Tag: Art

Trust the Process

Sabreehna S. Essien, MPH

I have been a working Artist officially since 2015 at the launch of my small business and it has been a tough journey. I have shown my work throughout the Puget Sound and met amazing people touched by my work. My heart is full when I remember the results of my labor.

Unfortunately, the joy of creating and the impact my work has made within my community has rarely been monetarily compensated. This fact has made it difficult to fund my work through the years.

It is a struggle to express the importance of my work as an Artist to those closest to me. The years I’ve invested in my craft are life changing and I have grown as a person through the varied obstacles and challenges faced. Although I have yet to be financial successful in my craft, to create art is like breathing so to stop is absurd.

To those fellow Artist establishing your niche in the world and in hope of your big break…I say Bravo to being what we call in Statistics the Outlier.

I may be one in thousands but my light shines so bright anyone can see.

Upward and onward….and like my former advisor told me once as a budding Psych student at Tacoma Community College, “ upward mobility”.

New Business Logo

Sabreehna S. Essien, MPH

Today was a productive day at the Legacy Building Urban Residency. I unearthed my sketches for my new logo and enjoyed working on it. It’s not done but great progress was made.

Enlarge my original sketch. The infinity symbol resinates with me as well as the square or rectangular shape. I took these components and added my design label to create a new logo which will be utilized for various marketing needs. I am my own brand. 🙏😊
This is not the finished product but close.

When it comes to graphic design, I prefer to design by hand and build up my designs without the use of digital media. Once I am done then my product can be digitized.

The View

Sabreehna S. Essien, MPH

In 2009, I was afforded the opportunity to study abroad in Ghana West Africa. It was my senior year at the Evergreen State College Tacoma. I was invited by a Director of a private children’s home in Ghana. She asked me to create curriculum for her students. The subjects she wanted them to learn were Art, Music, and Leadership Development. Being a student at TESCT allowed me to create my own course with faculty sponsor. The name of my course was Cultural Studies and Curriculum Development.

Being an Artist, Musician, and Leader within my community made the task to create curriculum on Art, Music, and Leadership a breeze. My students, k-8, were amazing and it was a joy teaching all of them. During my off time is when I would explore the local area, market, and learn about the foods.

I would frequent a small Internet cafe in the nearby village. It was owned and operated by a young Ghanaian orphan. He gifted me my first lesson book to learn the local language of Twi. Anytime I stopped by the cafe to check my emails he would quiz me on my skills.

These memories were stirred up recently during my studio time. I started to paint with the color black, added white, and used a lot of water this time around. The process gave the piece a water color feel and look. The development of the piece has been very contemplative over several weeks. I have named the piece “The View”.

Part of my artistic expression is to take photos of my process and the various stages of my work. Later I observe and make creative decision on next steps. “The View” was created horizontally and one day I just decided to turn the piece vertically. What manifest was a beautiful woman deeply in gaze at the distant shore. Immediately my mind remembered my Ancestors, the stolen ones, from the shores of West Africa. I thought about the castles during my cultural studies tours and the tears that poured down my face while a strong wind from the Atlantic kissed my cheeks.