Strands overflowing...

A wonderful pair of artistic outtakes from the collaboration of Maurice Evans and PrettyBlak

See more of this pair's work at the online community for Pangea's Garden.

the works and words of Saddi Khali...

"i believe art can change the world. let's make a difference. i'm tryna do work that looks like no other. i've done magazines, album & book covers, but my current passion is fine art."


"i'm currently workin in natural light. god's illumination on Black skin is magnificent 2 me."


"Black people need 2 see images of ourselves w/ humanity. women beautiful regardless of size, shape or complexion. men strong, sensitive & loving. parents & children caring & happy. couples in love in warm intimate moments. us as lovers, sensual & sexy but not nasty even when we're nasty."



"i can b reached @ saddikhali@gmail.com or on facebook"


You can see more on Saddi's works here and here. Saddi and I had an interesting discussion, expect to see the results of it here soon.

a centennial moment to ponder...

Just taking a breath. This is my 101st entry and I was just reflecting on how this all came to me and what its about. It didn't start with the conversation on hair. It was before that and it was at this place. And this model, Xian, was one of the muses.

In a week or so, (ironing out a few technical kinks) the portal will go live and this blog will be a part of it. And it will be as the blog has been, a repository of images of the beauty, glamour & sensuality of EarthSistas, a haven for ideas on the influences of Afrocentricity in art, culture, sexuality, politics, music, family...life. And it will a place where we can, all express ourselves, creatively and admire the efforts of those who have.

Just taking a moment. Catching my breath. Waiting...

Sheree Swann's Lens of Life

Sheree Swann loves capturing the unique beautiful in all people. Finding photography liberating, she uses it to create opportunities to elevate her mind and spirit. Her images are, fascinating explorations and sensuously artistic. They are funky and they are fierce, appealing to that edgy quality in us all.

Life, the way Sheree see it, "is bold, colorful and full of contrast", which is reflected in her work.

"I love to show people how I see them, in the light of being beautiful, even if they don’t see that beauty in themselves. With that, I will continue to create art through the reflection of my lens." Sheree, says.

Sheree created Lens of Life, her photography and videography company, in 2004. To see more of breathtaking images, check out her website here.

Lerniece...a model for the movement....

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Racism exists inside the black race. Light skinned versus dark skin, long ‘good’ hair versus kinky hair, and now African versus African-American. It is not the models themselves doing this. It is the industry that has decided what black beauty has to look like.

-Mwabi Kaira-Murdock

Stand up for change, Dare to be Different
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Everything written above is straight from her modeling portfolio. This young model sports a vision that, not only breaks the mold, it picks it up, redefines it and broadens the perspective. She comes across as a pragmatist with a vision. Her beauty is evident as I am sure you will agree. You can check out the rest of her model portfolio here.

rich, colourful and beautiful in the garden...

More inspiration from Naturally Leslie

Jake in blue...

While playing in the kitchen at Mas Camp with Jake, the poet LeiCole interviewed her for a contribution to the Project. Thats coming soon.

As I listen, I am reminded of some of the reasons beyond the look that I am inspired to cature Jake. They are captured in the words and pictures here.

afrocentric sensuality is a movement...

I'm taking a quick break to check out some of the media out there and I am excited by what I see. Specifically, I happened upon a couple of recent entries posted by a couple of my favorite bloggers. I've attached what I liked as well links to their original posts. If you haven't checked out Kiss My Black Ads and Naturally Leslie out for yourselves, you do not know what you've been missing.

The Coil Review

The Coil Review Re Launch from Tricia (T. Mezz) Messeroux on Vimeo.

Naturally Leslie's original post


Design Inspiration: Karcarah
Kiss My Black Ads' original post

Natural Curves...

I can't empower anyone, but myself.


As a traditional artist, I did a show at the Apache Cafe & Lounge with another photographer a couple of years ago. I titled my series of pastel works "Real Beauty Has Curves" and it was a companion set with the photographers images. On the night of the opening show, curvaceous models, representing the aesthetic of the show posed for the artists and photographers that attended and during the course of the evening we hosted an Artist's Talk about the works and it was quite provocative.


During the course of the discussion, the photographer made the statement that one of the reasons he produced his work was to empower the women whom he had focused his work on. And the question I had was 'who are we to empower anyone BUT ourselves?'


I didn't confront him on this. He did the work he did with the motivations that moved him and a confrontation doesn't change that. My motivations for my works were, in part, an act of homage; paying respect for alternative images of beauty. I wanted to create images that were based on what had inspired me, seduced me, taught me, shared with me and lived with me. And I continue to create works as an homage to this aesthetic, today.


But I believe empowerment comes from within. You can't give it to me and vice versa. Here in the Garden, I think we should know that. But I can...we can... pay homage; cultivate a space where the innate beauty of the Earth Sista, empowered, can be artfully, sensuously, romantically displayed and this alternative choice of beauty can be appreciated.

Are you empowered? Do you empower you?