Friday, October 17, 2014

Craig McInnis in the Palm Beach Post

Mural program underway in Northwood Village

Project designed to draw attention to business district. 
By Linda Haase 

Special to The Palm Beach Post Northwood Village is about to become more colorful. This eclectic spot — which is determined to put itself on the not-to-be missed map — recently launched a public art mural project.

 Infused with $10,000 from the West Palm Beach Community Redevelopment Agency, the venture is designed to draw attention to the Northwood business district along Northwood Road and 24th and 25th Streets.

 “Murals are so important to this creative arts district; they bring art into the public sphere and cities benefit by the beauty of a work of public art,” CRA Executive Director Jon Ward noted in a press release announcing the CRA’s launch of the project.

 It will start with four murals created by local, regional and nationally known artists — and organizers hope — expand in the future.

 “I want this project to beautify the neighborhood and bring art to everyday people. I also want to give artists an opportunity to show their work,” says West Palm Beach artist Eduardo Mendieta, project curator and manager. “I hope people will appreciate the murals and realize that you can transform a plain wall into a beautiful piece of art that will make an impact on the community, and I hope it will help bring more people to Northwood.”

 Mendieta’s mural, “Plight of The Honeybees,” is infusing North-wood Village Community Garden (441 25th St.) with color — but it also has an important message.
 “Honey bees are a very important part of nature. Not just for honey but pollination of flowers and many agricultural crops. For several years there has been an increase of a phenomenon in which worker bees from a European honey bee colony abruptly disappear,” explains Mendieta, who collaborated with West Palm Beach for its parking garage mural project and created murals for the XLVI Superbowl Indianapolis Mural Project and Art Basel week in Miami. “The front of the mural depicts bees getting pollen from sunflowers and towards the back will be open space with no bees and a silhouette of flowers with the pedals falling off.”

 Artist Amanda Valdes, who is painting a mural at 444 25th St., says the opportunity to participate in the project is priceless. Her “Salt and Sirens of Northwood Lagoon” theme incorporates water elements and mermaids to highlight the area’s location close to the tropics.
 “I hope the mermaids will create a little magic in the Northwood neighborhood and illuminate the location with bright maritime hues,” the Palm Beach Gardens resident wrote in her proposal. “My goal is to invigorate the space while helping to strengthen the community’s identity, stimulate imagination and encourage more social interaction in the surrounding areas.”

 Artist Craig McInnis — who lives in North-wood — hopes his mural, “Metamorphosis,” will turn the vacant, drab 2,000-square-foot building at 2417 Spruce Ave. into something bold and beautiful and spark a similar metamorphosis in the area. “This is a tie-in to what I think is happening to the village, a metamorphosis. I hope to get a smile when people see it, to have their brain think metamorphosis, and relate it to the area. I also hope to show people that this is an area on the upswing,” he explains.
 “My mural will be very colorful. My artwork is very bold, very eye-catching, no matter the subject matter.

 Nick Arsali, who owns the building where McInnis’ mural is located, was thrilled when he was asked to participate in the project.
 “It will beautify the area and whoever goes by will see a nice mural instead of concrete,” he says. “I saw it yesterday and it is looking very good.”

 So far, the reaction has been positive, says McInnis. “When I’m working on it people come by and ask what is going on. It prompts a lot of curiosity.”

 Those encounters give McInnis a chance to explain just what makes Northwood so special. “It has held on to a big chunk of history. The architecture is eclectic, and there is a wonderful Mom and Pop culture here.”

 Those are some of the things Mendieta likes about the area, too. “Northwood is just getting started with lots of potential. It has a great mix of people, high-end and moderately priced restaurants, antique shops, a local art community, coffee shops, bars and galleries,” he says.

 The first murals are just the beginning, he says. “The CRA has helped to start this project, but we’re going to need more funding to keep this mural project going and cover the neighborhood with beautiful murals. We will be looking for local businesses to sponsor murals by allowing us to paint their exterior walls and help with funding. We will also be organizing fundraisers and other activities to get the public involved.”


West Palm Beach artist Craig McInnis created“Metamorphosis”at the southwest corner of Spruce Avenue and 24th Street in Northwood Village. McInnis, who has been painting his entire life, said the village — like his mural — is really taking shape, going from a caterpillar to a cocoon to a butterfly, and that,“It’s about to fly.”
DAMON HIGGINS / THE PALM BEACH POST

Saturday, October 04, 2014

Wednesday, September 03, 2014

Please Vote for Shirley in the Bombay Sapphire Artisan Series


EVERYDAY

The BOMBAY SAPPHIRE® Artisan Series provides a means of selecting some of the nation’s best artists and sending them to the internationally acclaimed Scope Miami Beach international art show. 
BOMBAY SAPPHIRE® Gin and Russell and Danny Simmons’ Rush Philanthropic Arts Foundation continue to partner together to showcase emerging artists. During Artisan Series, a select group of artists will be chosen from online submissions and local art gallery events for a chance to exhibit their work at the Grand Finale event at the SCOPE MIAMI BEACH Art Show. The creators of the top three pieces from the Grand Finale will participate in the BOMBAY SAPPHIRE Artisan Series Mural project in each of their hometowns, and the Grand Finale Winner will receive a solo show at SCOPE NYC in March 2015.

Monday, August 25, 2014

SOUL MUCH MORE FROM SCRATCH II KICKSTARTER CAMPAIGN



After 2 years of forging ahead on the second cookbook finally 
SOUL MUCH MORE FROM SCRATCH II 
will be released Winter 2014. 

The first book was a fan favorite due to the revisiting old school
recipes from different cultures including Southern, Latin and 
Caribbean cuisine. Friends & family members shared family
secrets with the world.

The next series will still visit comfort food recipes as well as 
some healthy options as well. 

Please help me reach my goal. You will receive a gift if I reach my goal. 


Wednesday, August 20, 2014

Diz-E Image Fall tee shirt promo


















It’s that time again. Every year my company promotes different businesses via t-shirts. Between 9-12, companies are promoted on the back of the Diz-E Image t-shirt. Buy a spot for the Fall 2014 shirt. First come first to get a spot.

We will contact you once you have paid with instructions on how you send the logo files. Deadline Oct 31, 2014



Which One

Saturday, August 09, 2014

Win a Diz-E Image Item (1 of 3)

An opportunity to win one of my artistic items.

An original drawing collaborative with a poem
One of my books
One of my Mahogany hand painted magnets 

Buy a raffle and you can win either first, second or third place



Monday, July 07, 2014

WIN WOMEN UNITE

Buy a raffle for a mixed media affirmation art piece entitled Women Unite valued $75


CLICK HERE TO BUY YOUR RAFFLE TICKETS

DRAWING JULY 19th @ 5pm

Wednesday, June 18, 2014

BUY A RAFFLE WIN A BOOK PACKAGE.

Hi, all I have a great Independence Day treat. Many of you have wanted to get all of my books. Here is your chance to win all 5. I am selling raffles. One raffle is $5 Six Raffles are $20 Bonus: not only will you win all 5 books, but you will also win one of my poetry/original drawings & a mini sophisticated lady magnet. The catch is that you can only buy your raffles online. The winner will be announce July 7, 2014







CLICK BELOW TO BUY YOUR RAFFLES

Tuesday, April 22, 2014

New year new things

2014 has seen some major changes for me. Some good, some sad but all necessary.

Through A.T.B. Husband and myself in partnership with Craig McGinnis curated a show called CONTINUUM , which was the 2nd largest art show since Sunfest in the downtown West Palm Beach area. Since the show as well as the Collaboration: African Diaspora show hosted last year, A.T.B. has been in strong demand for curating shows through 2015.

Sadly the partnership between myself & Alexie Figueroa thru Afroboy Entertainment disbanded this year. The decision was bittersweet, pretty necessary. If this move was not made it definitely would've put a strain on our friendship. You see we are both artists, and professional visions were being stifled again for the benefit of this business. So sadly the entity is no more, but the friendship still intact. And the hiatus was definitely needed to get past it. He is still producing this radio show, and writing. And some point some of the projects that we put aside for now we will revisit at a later time. What matters is that our friendship is more important rather than a business relationship.

After a few booksignings from the publications of the books I have written in the past, I really wanted to coordinate a solo art show on a small scale. So I've been working on some new work, and will be hosting a solo show at a local business who supports artists. It is a collaboration of my arts, my written material, as well as my culinary products that will be featured in a future book to be launched November 2014.

Other great things soon to come. 


Wednesday, March 05, 2014

Pre-Order books before solo show on May 24

Take this opportunity to guarantee to have a copy of your book at the show @ Harold's Coffee Lounge on May 24. 
Deadline to have your order in is May 3rd







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