Initially, she said, she planned to limit herself to part of one wall, a section under a chest-high, black-slate mantel, where there might once have been a fireplace: it was ideal, she decided, because it was self-contained, like a frame.
“I thought maybe that would just be enough,” Ms. Martin, 31, said. “But it’s never enough.”
A London-born artist whose stream-of-consciousness drawings adorn the walls of private homes and companies like the trend consultancy PSFK, Ms. Martin is also known for live performances in which she makes drawings that are digitally projected and set to light and music, events that have been staged in a variety of venues, from the Museum of Modern Art to nightclubs in Tokyo.
“She draws on everything,” said her friend Sarah Strauss, a founding partner of the design firm, Bigprototype. “At dinner, she’s drawing on the napkin, then the table, then her hand.”
So when Ms. Strauss, 35, and her partner, Holly Hobart, 34, invited Ms. Martin to move into the top floor of the 1890s brownstone they own in Bedford-Stuyvesant, it was understood that she would draw on the walls. “It seemed natural we’d let her have this large canvas on the top floor to do her thing,” Ms. Strauss said.
They made just one request, Ms. Martin said: “Don’t touch the hallway.”
Ms. Martin, who has lived in New York for three years, bouncing around between sublets, moved in last year. She pays $800 a month for the run of the floor, which includes a living area, a laundry room, an office, a bathroom and a 160-square-foot bedroom furnished almost entirely with things given to her by friends.
And while her drawings have crept out of the bedroom, onto the laundry room walls and onto large wooden boards and sheets of vellum in the office, she has been true to her word: the only evidence of her work in the hallway is a smattering of colorful Post-it notes with the words “why” and “here” written backward or upside down.
The genesis of Ms. Martin’s wall drawings can be traced to a Moleskine notebook she acquired shortly after completing her degree in…
To read the rest of Martin’s story with many more pictures of Martin’s amazing space view here –>A Very Fine Line
If you missed Martin’s hair & style interview with us click here –> Urban Bush Babe: Shantell Martin
]]>Internet: One of the greatest inventions of this century is the internet, an infinite fortress of information at our fingertips. The worldwide web is an amazing tool in helping a newbie natural find her or his way to the ultimate hair regimen. Some go too spots are youtube, forums and blogs.
Double the Research: Double check your research. With an infinite amount of information at your disposal check the facts. Learning to double or triple check your research can save you the headache of obtaining the wrong information.
Natural Hair Events: The speed date of hair, natural hair events and meet ups are a great way to have an up close and personal moment with other naturals, where asking questions and sharing tips creates a valuable outlet for any natural.
Hair Crush Your Present Length: As I have mentioned before finding crush worthy pic, blogs and videos of naturals with hair you see for yourself in the future is wonderful and a great motivational tool but motivation is of no help if you cannot learn to appreciate the state your hair is in at this moment. Wanting the years it takes to achieve your future hair goals now, will cause so much frustration that you may take it out on your hair through unhealthy hair care practices, instead also look for hair crushes with hair similar to your length and texture. Focusing too much on the future can push you further back to the past.
Check yourself before you wreck yourself! Health first: There is much more to natural hair than length in fact length takes a back seat to the health of your hair. Instead of focusing your goals on length reset your focus to health. Concentrate on the health of your strands and set goals pertaining to the condition, to name a few: constantly moisturized hair, sealing, hair and scalp cleanliness, and a healthy diet but this is just a few of the multitude of other healthy hair care practices that you can follow to make sure your hair is receiving the utmost TLC. Once you reset your hair priorities you will find that length will come when you focus on health first.
Trial & Error: Yes trial and error. This is one of the most unavoidable parts of the natural hair process. What works for someone else may not work for you. Try sticking to the foolproof components of natural hair such as
• No heat or heat in moderation,
• Sealing,
• Combing from ends to roots or finger detangling
• Moisturizing strands with water,
• Silk scarf or pillowcase
• Dusting or trimming split ends
• Application of natural oils or butter
• Banning of tight tension styles
• Clean scalp and hair
• Product buildup at a minimum
If you find a technique that works for you then you do you, no matter what others think. I wash my hair once a month and you can only imagine some of the ignorance that is revealed when this is stated. Do I care…NO and why don’t I care…because it works for me, and finding a hair regimen that works wonders for your lifestyle and the health of your hair is priceless!!!
Realistic Goals: Set realistic goals! Unless you are superwoman 3 inches of hair will not grow within a month, I mean maybe there is the exception somewhere out in the world but for almost every single one of us this is a fantasy. Hair grows on average ½ inch a month but less than half an inch or more is very much a reality for many. Then beside the growth rate you eventually will get to know your anagen cycle which is the growing phase of the hair shaft from the root. Depending on your cycle the anagen phase can last anywhere from 2-8 years which means your hair can grow 12 inches to 4 feet long, Though many naturals do not reach their true anagen phase due to unhealthy hair care practices or simply due to learning the natural state of your hair from “trial & errors” of naturalness, that can put a delay in some of your goals.
Patience: This has been my motto in life so it is no surprise that I equate patience as in important factor with hair. Natural hair means healthier hair and healthier hair is stronger but natural hair at the same is fragile and this may seem like a contradiction but let me explain. The curlier the strand is the more fragile because at every curling point along the strand is a potential point of breakage. Therefore when manipulating hair patience is a must because of all the potential points of breakage but the strand itself is strong, because the protein bonds of the hair are not altered by any chemicals, which weakens the strands.
Learn to Love: Learning to love your natural hair will not only save you from disappointment but damage as well. Constant manipulation of your hair to achieve a certain texture or style can wreak havoc on your strands due to excessive stress on your strands, especially regarding fine strands. Of course there are the exceptions but less manipulation for anyone reduces the risk of breakage. I remember years ago when I did not love the natural state of my hair, I was constantly applying heat and doing braidouts, twistouts and bantu knot outs everyday on my fine strands, I mean any type of “out” I was doing it. All of that constant manipulation eventually led to breakage. Once I learned to love my natural state my hair began to flourish in ways I couldn’t even imagine.
I have been a little over 5 years completely natural and I am still learning till this day. Life is about learning and your hair is no exception. Cherish your mistakes for they will only bring you closer to your successes! –Cipriana <3
]]>Everyday I schedule an hour to respond to questions on Twitter and Facebook. It’s a very interesting part of my day because I never know what I’ll be asked. The questions range from what you would imagine is typical: “Do all men cheat?” While some are more outrageous and crazy: “Paul, what do you do with your clipped toe nails?” (Answers: 1) the most extensive studies on infidelity and marriage suggest the majority of men do not cheat. 2) I collect my nails in a silk satchel and put them under my pillow at night… just kidding!)
This past week, something stood out in the questions. Several people asked, “How can I meet someone new?” I found this interesting because normally I get the question of “Where can I meet someone new?” Typically it’s not “how.” For the record, I like “how” much better because there’s not one spot where you can absolutely find a partner.
The key to meeting “the one” is in the expansion of your social circle. It’s important to remember that the number one way, over the last 100 years, that women and men meet for marriage has been through family and friends. And, while you can’t expand your family, you can expand your friendship circles.
Here are nice well-researched ways to expand your social circle and therefore give yourself the highest likelihood of finding the one. Get ready to jot these down, ladies.
If you walk around with a frown or distant eyes, people are less likely to approach you and be receptive to your friendship. No mean muggin’!
This is one of the best ways to meet people of all backgrounds and ages. The more challenging the project, typically the stronger the bond you will build with your fellow volunteers.
I’m not asking you to tryout for Jay Z’s Brooklyn Nets. I’m simply suggesting you get active in an organized way. Tip: don’t join a team in your city — participate in a neighboring town so you can network with people you don’t know.
As previously mentioned we have shared a few of our favorite nominated historic sites over the past weeks and today we have one more to close out with…The National Museum of the American Indian.
The National Museum of the American Indian
“A diverse and multifaceted cultural and educational enterprise, the National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI) is an active and visible component of the Smithsonian Institution, the world’s largest museum complex. The NMAI cares for one of the world’s most expansive collections of Native artifacts, including objects, photographs, archives, and media covering the entire Western Hemisphere, from the Arctic Circle to Tierra del Fuego.
The National Museum of the American Indian operates three facilities. The museum on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., offers exhibition galleries and spaces for performances, lectures and symposia, research, and education. The George Gustav Heye Center (GGHC) in New York City houses exhibitions, research, educational activities, and performing arts programs. The Cultural Resources Center (CRC) in Suitland, Maryland, houses the museum’s collections as well as the conservation, repatriation, and digital imaging programs, and research facilities. The NMAI’s off-site outreach efforts, often referred to as the “fourth museum,” include websites, traveling exhibitions, and community programs.
Since the passage of its enabling legislation in 1989 (amended in 1996), the NMAI has been steadfastly committed to bringing Native voices to what the museum writes and presents, whether on-site at one of the three NMAI venues, through the museum’s publications, or via the Internet. The NMAI is also dedicated to acting as a resource for the hemisphere’s Native communities and to serving the greater public as an honest and thoughtful conduit to Native cultures—present and past—in all their richness, depth, and diversity.” – The National Museum of the American Indian
Renovations
NMAI requests support from the National Trust towards renovation expenses to convert a non-public, interior first-floor space with obstructed natural light and a drop ceiling into a 1,000-sq-ft open Education Classroom that will be part of a new Native American Education Center. The project will remove features installed to create offices during the 1990s, and as a public facility, will take full advantage of Cass Gilbert’s original design.
The new Native American Education Classroom and Center will dramatically increase the museum’s role as a thriving locus for education and will provide the casual visitor with a more enriching museum experience, ultimately attracting new audiences and encouraging return visits. With the GGHC’s proven track record in planning and completing ambitious and innovative capital projects, we are confident that we will meet new needs and reach an even greater breadth of constituents from New York, the nation, and the world.
Education and the history of the past is a pertinent part of all of our futures! Make a difference and vote today here!
]]>Why did you make the decision to go natural?
N: I got tired of conforming to fit in. I finally embraced what God gave me and stopped living for others.
When and how did you transition into natural hair?
N: My hair was natural until I was in the 8th grade, that’s when I relaxed it. After that first time I kept it straight with blow driers, hot combs, flat irons, curling irons, clothing irons…lol, yes the iron you use for clothes. I was almost a senior in college when I finally stopped straightening it. I had to cut it to about chin length and kept cutting it little by little until all the damage was gone and I got my curls back.
In what ways (if any) has going natural affected you?
N: For one, I finally feel comfortable in my own skin. I have more freedom as far as swimming, working out, I don’t have to hide from the rain like I did when my hair was straight.
Read the rest of the interview & see more pictures by clicking on this link —> BlackGirlLongHair
]]>Cipriana you are such an amazing woman and friend! I swear you only get more beautiful as you get older! I feel so so blessed to have you in my life and appreciate every moment we have together! I wanted to share something from one of your favorite poets Maya Angelou. Here is the wisdom she shared on her 70th birthday on growing older:
“I’ve learned that no matter what happens, or how bad it seems
today,
life does go on, and it will be better tomorrow.”
“I’ve learned that you can tell a lot about a person by the way
he/she
handles these three things: a rainy day, lost luggage, and tangled
Christmas tree lights.”
“I’ve learned that regardless of your relationship with your
parents,
you’ll miss them when they’re gone from your life.”
“I’ve learned that making a “living” is not the same thing as
“making
a life.”
“I’ve learned that life sometimes gives you a second chance.”
“I’ve learned that whenever I decide something with an open heart,
I
usually make the right decision.”
“I’ve learned that even when I have pains, I don’t have to be
one.”
“I’ve learned that every day you should reach out and touch
someone.
People love a warm hug, or just a friendly pat on the back.”
“I’ve learned that I still have a lot to learn.”
“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will
forget
what you did, but people will never forget how you made them
feel.”
Love always your third sister and friend,
Nikisha
xoxooxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox
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On a side note I of course had to feature the picture of me ready to wine and dine. Anyone who really knows me, knows that food is my weak spot, I mean so weak that a war could be resolved with food if I was president…yeah it is that deep.
So signing off and thank you again, can’t wait to share and build more memories!
“You weren’t born to die, you were born to live! Take each day as a blessing and an opportunity to fulfill your greatest destiny” – with love Cipriana
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