My year in lists.....

I usually write this blog post on the Sugar Paper (craft zine I co-make) blog, but that has been neglected this year, as has this blog, but the Sugar Paper project is almost coming to an end, so thought I would pass that tradition over.

Reflection isn't always a healthy thing to do, but at this time of year is inevitable, and I often find it a good exercise to do to think of all the things I managed to achieve in the passing year, as sometimes I forget.

So here goes, a list of notable things I managed in 2017, whether art based, work based or just life!

- Played a few gigs wit both of my bands (Whatevers and Yiiikes!) including Yiiikes! playing for the first time under UV light for Bury Light Night!
-Sugar Paper had a retrospective exhibition at Salford Zine Library with a look back at the art of the covers and reasons to craft, all launched with a crafting workshop.
- I did more workshops than I have ever done in 2017, ranging from zine workshops, to felt portraits and creating a diversity banner with young people. And in places like International Slavery Museum, The Whitworth art Gallery, Bury art Museum, for Manchester Pride, Tate Britain, Chelsea School of Art and a primary school in Wigan!
- I made a zine or two (I would have liked to make more!) and tabled at zine fairs across the country.
- Faced one of my hardest months to date in March where I tried to get to grips with my MH, attend Jury Duty and give up crisps!!!!!
- Yep that's right I stopped eating crisps for a month and raised £500ish for The Proud Trust in Manchester
- Day job wise, I got to work at a cool event in London, organise and run a black haircare event in store, deliver some black haircare training and move shops with a mini promotion.
-I got make and show a lot of new art work this year, being part of four group exhibitions and have two solo exhibitions, What, Is She Black Now? in Bury Art Museum and another, featuring almost entirely new works, Brown Girl In The Pit, at Nexus Art Café.
-I tried to give myself time to breathe two and said goodbye to regular band practices and went on a 'hiatus' with music and after almost 6 years being a voluntary arts youth worker, said goodbye to that.
- Made my radio debut speaking about class and gender for Raised By Feminists on Reform Radio.
- Got to be a guest on a panel (with totally rad folk) of other queer artists of colour.
- Came out as queer/asexual and attempted to make a space for ace visibility.
- Did my first solo tap performance at a night called Moondance Menagerie, whilst someone played the Trombone!!!!!
- Another first, was taking a part in the amazing performance of Gut Healing by Amy Lawrence at Portico Library, performance art featuring five WOC.
- Became an aunty* for the third time and an actual aunty for the first time.
*the kinda aunty that is just yr mums mate but you call her aunty.
-Finally got a tattoo of my old cat Ned.
-Ended the year recording a podcast for Poor Lass with co editor and poor lass in crime Em.

And now I'm going to drink lots of tea and sleep and look forward to whatever 2018 brings.
Seleena

Portraits and stuff

I'm not really sure what I made in 2015, I did a mixture of things, zines, music, touring, commissions and worked on half finished projects that are still not fully finished! 

Towards the end of the year I did do two straight forward portrait pieces, one to feature in a zine and one as a gift.

I really enjoyed the process and think I would like to do more, as commission pieces or as a project together.
Stitching portraits made me feel like I could draw and I've always wanted that!

I did this Selina Thompson piece to go in Shape and Situate zine, a collective zine featuring posters of inspirational European women.

The Audre Lorde piece (featuring lyrics by Durham punks Martha) was a Christmas gift.

OH AUDRE!
here's that Martha tune...

Black History Month

 

Every year October rolls around far too quickly and once I get over the excitement of the fact that Halloween will soon be here, I remember it's Black History Month and I haven't done anything for it, even though every year I tell myself I will!
 
This year is no exception, but I thought I don't have time to make something new, so why not talk about the things I have made in the past that directly link to me being brown, so.....
 
The Angela Davis

In 2011 I made a postcard sized work to be included in an auction. I found this postcard with pictures of 70s ladies with bouffant hairstyles. I then stitched afro hairstyles on top of them and called it The Angela Davis.
I have since turned the image into 3 badges I sell online and at zine fairs. This piece has caused much confusion from 'isn't that racist' to 'oh, that's not the Angela Davis I was thinking of'. All said by white people!
I find it sometimes make people feel uncomfortable, I don't think that was my initial intention, but I like that it can do that.
I most likely did it just on a whim, but I suppose it's a commentary on how such a political figure and daring icon, can just be reduced to a hairstyle. Or the age old stealing of cultures from POC and sold on by white people!

 
 
What, Is She Black Now?
In 2013 I decided I wanted to do some felt portraits instead of sculptural work. I came up with the idea of taking some of my favourite fictional characters and making them POC!
It's a comment on how the majority of pop culture I love is white (a commnet  on the world AND myself) and how more often than not, when a character of colour is included it is conducive to the plot. They don't just happen to be black, it is somewhere along the lines to raise an issue.
I decided what if Enid Coleslaw was a brown weirdo? That story could still be told the same!
I got some postcards printed up of these pieces for others to hang on their wall or send to friends, I later turned this into a fabric I made into a dress for my 30th birthday and later a still a notebook!
 

 







Brown Girl Zine
In 2011 I finally put my love of zine making and Jamaican heritage to good use and made a zine all about being a brown girl! With rants, feelings, family histories and more.
I made issue 2, Brown Girls, this year with some contributions from friends, and features a lot on art and music made by rad POC.
I'm hoping it's a zine I can carry on and feature voices of a whole bunch of POC!

If you only read one thing during Black History Month make sure it's something from Rainbow Noir they are posting some great stuff, from people who so often don't get their voice heard.
You never know next year I might have finished that project I started last year, in time for Black History Month! 

 

Brown Girl

I just finished a new zine (and my first of 2014!) entitled Brown Girl.

As the title suggests it's all about being a brown girl. Featuring several stories of personal experience, family life and of course hair!

I have also re-stocked my Without you I'm Nothing zine (the one about me being a massive Placebo obsessive for a good chunk of my life)

Pick 'em up at MY ZINE SHOP HERE!