Ms. Afrika Abney, Professional Visual Artist and Art Consultant- Branding Blog

  Art promotes mental health because it allows children and adults to freely express themselves through creative play using various art materials such as fingerpaint, washable paint and non toxic materials on paper or canvas. https://theconversation.com/brain-research-shows-the-arts-promote-mental-health-136668                                                                          Abstract Fingerpainting. Afrika Abney  

When I brand myself as a professional visual artist, I think about the palette and audience. Branding is critical because it not only attracts viewers to my work, but also helps them to understand more about me as a person. I am using videos, blog posts and other sites to brand myself as a professional visual artist. An important element in branding myself as a professional visual artist is color. The colors that I select have a specific meaning. "Red — Red stands for passion, excitement and anger. It can signify importance and command attention.   Orange — Orange stands for playfulness, vitality and friendliness. It is invigorating and evokes energy.   Yellow — Yellow evokes happiness, youth and optimism, but can also seem attention-grabbing or affordable.   Green — Green evokes stability, prosperity, growth and a connection to nature.   Light Blue — A light shade of blue exudes tranquility, trust, openness. It can also signify innocence.   Dark Blue — Dark blue stands for profes

When I was in high school from 1991 - 1993, my favorite subject in high school was art. My art teacher was Jorge Somarriba.        The above photos were taken while I was a high school student at Bell from 1991 - 1993.  I gave away the clothing articles and jewelry shown in the photos above . Additionally, I donated the artwork shown above.  "Jorge Somarriba, a Nicaraguan born artist who lives in Gaithersburg.  He immigrated to the United States in 1975 and has taught art at the Bell Multicultural High School and Norwood School in Bethesda.      Art is an important expression of life that documents the thoughts, experiences, and traditions of an individual. Art is the power to create a specific piece using various materials hightened by tone, volume, depth, and definition. Art is the tool for healing the mind, body and spirit. Art is the colors that glow upon the eyes of both the artist and the viewer. Art is th

  "Winter, a time when the sky is often grey, pairs perfectly with the grey-toned muted colors, such as slate blue, winter white, charcoal, mauve, burgundy, and an endless variety of pastels and “icy” colors. Winter's colors are like a snowscape: icy, muted, subtly greyed, and very subdued." During the Winter, I have created over 20 digital art pieces using different colors and techniques. Since, January 2020, I have created over 20 paintings on canvas or paper. Winter is an extremely cold season and a perfect time to create, reflect and share gifts from the heart.  The below digital art piece is entitled: Winter Time.                                               Winter Time. Digital art created on canvas. Afrika Abney  Winter Time, a time to meditate, relax, renew, rest, and create new ideas filled with hope and grace. In this digital art piece, I use some winter colors such as mauve, burgundy, charcoal, slate blue and winter white. Each color in the digital art pie

In 2001, I created the man and woman series. Several years later, I gave away the entire series.  Men and women are opposites. Yet, treated in society unequally. Both of them have favorite colors.  "Universally, studies show that blue is both men and women’s primary preferred color. One study dove into why blue is so popular and found that it is associated with clean water, clear skies, authority, truth and tranquility. Both men and women also like green and red as their top favorite colors. Purple is an interesting color because it lands in both the favorite and least favorite category for men and women. However, there are significantly more women who prefer the color purple over those who dislike it."  The Man and Woman series focuses on the imbalance in the relationships which creates division and tension. Each series captures how lack of compassion and empathy in a relationship can generate conflict. The colors that I used to create the series include blue and purple.    

  “Color is a powerful communication tool and can be used to signal action, influence mood, and even influence physiological reactions. Cool colors such as blue, purple, and green provide a sense of calm and relaxation because they are a visual reminder of elements of nature like water, sky, and grass.” When combined correctly whether on canvas or paper, colors created within the painting, are intriguing and inspirational.  The below digital art piece created on canvas is entitled: Colors of Life.                                                   Colors of Life. Digital art created on canvas. Afrika Abney  

" Complementary colors are pairs of colors which, when combined or mixed, cancel each other out (lose hue) by producing a grayscale color like white or black. When placed next to each other, they create the strongest contrast for those two colors. Complementary colors may also be called opposite colors- these are also called complements — have an especially strong relationship.  Red and green, blue and orange, yellow and purple are all as different from each other as possible. Opposite colors look more themselves when they're next to each other." I often use complementary colors in my artwork.                                Complementary Colors. Digital art created on canvas. Afrika Abney When I use red in the digital art piece entitled: Complementary colors, it represents bravery. Green representing earth and nature. Purple depicting inspiration and yellow portraying elegance. Blue representing sky and orange depicting courage. These are all personality and chara

  During the pandemic, I created inspiring paintings reflecting the crisis. With over 20 years of experience, I work on canvas, digital, or canvas paper. I recently completed over 20 digital pieces, channeling my experiences as a black female in America into my art. Art has always been my voice. Pandemic. September 3, 2021. 16 * 20. Abstract painting on canvas. Afrika Abney Pandemic, I thought about the colors and technique. One of the colors that I selected was salmon pink. The artist carefully chose the salmon pink color for its symbolism of expression, fellowship, compassion, and individuality. The painting's blend of red, blue, and white creates a dynamic and textured composition with abstract patterns and visual depth. A blend of red, blue, and white hues creates a dynamic and textured composition. The colors intermingle, forming abstract patterns and visual depth. A blend of red, blue, and white hues creates a dynamic and textured composition. The colors intermingle, forming

  During my childhood, I studied art at the Capitol Hill Arts Workshop, Corcoran School of the Art and at Bell Multicultural High School.  When I was a student, I had the opportunity to participate in the Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton's Congressional Art Competition in 1992 and 1993, and exhibit my artwork at the New Harlem Gallery and Wisteria ArtSpace in 1993. Art promotes healthy child development because it allows the child to freely express themselves through creative play using various art materials such as fingerpaint, washable paint and non toxic materials on paper or canvas. raisedgood.com/art-promotes-healthy-child-development/?fbclid=IwAR0JJpgcxzMRL2IoEFYZa-3PUxBrlzcJ3HYXwFE9XgD9PnsQlQeeF6-6vYY    Sleepy Child is a painting that was donated many years ago by Afrika Abney. It was created when she was a student at Bell from 1991 - 1993.

  When I was a student, I studied art at Capitol Hill Arts Workshop, Corcoran and Bell Multicultural High School. Many years later while a student at the Corcoran, I taught art to many students. I strongly believe that art not only can help center a student's learning experience and can close the opportunity gap for many students.  ​ www.kqed.org/mindshift/54370/how-art-can-help-center-a-students-learning-experience?fbclid=IwAR2z7Z-64q8OlMs2P1ki7zOLU8WM8zN_bWRVI8LlCdtvmjqSswMha4w-zEQ       The above photos were taken while I was a high school student at Bell from 1991 - 1993.  I gave away the clothing articles and jewelry shown in the photos above . Additionally, I donated the artwork shown above. " Art instruction  helps children with the development of motor skills, language skills, social skills, decision-making, risk-taking, and inventiveness . Visual arts teach learners about color, layout, perspective, and balance: all techniques that are necessary in presentatio

After I completed a fun activity that incorporated shapes which is an important element for creating art lessons and artwork. I got creative and imaginative. I have a creative mind, I understand all things spatial and rely on visual cues to stimulate me. I tend to think best when I am working with my hands. And I often provide creative and unique solutions to problems.  Below are some collages where I incorporated shapes.   Mix Media Collage on Canvas. Afrika Abney        Mix Media Collage on Canvas. Afrika Abney

Life in Black and White through the lens of the artist captures abstract paintings using black and white paint on paper to resemble how society, community and world divides human beings based on race and excludes them from activities. If we want racism and discrimination to end, we must stop segregating and racial inequity. I have created several paintings using only black and white colors to express how I have been impacted by racial profiling. When I mix both colors together, they make the color gray.  "Black isn't a primary, secondary, or tertiary color. In fact, black isn't on the color wheel because it isn't considered a color. It's all colors. Or rather, the absorption of all colors. Black absorbs all light in the color spectrum." "White is clean, simple, and pure. It stands in stark opposition to black, and its meanings are unequivocal. As white light contains all the colors of the spectrum, it’s an inclusive, impartial color, favoring no single