HAPPY NEW YEAR...

HAPPY NEW YEAR FOR THE MOST OF YOU...I CAN HEAR THE SCREAMS ALREADY AND DON'T KNOW HOW THE MIDNIGHT ONES WILL SOUND LIKE.

FORTUNATELY,I AM PRIVILEGED TO GO ETHIOPIAN AND TAKE THIS AS JUST ANOTHER DAY...

WISH YOU ALL WELL AND MUCH JOY FOR OH 11...

P.S. I Made It! How to Make Your Less Than Awesome Gifts Cool

P.S. I Made It! How to Make Your Less Than Awesome Gifts Cool


on DECEMBER 27, 2010 - 9:03 AM

Photo: Erica Domesek
Sure, there may not be such thing as a crappy gift — after all it’s the thought that counts. But sometimes what you’re gifted can be turned into something even better with a little bit of effort and a lot of motivation. So we asked Erica Domesek, of PS I Made This, to walk us through a DIY project every day this week.

Did your sister stick a bow on a pile of totes and say Merry Christmas?

On the one hand, one can never have too many totes. On the other, their beige canvas doesn’t do much for an outfit.

P.S. I Made It! How to Make Your Less Than Awesome Gifts Cool

P.S. I Made It! How to Make Your Less Than Awesome Gifts Cool

New Year's bag of fun

Of Smiles and frowns!!!

 

I must admit Christmas season was one of a kind this time around. After hearing all those appalling stories of people stuck in Airports for hours on end,that was the first killer on behalf of other last minute travelers.

Secondly,its really cold down here in Africa around this time and we have resorted to wearing boots too!

Anyways,we could still afford to smile through it all and hoped for the best for our brothers and sisters on the other side.

Happy Holidays,

With peace and Love,
Esi

Words as weapons.

Paintings Using Words, by May Stevens

An extraordinary artist, poet, teacher, and social activist. Throughout her career, May Stevens has been a committed political activist. Her powerful work reflects her rejection of racism, imperialism, war, and sexism.

She also has focused on the lives of women, using her mother, Alice, as the subject of many of her paintings.

Increasingly May Stevens has included words in her paintings (Sea of Words). As she has said, “Words are everywhere. When I use (them) in my paintings, they describe some of the ideas and emotions that make up that painting. But as they become illegible, they give up their identity to become a thread, a tone, a sound, a passage that is a vital element in the configuration but not necessarily one that is individually distinguishable.”

Love that!

Haha! My girls got us cracking ...really hard! I've forgotten all about my worries like cancelling flights and missing planned activities. They say something's gotta give and its best to laugh off this season doing silly things but working as hard too rather than be in a foreign place learning something.That should be saved for after new years since we need to do have this resolution rituals together.

I love my girls to death and they make e laugh.This picture was taken after my beste gave me 3 kisses. Check out my cheeks..(Lip tattoo)... and we are headed for more fun.

   And the kids are having equally mad fun at the house. They love all the get- togethers.

  And everyone is out and about trying to squeeze out the most of their free time..while team Zawadi has chosen to go art and about at all these spots to kill 2 birds with one stone-Party hard-work harder!

All the best guys,
Peace and love,
Esi

Some Of My fave Tings!

We are all on a high,waking up in the wee hours of the morning to either catch the latest news around town on who is hosting the best parties this holidays or last minute meetings-Thank God we can even take this to the beach and still get work done.

Oh I love Christmas.Don't get me wrong. The house has nothing to offer in form of trees or presents to open but the mood set around people makesme want to be around them now,more than ever.

The Sun is way up high in the sky and Children as well as their parents are taking time to relax and catch up as if to make up for the past 300 something days.

Anyways,I still have prints to make,and a book to deliver tomorrow but beforedoing that,here are a few of my 2010 fave Art and About scenes.

Love the easy to wear hair trends along with the color choices in 2010. This is an inspiration for 2011 hair trends too and wish they do not go wrong with color.

Fro the ramps,to the Streets and also music videos,Biker clothing made their way into the fashion scene and we were captivated by the bold statement.Loved it!

From casual chic to super cool,I fell in love with these easy to hold tote. Lovely!

Viva la Diva...all beautiful girls of color.We are loving to see a blend in ethnicities on Magazine covers,thanks to trendsetters like Vogue Italia. We are now seeing a number of women of color,biracial,Asian and all those fine tones on the rack. Way to go.

To be honest with you guysI would never feel complete without a bracelet.I wear them with soul and love them to the core.This is one fave things you have to deal with on these pages.

Have a fab Holiday and do send me your fave things to share on the pages.

Peace and love
Esi

Boundless one.

“With creative wild abandon and imaginative play,
with a belief in the infinite possibilities of the human psyche,
with feet on the ground and heads in the stars,
we endeavor to knock at the door of the human heart,
reminding ourselves and each other that once upon a time
is really here and now.” — Angi Sullins






Oh what a joy to know that quotes can uplift Spirit.


For a few days now,I have been doing eff all when it came to writing. I just stared at a blank piece of paper with no squeeze out of the creative juices whatsoever...it was plainly bleak!


However,this didn't stop me from searching and reading a few quotes here and there which eventually made me feel more and more sad as I sank into a deep-ah! I don't want to call it depressed, but something close to that sort of feeling.


This morning was equally dull and I skipped all things beautiful.From the morning jog to breakfast and was about to consider this day a total disaster when I run into this quote above.


Boy oh boy was this meant for a day like this?


Now I am out and about-looking for what to write,and believe you me,there's a lot to share.


Ciao ciao for now.


Esi

Thor

I am loving this New breed of super Heroes...Thor! Look out for it 2011.

Rock Santa Rock!

I can't have a white Christmas this time around so the best way to go about it is stick to funky fly Rockin' Thumpin' Santa. Its a season to be jolly,make merry and take everything lightly while we embrace the man from Galilee...and what better way to have a blast than with a rockin Santa-thanks to the giants,Coca Cola!
But ya'll enjoy this season.Hugs.Esi

Poem on a Carpet.

The painting "The Young Poet Rumi" shows a young Rumi (sans white beard) composing a poem. The painting is a visual narrative of catharsis. Peacock feather in hand, the flow of ink has veered off the paper and knocked over an ink well as the weight of emotion from what he has just written causes him to collapse in creative exhaustion, his heart pumping blood onto the green table. Two young birds fly in through his open window bringing flowers. These feathered muses also bring him inspiration metaphorically through these gifts of flowers.

When I see this painting I can smell the salty air of the sea just outside Rumi's window. The lines of the poem on the paper are from the poem Heroes:

Does any artist paint for the sake of the picture itself,

without the hope of offering some good?

No, but for the sake of the viewers and the young

who will be drawn by it and freed from cares.

So Real...

I love this Khanga dress that featured at this year's Swahili Fashion Week-So Real,love the lady's natural look too.

Countdown to the Marathon

It's on guys and gals,the MTN Marathon is on kesho. 6:OOam all roads lead to Kololo airstrip.

Aish! I can't wait to get this over and done with and make other plans as this has been a long time coming. I have my timing chip,shoes,gear,water bottle(filled with I don't know what as the gals plan to do the filling)uhmmm....I am praying water and glucose!)...

Do you have a goal you would love to achieve? Go ahead and make it happen....Write me a line...will read it on my way from Kololo...as for now,I'm going for the training.Ciao ciao!

Out Now...

There are 2 things that are really exciting me today. I would love to call them my 'Out Now's'...

We all know how Shear Hair and Beauty magazine has given us the best of what's hot in Hair for the past 7 Issues (it runs bi-monthly btw)...Now we have Issue 8 out. Please rush for your copies and check out what Mwamvita Mwakamba has in store for us.

SECONDLY

My second 'Out Now' is the much anticipated Zawadi Arts clothe label called 'O-thentik'. My Partner and I have always dreamed of creating appealing apparel and have come up with Afrocentric Tees. We have a limited collection of Vintage Tees which you can buy at the launch of O-thentik on 10th Dec at our store on Uring crescent ,Entebbe. Please come and support the arts-support o-thentik.

Together we stand!

"Today it's me
Tomorrow someone else
It's you and me
We've got to stand up and fight
We'll take a light in the fight against AIDS
Let's come on out
Let's stand together, fight AIDS
In times of joy, in times of sorrow
Let's take a stand and fight on to the end
With open hearts, let's stand up and speak out to the world
We'll save some lives, save the children of the world."

Dread it!

Hi there,

Have you ever experimented with the dreadlock? I have and it gives one a sense of freedom!

First off,you will not have to worry about hair care because this is twice as simple as taking care of the usual Kinky hair (if you are African or bi-racial)...

Although you would need the care of a loctician now and then, it is still simpler to take care of and believe me-it's all worth it.

Hair we go...

I am so loving this modern Avie chic's hairstyle...wonder what it reads in Na'avi.

Braid it!

Braid-Singular
Def-A structure of hair that is made by weaving three or more strands of hair together.
Braids-Plural

Hair braiding in Africa can be traced back as far as 3500BC and is a large part of many cultures in Africa.

Young girls have their female friends or relatives to braid their hair and learn many elaborate hairstyles of braids which they keep practicing and redefining.

 In Egypt,braiding was done on wigs which were worn by Royalty.

Braiding can be more than one thing. The act of getting together to braid hair could be an opportunity to socialize and pass down tradition.

Having one's hair braided keeps it out of the way and makes it easy to maintain.

Hair braiding was originally done by married women only in certain societies but it has become a function of style rather than anything else in modern times.

Gratitude.

Today,I am giving gratitude for all things. All things just the way they are. For the endless rains down here in Entebbe and forgotten friends whose friendships are just memories,for quiet days and harsh nights and sadness and joy all combined!

Hehe...for close ones at heart. These images come from a very good friend in Netherlands....bless your heart Sander...beautiful images....









 You are all welcome to share your experiences (mind,body,spirit) on these pages...we will be more than thrilled to share your art and about moment.

Self-true

The MTN Marathon

The MTN Marathon is on! Pushed to the 5th of Dec...all Roads will lead to Lugogo Air strip to begin the race for the 42km,21km and 10km....yes!

Art and About is looking forward to seeing all of you then...ciao ciao...Esi

Lil' Joys...

Sweat me timbers or cry me a river! ...its all coming to pass. The whole baby bang thing is taking over. From Hollywood, to the streets of Kampala and through all the major Magazines on the rack this season,babies are taking over.

I simply love how designers have influenced baby wear and created a whole new craze like never before.

This pretty little thing looks divine in a designer dress...

The best there ever was...these toto shoes look quite comfy...

JLo and Marc Anthony have a set of adorable twins that have benefited from the designer baby campaigns.Good for them.

Babies everywhere...from Rio to Cairo...Kampala has jumped into the designer baby gear too....Good for you mums and dads!

Street Wise...

I love these fierce sisters and brother who are redefining fabulousness on the street.

Check out these fine cuts and color blend and fall in love with color and style.

Beautiful people ;)

 This look is totally on spot! Art and About gives you 10/10!

 Sweet thing.She looks put together and fine.

Love these shoes...as always.