If
a jeannie granted me a wish, I would want to go back in time and tell
my younger self. Relax! Channel all that anger and passion into your art
and let all the other negative stuff fall down.
Mr.Dennis Wilson taught down the hallway from
Mr.Belk's art class at Parkway Junior high school in Miami, Florida in 1982 and in this photo he is congradulating me for
winning first place in an art project assignment (he held in class). Up
until this point Mr.Wilson only considered me a "problem child student"
and believe me I gave him plenty of amunition. When we took the photo, I
was so giddy by his admiration for my ability as an artist (also the
fact I got so close to him)...He was a real hunk.
Recently heard he retired from teaching after his son was murdered, So very sorry for his loss. You have my deepest condolences.
1982
was a HUGE turning point in my life because I learned how to be an
independent entrepreneur. Allow me to explain, Around this time Michael Jackson dominated the music WORLD and I like so many others, worshipped
at his majesty's glamour and glitz.
From the photos-You can see my childhood bedroom back in Miami, Florida in 1982
was covered from ceiling to the floor with Michael Jackson, Culture Club, Wham, Duran Duran, Bananarama, Dead or Alive and so many other
posters. In this bedroom, I spent hours teaching myself to nurture my
ability. In school I had befriended my openly gay art teacher, Mr.Belk
and he gave me access to the art supply storage room one day. Inside I
found a large projector that could magnetize the image placed on the
screen to a larger proportion on any surface.
Didn't
take long for my brain to start working on some way to earn a little
extra cash and I had the perfect solution. On certain days and hours,
Mr.Belk would allow me unprecedented leeway to use the projector and I
took perfect advantage of this opportunity.
Taking various images of Michael Jackson off my wall and into school to
draw the out-line feature of his profile. When I returned home with
several large pieces of canvas, I would take the time (previously spent
on honing my craft) and fill in all the details of Michael Jackson's
face. I remember selling the handmade crafted posters for $2.00 and
sometimes $3.00 and they sold like delicious hot cakes off the griddle
among the student bodies back than-Keep in mind, THRILLER had just been
released and anything with Michael Jackson's image was GOLD. Did pretty
well for myself and I recall selling my posters always made me feel good having people
want my art.
Attached to this post are the only two existing Michael Jackson prints from this era.
The story is about two male entities inhabiting the same body throughout the 1970s,1980s,1990s and up-to-present day. One speaks in journal entries (the writer), the other speaks with a vivid, creative, wicked, imagination (the artist). A paperback comic book or an E-Book (available now Chapter One)...You should "STEP into the DARK WORLD" it is where these two male beings reside & survive.