followed the blog take the time out to subscribe and tell all your friends! I hope you all are living what you love or working towards it today!

POP Treat: Indulgence

ZENG LINGXIN is a prodigy at bridging the gap of fine art and commercialism. Juxtaposing luxury items next to her characters, she creates a world full of indulgences that her consumers want to buy into. I must admit, she had me at Chanel...where should I send the check!





pics via Andrew James Art