MSharp Studios, Inkorporated

MANAGING THE ART CLASSROOM: ELEMENTARY TIPS & TRICKS

2016-08-31T07:46:00.001-07:00

MANAGING THE ART CLASSROOM: ELEMENTARY TIPS & TRICKS: photo credit: Shelly Bailey A teacher from Hoover writes: "In my elementary class I would love some tips for managing student...

The magic of BS/ACV Deep Rinse, Shea Moisture and ...Pipe Cleanners!!!

2012-06-13T19:42:00.004-07:00

Hello there! I'm here to tell you guys about something unusual, yet practical, added to my monthly hair care routine. This type of routine consists of these products I have in the pantry ...and one product from a drugstore. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you ... the Baking Soda/Apple Cider Vinegar deep rinse with Shea Moisture Organic African black soap Deep Cleansing Shampoo. I got these products as MY WAY to take care of my loced hair and dry, itchy scalp. This shampoo and BS/ ACV deep cleanse keep my scalp healthy and clean. First, the recipe for the bs/acv deep rinse are list as follows:

Baking soda/Apple cider vinegar deep cleanse

1/4 cup of baking soda

3/4 cup of apple cider vinegar

1 teaspoon of sea salt

2 teaspoons of lemon juice

(courtesy of http://blog.franchesca.net and BronzeGoddess01)

I filled the huge plastic bowl with warm water ( that's a must), put in these listed ingredients together and waited until they're dissolved. By the way, you can do this in your own sink, but for me the squared plastic bowl is convenient. After the concoction was crystal clear, I dipped my loced hair in the bowl and rinse it front, back, both sides of my hair. It didn't took long for me to noticed the water already mirky!(YIKES!!) For folks who wear dreadlocks, you may think your hair is clean until you try this cleanse for yourself. That was a very eye opening experience! After soaking and rinsing my hair for 40 minutes, the result is ...well...stunning!! I've never seen so much gunk removed before and now my head feels lighter,LOL!!! While rinsing the excess solution from my hair, I, then, starting to use Shea Moisture Organic African Black Soap Deep Cleansing Shampoo. (picture below)

It has ingredients that fight scalp problems naturally, lathers well and cleanses without stripping, and smells like plantains. Altogether, the BC/ACV rinse and the Shea Moisture black soap shampoo really work wonders for my hair and scalp.

Another thing that I want to share is the power of the pipe cleaners (for locs that is :-)! I bought two bagfuls for 2 to 3 bucks (125 total) from the arts and crafts store to do an experiment on my already washed head for the first time ever... to use them as hairstyling tools. For colors, I prefer black or brown ( depending on your hair color). In this case,( picture below) the color and texture of the cleaners are great camouflages for my hair. I can go out in public dressed, make-up and all with no fear of people staring.

What a great alternative to using rollers in general!

Here, below, is how they looked after I air dry it for three and a half days( my locs were still damp at the time)...

Don't it looked purrrrrrty!lol!!

Will I use this pipe cleaner technique again next month? Maybe in the future, but not next month though. Every now and then I had a different style per month. The bs/acv deep cleanse, however, is the method I will continue to use on a monthly base( because of the acidity of these products I wouldn’t recommend doing this cleanse more than once every few months to avoid drying out your hair. Also, make sure you follow this cleanse with a good sulfate free and clarifying shampoo). Here's to happy scalp, happy hair, and happy me! Blessings to all!!

It's the 2012 Houston Comicpolooza Extravaganza!!!!

2012-05-28T18:13:00.002-07:00

After spending two days there as a first time volunteer, the 2012 Houston Comicpolooza outdid itself...again! The conference was held at the George R. Brown Convention for the second time (May 25-27). It's mission was to to provide the best and biggest annual multi-format pop culture convention in the southwest region of the United States, serving not only the fans of comics, science fiction, fantasy, video and table top gaming, anime, music and film, but also as a trade show and showcase for the studios, publishers, and manufacturers in those industries. My first experience in the Comicpolooza was back in 2009. It was re-imagined as a two-day comic book festival set in a local mall, again with a strong emphasis on promoting creators, connecting with the media, and fostering new growth in the fanbase. We featured guests like David Mack, Steve Scott, Tom Hodges, Dirk Strangely and others, and added events like special screenings, Q&A sessions, and the charity live art benefit. The event was so successful we drew more fans than any other Houston comic convention in 15 years. Since then, Comicpalooza re-invented yet again, this time hosted at the George R. Brown Convention Center as a multi-format convention celebrating not just comics, but also sci-fi and fantasy, horror, steam punk, movies, film, and gaming of all types. I wish I had some pictures to post, but (thanks to my sisters) my digital camera was destroyed. :-(

2012-04-14T18:07:00.002-07:00

¡Buenas tardes bloggies! Guess what? Yours truly will take part of one of the greatest festival of all...IFest!! Yep, the Houston International Festival is a contemporary, multi-disciplinary, multi-cultural outdoor arts festival that annually attracts hundreds of thousands of people to downtown Houston for two weekends every April. The culture of a different country or theme is spotlighted each year and is known for being one of the largest presenters of world music. Encompassing 16 blocks of city parks, plazas and streets, the outdoor event features seven themed entertainment zones celebrating the heritage of various cultures from around the world. In this case, the spotlight is on Argentina!! [ Like my rose? :-) ] The South American country is known as the eighth largest in the world by land area and the largest among Spanish-speaking nations. The Argentine culture has significant European influences from the visual arts, architecture, theatre, music and cuisine ( hmmmmm... I guess we, Texans, aren't the only ones who love barbecuing ). If you're in town, tango your way to downtown Houston to experience the latin groove of Argentina, April 21-22, and 28-29, 2012. Vamos a bailar?

Please go to www.ifest.org for more info.

2012-04-14T16:58:00.000-07:00

Check out my calendar!!! It's out NOW!!!

Monalisa's Journey

By Gretchin Morris

View this Author's Spotlight

Calendar January 2012 (12 Months)

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“Art, to me, is more than just my talent or a gift. Primarily, it is a calling from God…
…It is my way of communicating to the public when I do not speak verbally to them.  Art is a journal (or diary), a mirror reflecting on my life..." 

Below are some of my pieces from the 2012 calender...

For more info please go to  www.lulu.com/product/calendar/monalisas-journey

2012-04-08T13:25:00.002-07:00

Have A Happy Easter Day!!!!

2012-04-08T13:11:00.001-07:00

"PAINTER OF LIGHT"

A Thomas Kinkade Tribute

(1958-2012)

The art world has lost another legend on April 6 of this year. Here (below) are some of the incredible paints he's done that made him so beloved. Known for his depliction with tranquil scenes included lush landscaping, cottages, churches, and streams running nearby. Many contain images from Bible passages.

In 2002, he told the media that he's "a warrior for light", in reference to his technical skills, but also the medieval practice of using light to symbolize the divine. "With whatever talent and resources I have," Kinkade said, " I'm trying to bring light to penetrate the darkness many people feel." This post is not about sorrow, it's about joy knowing that another soldier has gone home. Thanks, Mr. Kinkade, for allowing the Light to shine through you.

Tanya D. and yours truly...

2012-03-29T16:52:00.000-07:00

Hello there! I thought I may share this kodak moment with you. This is Tanya Doskova, the world renowned award winning fine artist(painter, printmaker, and illustrator) from Vancouver,B.C., Canada. She was named "Featured Artist" for 2011 Bayou Art Festival in Memorial Park. I have the pleasure of meeting her not too long ago. I volunteered as part of Artist Relief team, year after year,(and I loved it). To take a peek at her huge body of work, go visit these links:

www.fineartoncanvas.com or tanyadoskova.com

bayoucityartfestival.com/featured-artist

www.facebook.com/tanyadoskova

tanyadoskova.blogspot.com

2012-03-19T17:30:00.003-07:00

My Inspiration behind Monalisa’s Journal

Art, to me, is more than just my talent or a gift. First and foremost, it is a calling from God. It became my first love when boys wouldn’t go out on a date with me. It is my way of communicating to the public when I don’t speak verbally to them. Art is a journal (or diary), a mirror reflecting on my life as an African-American woman, a person with mental and physical challenges, and an artist. Monalisa Noir is my alter ego. Monalisa was taken from one of DaVinci’s famous paintings from the Italian Renaissance. Noir is a French word for black, one of the languages spoken in parts of Africa.

My early childhood to adolescence was filled with teasing, bullying, self-hatred and loneliness. Twelve was the number of years of surgery I had on my arms almost every summer. No, my hands were not a burden to me; these are the instruments I use to create my world: a “reality” series. Art is also a great release therapy. Being young and trying to fit in the crowd while working so hard and being true to myself took a toll on me when I was hit rock bottom with depression. While sketching in the hospital, I learned to let go of the bad memories that plagued me from childhood to adulthood and to move forward with my healing process.

Back then, art was a way to entertain myself when so-called friends left me behind. Cartoons, TV shows (Disney, Nickelodeon, and Channel 8, etc.) and kindergarten teachers help stirred up my imagination and taught me the basics of art. I have love drawing every since my elementary school days. To this day, drawing was, is and always will be my ultimate medium. My other visual expressions are painting and printmaking. I think exploring these mediums gives my portfolio an interesting balance. My love for art grows deeper every time I start a project. There will be more series of drawings, prints and paintings from life and memoirs. I communicate visually with ebony pencils, conte’ crayons, charcoal, ink, encaustic paints, gouache and acrylics.

John Biggers, Charles White, Tom Feelings, Norman Rockwell, Italian Renaissance and the Harlem Renaissance have influenced me to maintain excellence in the techniques of detailing, rendering, volume, shading and dematerialization.

an autobiography of Gretchin Morris is coming soon!

Travelin' through to Greatness

2012-03-06T17:06:00.001-08:00

Yep, this is me alright... just traveling through this narrow way to greatness.
What some of the things I've packed? Well, I might have a sketckbook, pencil, marker, pen, phone, and notepad. But there's one more thing that I also packed which is so needed for my journey...FAITH!

Jesus, take the wheel...I'm ready to go!

2012-03-04T14:31:00.003-08:00

Climbin' Higher Mountain, gouache on plywood, 2003

2012-03-04T14:25:00.001-08:00

This is my book cover design for "Interview with the Gerbils". The comic/children's book is soon to release this summer. Stay tune! :-)

Someday, it will come into fruition...

2012-03-04T13:39:00.000-08:00

MSharp Studios Inkorporated is a graphics design, illustration/animation, publishing and entertaining company that has a uniquely progressive approach towards the multimedia industry. We believe that the more quality artwork there is in circulation, regardless of the source, the more successful the industry will be as a whole. In other words, we embrace our competition, and our innovative ideas about creating, publishing, marketing artwork and entertainment are helping to establish the production name among the national publication in a corporate multimedia marketplace.

The future breakouts project of MSharp Studios Ink., the original comic book series “Interview with the Gerbils”, is soon scheduled to go into national distribution with two more releases, which is currently in production. Gretchin“Monalisa”Morris, owner and creative force behind this successful series not only produces quality artwork, but also uses her talent in all sorts of other multimedia industries and applications

the ever GROWing Portfolio

2012-02-27T11:02:00.000-08:00

This photo was taken in 1999. The mural, "Nubia"(displayed in the Jones School of Business, @Texas Southern University) was produced by two retired
professors, Harvey Johnson and the late Dr. John T. Biggers.

the ever GROWing Portfolio

2012-02-25T18:20:00.000-08:00

Yep, that's me in cartoonland.(LOL) Trust me, the best is yet to come!