Description
EXCERPTS FROM ARTIST INTERVIEW:DRPA: So what’s the next piece you have for us?C-Note: DianaDRPA: Very beautiful, now what is the story behind that?C-Note: This is “Colored Girl,” Part II, or the sequel. “Colored Girl,” was done in 2009, in 2016, I did “Diana.” The impetus is that I’m starting to be in galleries and museums. Probably patronized by white people, with 50% of the population being women, probably women, and older women. Who sees their beauty? I’ll never forget a conversation I saw on the CBS Morning Show with Charlie Rose, Norah O’Donnell, and Gayle King. Nora, was complaining about being dog whistled, or cat whistled at by men. Gail had a different take. She did not find that behavior offensive at all, in fact, wish guys would do that to her. So that set off an epiphany. I mean who’s cat whistling the grandmothers? Because that’s what Gayle King is. You read sex for people in their eighties is still wanted and desired. So we don’t stop being sexual and wanted because of our age. America is much criticized for being a youth culture; so I like to buck against the norms, root for underdogs. “Diana,” was created for the white, mature, woman, who may patronize the galleries and museums that my work may be in. It is my conversation with that audience, with that patronage, that “I” see you. That “I” see the beauty in you, and that I pay homage to that beauty. The piece was originally to be called “Diana A Roman Goddess,” but a friend of mine in here, who is dating a wiccan, she knew Diana to be a goddess. I had added the Roman Goddess part because I was fearful if I just use the name Diana it will be construed with “Princess Diana,” Lady Diana Spencer Princess of Wales (1961-1997), but since the Wiccans know Diana to be a goddess, simply Diana was the preferred titled.
Description
Adriana W. (2016)5.5 in. x 8.5 in. (14 x 21.6 cm)Blue, red, green, purple, pink, and black ink pen on paperDonald "C-Note" HookerThe actress and the journalist should be the title of this piece by the world's most prolific prisoner-artist, Donald "C-Note" Hooker. Instead, it's the backstory. "Adrian W.," is a work that was inspired by a famous actress who was involved in a Madison Avenue ad campaign for a well known perfume. The model for this piece came from a magazine picture of a famous actress, and then named after a news reporter who interviewed the artist."It was a very challenging piece," says C-note. "How does someone create likeness without using flesh colors? If this was done monochromatically in graphite or black ink there's no problem. I love this piece. I think I did a good job considering this was a one take piece. The color scheme and placement was all done on the fly."
Description
Adriana W. (2016)5.5 in. x 8.5 in. (14 x 21.6 cm)Blue, red, green, purple, pink, and black ink pen on paperDonald "C-Note" HookerThe actress and the journalist should be the title of this piece by the world's most prolific prisoner-artist, Donald "C-Note" Hooker. Instead, it's the backstory. "Adrian W.," is a work that was inspired by a famous actress who was involved in a Madison Avenue ad campaign for a well known perfume. The model for this piece came from a magazine picture of a famous actress, and then named after a news reporter who interviewed the artist."It was a very challenging piece," says C-note. "How does someone create likeness without using flesh colors? If this was done monochromatically in graphite or black ink there's no problem. I love this piece. I think I did a good job considering this was a one take piece. The color scheme and placement was all done on the fly."
Description
The title of this work was inspired by the 1976, Disco song, "Heaven Must Be Missing an Angel." The song was recorded by the American R&B, funk and soul music group Tavares. It was released as the first single from their fourth album, Sky High!The image itself (Heaven Must Be Missing an Angel), is unrelated to the Tavares recording, but comes from a series of original tattoo patterns by prison artist C-Note that he felt would be appealing to his fellow California prisoners. One of the ways C-Note would survive in prison was to create original tattoo patterns for the prison culture that is dominated by gang culture. This particular work was inspired by and created for Halloween and El Dia de la Muerte.
Description
This piece was created as the digital image for an epic poem the artist written and is a part of the Neo Jim Crow Art Movement. An African American, prisoner-led, art movement, to create a historical record about this era of black life, here in America, known as The New Jim Crow.
Description
Da Muslima (The Muslim woman) is a mixed media of wax and ink on paper. The work has two points of inspiration. One is the highlighting of the African American Muslim in the United States, and the other is Johannes Vermeer's Girl with a Pearl Earring. The use of the white headwrap as a highlight of this piece was inspired by Vermeer, as well as the earring highlighted by its shadow.