Ms. Afrika Abney - Consultant Branding Blog

    When National Arts and Humanities was launched in 1993, I was 16 and just graduated from high school and entering college. Additionally, I had several opportunities that took place in 1993.  Art Curator. New Harlem Gallery, New York City. 1992 - 1993.  Installed art for some of the exhibitions held at the New Harlem Gallery. Participated in the Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton's Congressional Art Competition in 1992 and 1993  "October is National Arts & Humanities Month (NAHM)—a coast-to-coast collective recognition of the importance of culture in America. NAHM was launched by Americans for the Arts more than 30 years ago as National Arts Week in honor of the twentieth anniversary of the National Endowment for the Arts. In 1993, it was reestablished by Americans for the Arts and national arts partners as a month-long celebration, with goals of: ✴️  FOCUSING on equitable access to the arts. ✴️  ENCOURAGING people participate in the arts. ✴️ ...

  “Children are drawn to me because I suffered the ultimate bullying by adults,” said Ruby Bridges. Her motto is: " Racism is a grown-up disease and we must stop using our children to spread it.” "She was  the first African American child to desegregate William Frantz Elementary School . At six years old, Ruby's bravery helped pave the way for Civil Rights action in the American South. Learning that you can never judge anyone from the outside  was the first lesson of that tumultuous year. A second was that we must all “become brothers and sisters.” “We must absolutely take care of one another. It does take a village, but we have to be a village first. Ruby Bridges displays many character traits like  courage, respect and perseverance . No matter what happened, Ruby went to school every day and respected her teacher. Ruby has perseverance because every day she kept trying to learn and have an education, no matter how hard it got. Ruby enjoyed  playing jump rope, ...

  Inflation. Acrylic on Canvas. Afrika Abney 

Why are you talking about the 1990s? These are some old photos of me. Please note that I have given away these items depicted in the photos. "Popular clothing items in the 1990s were " black or red leather (or pleather) pants, fitted shirts, halter tops, cropped tanks, flared pants, and platform shoes . The color palette brightened up from the darker grunge tones to plums, navys, and reds.  After two decades of saturated and vibrant colors, the 90s grunge scene brought darker, subdued colors into style. Dark plum, forest green, dark brown, black, and deep red began to emerge as fashion turned towards flannel shirts, jeans, and combat boots. The 90s fashion decade was also influenced by the emergence of supermodels, TV celebrities, and A-listers who rocked the 90s latest looks on the red carpet, in the movies, and in music clips."

    "The colors most associated with fall are orange, red, yellow and brown, inspired by the seasonal changing of leaves' colors as temperatures drop and daylight shrinks." Autumn Landscape #1. Acrylic on Canvas. Afrika Abney  "Notice that autumn is more the season of the soul than of nature." -  Friedrich Nietzsche

  "Art and literature are fundamental to the human experience. They allow people to express themselves and to connect to one another. All human cultures produce some form of art; it is a universal human cultural touchstone." In fact book covers, brochures, book marks, flyers, post cards are created by consultants like myself. Some books are solely published using pictures. So, how can you say literature is separate from visual arts?

4th Annual Essay Contest - REVISED ELIGIBILITY Would like to inform you that the eligibility for the 4th Annual Essay Contest has been revised. Please go to  estherproductionsinc.com/contest  for more information. Esther Productions, Inc in partnership with The Anacostia Coordinating Council and The Black Student Fund presents 4th Annual Discovering Me.. Without You Essay Contest. NOW - October 31, 2022. SOMETIMES PERSONAL OR FAMILY CHALLENGES CAN GIVE US STRENGTH If you live in the Washington Metropolitan Region, are a teen girl growing up without your father in your home, tell us how you have faced the challenge of father absence to achieve self-actualization and self-empowerment. ​ Email to estherproductionsinc@gmail.com Thank you

My private education was spent at NationHouse from 1978 - 1991.  There seems to be a vast comparison between private education vs public education. I believe that how many times that I explain my education upbringing, some people will still draw conclusions and have their own beliefs. Today's educational system has worsen in terms of discrimination, racism, and inclusion.  Throughout my education, the only courses that I believe were crucial for me based on the experiences that I encountered beginning my preschool years were the arts. If education does not include the arts, I believe the educational system is incomplete for child development. "Education  is a purposeful activity directed at achieving certain aims, such as transmitting knowledge or fostering skills and character traits.  Private schools have reputations for  maintaining high standards for discipline and respect . Lower staff-to-student ratios allow for more effective observation and control of sc...

" Research shows that sunsets have many psychological effects that  enhance the long-lasting satisfaction of in life and physical benefits and have been proven to relieve stress.  Things that can enhance the colors of the sunset include smoke particles, dust, smog, and basically any increased number of tiny aerosols in the upper levels of the atmosphere. This enhances the scattering effect and allows for more yellow, orange, and red to reach out eyes leading to better sunsets.  And if you want to do a sunset, use warm and dark saturated colors, like  red, orange, magenta and purple." “Sunset shows that life is too beautiful to hold on to the past, so move on to the present.” - Author Unknown Last month, I created Summer Sunsets. It is an abstract finger painting created on canvas using acrylic paint.  Summer Sunsets. Acrylic on Canvas. Afrika Abney 

"By crawling, a child learns to stand." ~African Proverb  "A great leader is an ordinary person with extraordinary wisdom." - Malawian Proverb  "A woman’s polite devotion is her greatest beauty." - African Proverb The below pictures were taken when I was a student at NationHouse. I learned African proverbs when I was a student. I attended NationHouse from 1978 - 1991. I do not have any of the clothes shown in the below pictures as I have given them away.                                                                                                                                  ...

From 1993 - 1997, I attended the Corcoran School of the Art. While, I was a college student, I had the opportunity to exhibit some of my artwork. However, I also had several other unpleasant experiences and met Ms. Lois M. Jones before she passed.  " Only a block from the White House and just a short walk from the historic National Mall, the Corcoran Gallery of Art stands as a major center of American and European art. It is simultaneously one of America’s most distinguished museums and colleges of art and design. It is a place where the past, present, and future of the visual arts come to life. The museum’s extensive collection of American and European masterworks present the best of the past; through its ongoing exhibitions of contemporary art, it positions itself in the present; and, in its classrooms, studios, and high school outreach programs, it anticipates the future in its work for young people. The first and largest non-federal art museum in the nation’s capital, the Corc...

 Info: estherproductionsinc@gmail.com 

  INSIDE JOB WRITING INSTITUTE: The Art of Personal Essay Writing WORKSHOP Oct 01, 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM EDT CHANGE OF LOCATION  - 1629 K St NW Suite 300 About the event Everyone, even teen girls-- or maybe especially teen girls--have stories to tell. Esther Productions Inc. and The Black Student Fund, nonprofit organizations based in Washington, DC, are presenting a four-week writing institute designed to help each participant discover her inner story while learning how to present it using the personal essay. Award-winning journalist and author Jonetta Rose Barras will lead the workshop. She has expertly used the art of personal essay to take readers inside her world, helping them understand and assess important local and national issues. Her writings have appeared in the Washington Post, The Hillrag, The Washington City Paper, Essence Magazine, The DC Line. She has written three nonfiction books and two collections of poetry. Her fiction and essays  have appeared in numer...