Transformation Tuesday... DAG and Iyanya Experience

   Today is a Tuesday, and I feel a shift happening-- a transformation. Tomorrow will mark two weeks since I received a welcome to the Durham Arts Guild (DAG) Board of Directors, a two-year term that I will be serving as a board member. I am excited for the opportunity and cannot wait to see what the future holds.

  Much time has passed since my last post, but I'll be sure to share what's been going on over the next few weeks for "Throwback Thursdays" and "Flashback Fridays". For now, I'd like to share some photos highlighting what the first two weeks of being a DAG Board Member has been like!

  If you would like to become a member of the Durham Art Guild, please join! There is a membership drive underway, and anyone who signs up before June 23rd will receive a $10 discount.
  On another note, international recording artist Iyanya from Nigeria is in the U.S. for his 2016 tour! He made his way to Farotage Nation Lounge on Saturday, June 11th and put on an excellent performance for his Carolina fans. This is what I heard... because I wasn't there. I was totally bummed knowing I'd miss the afrobeat star's energetic show because I wasn't in town. Little did I know, I was in for a pleasant surprise the following day.

Storytime...
  June 12th. Sunday afternoon... 2:59PM to be exact. I am reading an article on my laptop when I see a Facebook notification come through. 

  Imagine my shock! The event was scheduled to begin in three hours and I was still trying to figure out what to do with the few hours I had before I needed to head over to my sister's to watch my niece and nephew. Everything else happened quickly. Power nap (yoga worked me out that morning), freshened up, grabbed artwork to drop off to the Carrack for an upcoming show, and then off to meet and greet Iyanya!
  5:57PM. I arrive and see NO cars. I wait. 6:01PM. First one there. I walk up to try the door and it was locked. I feel a little panic coming. I only had about one hour to spare before I needed to leave and be on time for babysitting, so I check for updates on Facebook. Back to my car. I see some guys unlock and go inside, so I try again a few minutes later. Still locked. Back to my car until I spot Andre (venue owner) pull up! Yay, I was in the right place afterall! I chat with Andre and guests as they arrive until about 7:35PM when Iyanya strolls in through the back. *Star struck* I finished my drink, grabbed my things and nervously made my way over to him to ask for a picture and autograph. I had at least 20 questions I thought to ask, but due to time I only asked one:
 "If you could work with any artist (musician) in the world, living or dead, who would it be?"
His response was R. Kelly because that was a major artist he listened to growing up. What can I say, Kellz is a beast and has music for days! After a hug that I wished I didn't have to let go of, I said my goodbyes and thank yous and departed. I was so excited to have met Iyanya (he is dreamy- such a sweetheart and very down to earth). I knew the task of picking one photo of him to illustrate would be tough; however, it was enjoyable (he's extra good on the eyes). As I listened to his music, track by track and skimmed through photos, I thought about doing additional fashion illustrations of his impeccable style... hmm- just a thought. Ladies, do yourselves a favor and follow him on instagram if you aren't already following! The portrait illustration process can be seen in the slideshow above. Thanks for reading!