I grew up with a love of music and dance. I could remember words to songs and loved all different kinds of music from a very young age. As a child, I strapped tap shoes on my feet nightly, and went down to my basement and danced on my concrete floor so I could make my own beats. I took a few classes, but when it was time to perform, I always froze up and forgot the choreography. A wave of anxiety would flood my senses and made me never want to take to the stage again. Performing was not my gift. I came to realize my brain was not wired in a way to do so. I decided to continue with my love for dance as a teenager knowing that the only performance’s I would do were for myself at nightclubs. I took multiple classes in Hip-Hop, Locking, Popping, House, Breakin’ and African Dance in the city of Philadelphia for years. This solidified my love for Hip Hop music, history and culture. Hip Hop was poetry to me and a glimpse into the lives of the people I heard rhythmically telling their story

         In my Junior year of High School, it was time to evaluate what my gifts were in order to choose a career path.  I remember going on a drive with my dad telling him that I wanted to go to school for Art. I always had a gift and love of drawing and creating. It was something I was passionate about.  My dream was to be a freelance artist that lived in a studio apartment in New York City.  I fully expected his response to be one of displeasure. To my surprise, my dad told me I had a gift that I was obligated to use. That conversation was a pivotal moment in my life and would have a lasting effect for years to come.

            As an educator and artist, I’ve always been fascinated with the idea of gifts, intelligence's, and the side of the brain that controls them. It is a difficult concept to comprehend that the human mind is wired differently for each individual person and all that means. People who are gifted are genetically predisposed to be that way. This does not mean, however, that if someone possesses “gifts,” that they will use them or will have the means, disposition, or opportunities to be successful. Our society and educational systems often place more emphasis on certain intelligence's being more valuable. My belief is that the “gifted” are extraordinary.

      This collection of Art work is a celebration of some of the musicians and athletes who have chosen to use the ‘gifts’ they were given, continued working through setbacks and trauma, have focused on their passions, and used what their brain was ‘wired’ to do.  Additionally, they showed grit and perseverance, and have worked continuously towards achieving their goals. Many of the likenesses captured in this showing are gifted in Musical, Linguistic/Verbal and in some cases, Bodily/kinesthetic intelligence. By painting them, Visual/Spatial, linguistic/verbal, intra-personal and interpersonal intelligence's are used. In this celebration of the “gifted” we are bringing together multiple intelligence's to create a well-rounded celebration of culture, ‘gifts’, and the need for understanding and empathy in the way people think and approach life.

        

I am thankful and truly blessed that I was given this gift, opportunities,

experiences and ability, to be able to share with you my passion through painting. Thank you for looking at my work. I hope you enjoy it!