PERSEVERANCE ~ The Collection (Unframed)

For more details about this Perseverance collection

, including Artist Statements and Perseverance book description

, s

ee preceding posts. Additional unframed watercolors to the paintings pictured below are available.

Contact artist to purchase or for an appointment to see other available paintings. 

Photos: Owen Murphy

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PERSEVERANCE ~ The Collection

ARTIST STATEMENT

Perseverance: Recent Work by Asante Salaam

These visual interpretations of perseverance—in body, mind and spirit—began as inspired rituals of prayer, then segued into daily artistic practice, and culminated in creative collaboration. 

MIXED MEDIA DRAWING: PRAYER

Pressed flower petals, layers of packing tissue paper, charcoal, graphite, ink, the inside of a flattened cardboard box, and adhesive have been melded into this peaceful mixed media drawing.  Repurposed materials collected in San Diego, Salaam’s post-Katrina home, carry energy from previous use, while being reincarnated into a new creation.  This piece of transparent layers was formed through a meditative process incorporating visioning, sunlight, prayer, affirmations, fresh finger canyon breezes, and burgeoning faith.

WATERCOLORS

By focusing more on drawing moments of a life than a body in action, Salaam’s earlier watercolors quietly yet viscerally combine abstract with realistic.  Watercolor as a medium is fluid and permanent.  In such bare paintings, there is no room for correction.  So-called mistakes are embraced as part of the work.  Change is only available in a new painting, and in that new painting the parts of the previous painting wanted for keeping are not recaptured in the exact same way.  The later pieces were created through long distance collaboration with a writer, and are now published in a book titled Perseverance.  Constraints were developed in process and over time: clothed, the same woman in different garments, water as a consistent thread, maturity, grace, lightness, surrender, mutual agreement.

FRAMED

These pieces are professionally framed in white metal high-quality frames with contemporary white matting and raised plexiglass. 

Photo: M. Francis Gallery

PERSEVERANCE ~ The Collection (Framed)

Photos: Owen Murphy

Let Go of the Shore

2009, Watercolor, 18” x 24”, Framed 28”x 35”, Copyright © 2011 Asante Salaam

Contact artist to purchase.

Taking Nothing Personally

2009, Watercolor, 18” x 24”, Framed 28”x 35”, Copyright © 2011 Asante Salaam

Contact artist to purchase.

Banish the Word Struggle

2009, Watercolor, 18” x 24”, Framed 28”x 35”, Copyright © 2011 Asante Salaam

Contact artist to purchase.

 

We Knew

2009, Watercolor, 18” x 24”, Framed 28”x 35”, Copyright © 2011 Asante Salaam

Contact artist to purchase.

 

For We Are the Ones

2009, Watercolor, 18” x 24”, Framed 28”x 35”, Copyright © 2011 Asante Salaam

Contact artist to purchase.

Prayer Vibrant

2009, Watercolor, 18” x 24”, Framed 28”x 35”, Copyright © 2011 Asante Salaam

Contact artist to purchase.

Dancing Strong

2009, Watercolor, 18” x 24”, Framed 28”x 35”, Copyright © 2011 Asante Salaam

NOTE: The watercolor is like the figure in this drawing.

Quality watercolor photo is unavailable. Request a photo if seriously interested.

Contact artist to purchase.

Standing

2006/2009, Watercolor, 15” x 24”, Framed 25”x 35”, Copyright © 2011 Asante Salaam

SOLD

Here Is a River, Book

2009, Watercolor, 18” x 24”, Framed 28”x 35”, Copyright © 2011 Asante Salaam

Contact artist to purchase.

Here Is a River, Loose

2009, Watercolor, 18” x 24”, Framed 28”x 35”, Copyright © 2011 Asante Salaam

NOTE: The actual piece is very similar to this, yet looser, a bit larger and NOT this painting. 

Quality photo is unavailable. Request a photo if seriously interested.

Contact artist to purchase.

Wondering

2008, Watercolor, 18” x 24”, Framed 28”x 35”, Copyright © 2011 Asante Salaam

Contact artist to purchase.

Prayer

2007, Mixed Media, 16” x 19”, Framed 26”x 30”, Copyright © 2011 Asante Salaam

Contact artist to purchase.

  

PERSEVERANCE ~ The Book

Perseverance, the inspiring book by internationally acclaimed writer, speaker and teacher Margaret J. Wheatley, features Asante's mixed-media drawing on the cover and her watercolor paintings throughout.  Asante and Meg met through a mutual colleague in post-Katrina-levee-break New Orleans.  Communicating and working long-distance, Asante created the original paintings to illuminate Meg's writing and the Hopi prophecy.  The book may be previewed and purchased through the author's website at http://www.margaretwheatley.com/perseverance.html.  It is also available through Amazon and Barnes & Noble.