Ms. Afrika Abney, Professional Visual Artist and Art Consultant

The AACL Tour opened on March 16th and took place at Francis Gregory. The next AACL Tour is scheduled to take place on April 20, 2024. Please see details below:  (Photo credit from Esther Productions, Inc's programs)- https://www.estherproductionsinc.com/aachildrensliterature   Esther Productions Inc., in partnership with The Black Student Fund and The Institute for African American Writing presents two authors Ms. Joy Jones and Mr. E.Ethelbert Miller on April 20th. Info:  aachildrenslit2023 @gmail.com . " Joy Jones has taught creative writing and public speaking to middle school students and coached poetry slam teams. Her children’s book Tambourine Moon (Simon & Schuster) was chosen in 2000 as a Kid’s Pick of the Lists by the American Booksellers Association, selected as one of the best books for children by the black caucus of the ALA, and seen on Fox TV’s hit show The Bernie Mac Show. She is also the author of Private Lessons:A Book of Meditations for Teachers (Andrews

    Esther Productions Inc., in partnership with The Black Student Fund and The Institute for African American Writing presents two authors Ms. Joy Jones and Mr. E.Ethelbert Miller on April 20th.  Info:  aachildrenslit2023 @gmail.com . SEEING OURSELVES IN THE RIVER, IN THE MIRROR, IN THE WORLD: DC'S AFRICAN AMERICAN LITERARY HISTORY ON TOUR Apr 20, 2024, 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM Washington, 3310 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington, DC 20008, USA Esther Productions Inc. in partnership with The Black Student Fund and The Institute for African American Writing presents two authors, Joy Jones and E.Ethelbert Miller “Joy Jones is a trainer, performance poet, playwright and author of several books including Private Lessons: A Book of Meditations for Teachers; Tambourine Moon, which was selected as one of the best books for children by the black caucus of the ALA and featured on the Bernie Mac Show; and Fearless Public Speaking. She has won awards for her writing from the D. C. Commission on the Arts

  "Factors such as the work's composition, colors, and emotional resonance, will make work more compelling and interesting to own. A powerful scene or subject will make a much larger difference to the price of work often than the artistic quality itself. What will make someone want to own the work?" Blossoming. 9 * 12. Acrylic on Canvas board. April 6, 2023. Afrika Abney Girls and women are blossoming in all shapes and forms through all of the abuse, stereotypes, pain, suffering and violence. It is unfortunate that society has become blind sided.

"Blue is the most popular color in the art market. It is a calming color that evokes feelings of trust, security, and serenity. Many artists use blue in their paintings because it has a universal appeal that transcends culture and geography." If Blue is the most popular color amongst the art market, I wonder why I still have alot of my abstract paintings available for sell. For example, I created this painting last year.  Blue Lotus. Acrylic on Canvas. 9 * 12. April 6, 2023. Afrika Abney 

"Creating a series of paintings will give you an opportunity to explore a technique, a subject or even profundity of colour combinations. It will also take you lesser time to finish set of paintings if you do them in series than have them painted linearly. A series of paintings essentially is more appealing." I create a series of paintings to explore the underlining message within my abstract paintings on canvas. The question is why viewers do not like seeing more than one painting?

  " Sharon Bell Mathis (born 1937) is an American librarian and author who has written books mainly for children and young adults. Mathis was born in Atlantic City, New Jersey. She started writing at an early age, and her love of reading was fostered by her parents. Her mother, a poet, encouraged her to write. In 1958, she earned a degree in Sociology from Morgan State College and, in 1975, went on to earn a master's in Library Science from the Catholic University of America. Mathis has written many books for children and young adults, and has received many accolades in her career. Her book Ray Charles, a nonfiction biography of Ray Charles, received the Coretta Scott King Award. The Hundred Penny Box received a Newbery Honor Award and is a recipient of the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award and also an American Library Association Notable Children's Book. English Journal placed Mathis alongside writers such as Toni Cade Bambara and Nikki Giovanni, characterizing them as "d

  Esther Productions Inc., in partnership with The Black Student Fund and The Institute for African American Writing presents two authors Sharon Bell Mathis and Brian Gilmore on Mar 16, 2024 from 1:30 PM – 3:30 PM at  3660 Alabama Ave SE, Washington, DC 20020, USA . " Sharon Bell Mathis (born 1937) is an American librarian and author who has written books mainly for children and young adults. Mathis was born in Atlantic City, New Jersey. She started writing at an early age, and her love of reading was fostered by her parents. Her mother, a poet, encouraged her to write. In 1958, she earned a degree in Sociology from Morgan State College and, in 1975, went on to earn a master's in Library Science from the Catholic University of America. Mathis has written many books for children and young adults, and has received many accolades in her career. Her book Ray Charles, a nonfiction biography of Ray Charles, received the Coretta Scott King Award. The Hundred Penny Box received a Newb

  The materials that I use to create my new collages and paintings are mentioned below. Acrylic Paint " Staples Premuim Acrylic Paints Show artistic visions in brilliant colors by using this assortment of acrylic paints. The set features 12 shades that stand alone to cover craft projects or blend well with other colors to make creative signs and images. A chart on the back of the package provides guidance on mixing colors, and the paint dries quickly and thins easily with water to create different effects. These ArtSkills premium acrylic paints come in small tubes for easy application. Acrylic paints for both small and large projects provide you with vibrant colors in every stroke Comes in 12 vibrant colors that are sure to give you the best shade Each of the 12 paints has a volume of 0.32 fl. oz. Packaging is made in the form of a color box Package contains 12 acrylic paints in different colors Can be thinned with water" Oil Pastels "Crayola® Portfolio® Series Oil paste

  Photos from Internet "The medium that an artist chooses to work with contributes to both the style of the art and its meaning. It can also enhance the texture. Medium is not a neutral choice in artwork but rather a highly complex and codified one. To learn about art, it is important to understand how mediums are used and why." When selecting materials to produce my new collages and paintings, I generally think about what I am creating before hand. For example, research suggests that smaller pieces sell faster than larger pieces. I prefer creating my new collages and paintings using 5 * 7 canvas panels, and 8 * 10 canvas, 9 * 12 canvas.

"First promoted by Congress in 1981 as Women's History Week, since 1995, presidents have issued a series of annual proclamations designating the month of March as Women’s History Month. These proclamations celebrate the contributions women have made to the United States and recognize groundbreaking individuals and specific achievements. " On March 2, 1981, I was a student at NationHouse and in 1995, I was a college student. "Art Education in the United States refers to the practice of teaching art in American public schools. Before the democratization of education, particularly as promoted by educational philosopher John Dewey, apprenticeship was the traditional route for attaining an education in art. Alongside John Dewey, Elliot Eisner was a leading advocate for the inclusion of art in modern curriculum. Since the first introduction of art in public schooling in 1821, art education in the United States has faced many changes and many stages of growth." Read mo

There are many benefits that art has amongst humans. Two of the reasons why I have been creating art lately are to reduce stress and healing. "Stress Relief One of the best ways to combat stress, is to make art!  Study after study has shown  that drawing, doodling, coloring, and simply creating something for 20 plus minutes reduces cortisol. Healing Healing from trauma is a complicated process and there are many practices that can help facilitate this process.  Research has proved  that art can help process pain and provide a direct connection between the mind and body to help with the healing process."

    The registration for African Americans and Children's Literature: A Symposium and Exhibition  (AACL) held on March 2nd has been closed as of Feb 23, 2024.  This event is curated by award-winning author and public scholar jonetta rose barras in partnership with humanities scholar Bernard Demczuk Ph.D. ,The Black Student Fund, The Institute for African American Writing, Teaching for Change, Social Justice Books, Buck Wild Media, and Lesa Warrick. Major funding has been provided by HumanitiesDC with additional support from Kerry S. Pearson LLC, and BusBoys and Poets. estherproductionsinc.com/aachildrensliterature

    Registration has re-opened for AACL as of February 16, 2024. Info: aachildrenslit2023@gmail.com. https://www.estherproductionsinc.com/events-1/seating-added-african-americans-and-childrens-literature-a-symposium-and-exhibition Mar 02, 2024, 8:30 AM – 6:30 PM EST 125 Michigan Ave NE, Washington, DC 20017 The following below panel discussions are apart of the African Americans and Children's Literature: A Symposium and Exhibition which is scheduled to take place on March 2, 2024 at Trinity Washington University. Among them include REMOVING THE MASK, AMPLIFYING OUR VOICES: The Struggle of Black Authors To Publish Authentic Stories About African American People--Their Lives and Their Culture; SEEING OURSELVES IN THE RIVER, IN THE MIRROR, IN THE WORLD: Illustrators Talk About The Challenge of Creating Images That Bring Children’s Books Alive ; TRUNKS, SATCHELS AND THE US POSTAL SERVICE: Book Distributors and Store Owners Tell Their Story About Getting Black Books into the World By A

  Me, Myself and Our Story was launched in 2023 by Esther Productions, Inc and The Institute for African American Writing and is designed for teen girls who have an interest in creative writing. It is a professional creative writing institute providing instruction in poetry fiction and memoir writing. Course of study will provide six weeks of focus and instruction on each topic. That is six weeks of poetry six weeks of fiction and six weeks of memoir writing. The Institute is for young ladies 15-19 years old who have an interest in creative writing. The first session will be in poetry. Students should be prepared to attend all six sessions.  The next session is scheduled to take place on February 24, 2024 at Trinity.  Feb 24, 2024, 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM EST Washington, 125 Michigan Ave NE, Washington, DC 20017, USA--Room 230 Me, Myself and Our Story: Creative Writing Institute for Young Ladies Aged 15 through 19 is a free course led by professional and published writers. This six-week ART

  UNFINISHED BUSINESS, UNTOLD STORIES: A Look Beyond the Immediate Horizon at The Future of Children’s Literature Written by African American Authors is one of the panel discussions that is a part of the  African Americans and Children's Literature: A Symposium and Exhibition which is scheduled to take place on March 2, 2024 at 3pm. The presenters include Kwame Alexander, Tricia Elam Walker, David Miller, Tiffany Mitchell Patterson, Leroy Nesbitt and Joy Jones. " Kwame Alexander has written 38 books, three of them in a chair next to a fireplace at his neighborhood Panera Bread. He now writes in a penthouse in London, where he lives. But, he misses the writing studio he built in Virginia a few years ago. It has huge windows, a large painting of John Coltrane, 3000 books, heated floors, a blue couch, and a loft which was Randy’s idea. When he’s not writing, Kwame’s playing Softball with his soon-to-be six feet tall middle school daughter, walking around London listening to au