The Soultown! Volume III: Issue 2 FEBRUARY 2019 | Page 8

WHAT’S REALLY GOOD? Being Aware that Image Matters © 2017 Digital & Print Magazine CONNECTING OUR CULTURE TO OUR CYBER & CONSCIOUS COMMUNITIES CHAVEEVAH FERGUSON Photo by Chaveevah Ferguson WATERLOO - I can’t remember the exact age I was when I first became aware of the importance of image; but I was quite young -- a little girl. I learned early that, when you see positive reflections of yourself in your environment, it has a positive effect on how you see yourself, others, and the world. The reverse is true of absent or negative reflections: seeing only negative reflections of yourself -- or none at all -- will have a negative effect on how you see yourself and your environment. I recall instances of seeing both negative and positive images of Black people and Black culture, and I remember how each made me feel. Positive images included; good neighbors, successful business people, dedicated leaders, upstanding teachers, talented entertainers, and uplifting publications, art, etc., wherein I saw myself. Seeing these, I felt like a valuable part of the society in which I lived and I also felt that the best of what I saw reflected the best of what I could be. Negative images included stereotypical movie and television characters; racially biased stories in magazines and newspapers; and false, unflattering images. These images made me feel sad, because they were not reflections of the best in my culture and community, and they made me angry because I knew they weren’t accurate. Like practically everyone else, I grew up being exposed to both positive and negative images of what it is to be Black in America. I will always appreciate my parents because they monitored and limited my siblings’ and my exposure to negative images while doing their best to expand our exposure to images that were good, beautiful, uplifting and inspiring. Their emphasis on the best and brightest of what we have definitely influenced me as an artist, and it shaped the kind of art I choose to create. As an artist, I am very deliberate about the images I put out there for viewing by an audience. To be clear: art is the result of inspiration, and I follow my creative impulses when working on a piece of art; but I am always careful to present images that I believe are beautiful, portray positive images of Black people, and reflect what I believe are accurate portrayals of Black culture. While people of other ethnicities are present in my work, my focus is scenes from Black life. I like to draw crowds, such as family gatherings, parties, or club scenes because they provide WHAT’S REALLY GOOD? IOWA [email protected] thesoultown.com an opportunity to portray the variety of physical characteristics among Black people: different skin tones, facial features, hair textures, body shapes, and sizes. Crowds or group scenes can also convey a strong sense of community and interconnectedness and joy. I also like to portray culturally specific activities like certain dances or paint my subjects dressed in African inspired clothing. Whatever the theme of a given painting, my subjects are always portrayed with beauty, dignity, grace, and joy. Why? Because I want any child who views my art to see beauty, dignity, grace, and joy -- and I want any Black child who views my art to see positive images of themselves. Image matters! I am Chaveevah Ferguson, with What’s Really Good? in The Soultown, we thank our people for having SOUL! , See what’s happening in thesoultown.com! 8 FEBRUARY 2019 • CELEBRATING 2 YEARS OF CONNECTING OUR CULTURE TO OUR CYBER & CONSCIOUS COMMUNITIES • THESOULTOWN.COM