Featured Artist: Yvonne

Hardhitting. That's one way you can describe Yvonne's work. No matter what she pieces together, her art is bound to evoke some sort of emotion and/or pique some type of interest. And this only make sense because she's the same young woman who has a thing for urinals, can drop F-bombs that would compare to Hiroshima & Nagasaki, while at the same time, melt at the mention of Trey Songz and be able to list the various colors of the O.P.I. Nail Polish Collection (by country/region...). As you've concluded, she's dynamic and Btrilogy is proud to present Yvonne as your latest Featured Artist. Go ahead and read her exclusive Q&A, and don't forget to wish her a Happy Birthday! [Make sure you check out 'Take Your Ground Back'--she rants better than I could ever dream of!]

When you were young...

a) How did you spend your free time?

I never really thought about it, but I guess a lot of it did revolve around art. I did the typical childhood thing--horse back riding, lots of tutoring, no social life, but art was very dominant. I remember I would love to buy the new Crayola markers, or just watch this british show. I think it was called 'ArtAttack'. I even made a cast once and tricked my P.E. coach into skipping a class. This was before I started loving sports as well.

b) What was a recurring dream of yours?

I tend to have a lot of dreams where I'm being chased, or people want me dead. It's a bit strange, but it seems to always revolve around something with people either wanting to kill me or wanting to use me for evil. I was supposed to be this host of some unbelievable power or something. Strange, like I said, but it is great for inspiration for art work.

c) Who inspired you to/what lead you to/or at what moment did you realize you loved Art?

Well, like i said, I've always been around art. College was never a question, it was going to be art. But it was Dana Hart-Stone who really encouraged me to actually let art take over my life and Sandra Still eventually came into that picture too.

Food:

a) What's your favorite dish?

I can't describe one favorite dish, because I love all food. But I can definitely say bacon is an important food group.And breakfast meals. Those are the best. 

b) Describe what food means to you

Food is life. It's all about balance. As long as you're healthy, eat what you want and when you want as long as it's balanced.

c) What type of food/meal/etc couldn't you live without?

Breakfast foods. Bacon. Steak. Red meat is VERY important in my diet.

Title: May 30th

40 x 60
mixed media

What is/are your Favorite...

a) Mottos to live by

Carpe Diem and Taking things day by day. Contradictory, but different mottos apply to different situations. I also like to remember that balance is important in everything

b) Culture(s) in History

Not a whole lot of culture in history that has really inspired me, but I have learned a lot from all the places and cultures I've visited over the years. 

c) Song(s)

Favorite songs, that's a tough one. It fluxuates, but 'Bed' RMX with J.Holiday featuring Trey Songz is still a favorite. 'Maybe' by Everly, and 'One Love' by Trey Songz. 

*If you didn't live in America (or Hong Kong), where would you settle?

I would say London because I've never been. It's close to so many other countries, and I'm going to go there for grad school. It's a plan.

*If you could do one thing out of the ordinary and not be put in an asylum, what would it be?

I'd be a guy. Everybody who talks to me for more than 10 minutes knows that I am pretty much 50% male, 50% female, but physically being a guy would be a great experience. There's a lot of things i want to try as a guy. 

Title: My Alter Ego-Evan

20 x 30

Mixed Media

*Which do you prefer? Dancing when there's music or making music while you dance?

I'd say dancing when there's music, but I catch myself dancing while doing laundry and just thinking of songs in my head. It's like one huge remixed playlist. 

*Favorite line/passage/chapter from a book?

I find myself reading a lot of Young Adult books. I remember Yes Man a lot because it reminded me to say yes to a lot more things than just sit on my ass and do nothing. 

*First thought when you wake up?

Generally, at school, I wake up and I lay in bed and think about what I need to do for the day. If not, i'm generally wondering if Liz still wants to have breakfast/go to the gym. 

*How do you approach critiquing yours and/or other artists work?

It's funny how all my friends in art school now critique each other no matter what. We'll walk by something and start critiquing it and not notice. But I try to find something good in the work and then bring my own opinion into it. it drives me nuts when someone asks for a critique and then not take any advice because they're too arrogant to take it. 

Title: Unlimited Texting for 60 USD

40 x 60

Mixed Media

*Bubblegum Pop, Electro Instrumental, or Soft Rock?

I'd have to say Bubblegum Pop. Anything with a good beat is the best though. I do enjoy a bit of techno, a lot of R&B but it's mostly typical teenage autotuned mainstream music that I enjoy. 

*Who is the Diva?

I'd say Beyonce, but I am a bit disappointed in her Telephone video with Lady GaGa. Enough said. 

*How would you describe colors?

As an artist, i'm terrible at describing colors. I find myself describing everyday objects. My nails are painted "superman Blue" right now. 

*What are three things you take most pride in?

1.Being different and being okay with it.

2.Being comfortable in your own skin-that's really important. Something i'm still achieving. 

3.Being able to say waht I want to say and not have someone shut me off.

*They say a picture is a thousand words--what are at least five words you want conveyed through a photo?

If i want a piece to convey a message, i'd say 1. comfort 2. something familiar 3. a message 4. i want to be able to help someone who needs inspiration 5. emotion.

Title: Kelly McDonald

Digital Photography

*Describe the Artist

not sure what artist u want me to describe, but do u want me to describe my work or what ?

What is one thing (or a couple of things)  you find Bomb, Beautiful, and Brilliant?

I think, life in general is B^3. Friends, family, food, love. Don't ever cut yourself off from love. 

Check out more of Yvonne's work, and don't forget to check out her blog 'Take Your Ground Back':

Title: A Different Kind of Peace
40 x 60
Mixed Media

Title: Childhood Fun
18 x 24
Graphite

Title: Just Dream
18 x 24
Graphite

Title: Kelly McDonald
Digital Photography

Title: Temper Tantrum
Digital photography

Title: Mommy Dearest
Digital Photography

Title: Mommy Dearest
Digital Photography

Happy Birthday Yvonne [XX!!]I have forever love for you. 

Hold My Earrings

You know that "Snow White" scene from Shrek 3?

Well, this basically illustrates the 'Battle Cry' that's to be heard by all men when women are truly fed up. Yes, we live in a post-feminist era--been about 90 years since women could vote--lovely progress, but women still seem to have to put up with a lot of... crap... (I definitely have other words on my mind, but I promised I'd keep this blog 'PG').

What am I talking about? Oh, how about AskMen.com latest lament on confronting the world's most coniving creature, Woman, and reclaiming their manhood! *Aaawooo!* *Aaawoo!* Please read the article (linked above) for yourself--and if you can get through withot regurgitating, I commend you for your stomach of steel... An author on Wordpress shares her opinions about this, breaking it down a bit more than I will...

Those who know me already know what I have to say to the author of AskMen, a Mr.Matthew Fitzgerald..."Don't, I mean, DO NOT come at me like that!"...

First off, this whole article reminds me of the "Douchebag Movement" where those who act like complete asses (sorry, can't do it, uppin' the rating..now PG-13) complain about being marginalized. Not implying that all men are assholes--I don't generalize--there are assholes of all genders,race,ethnicity,sexual orientation (the whole caboodle). What I'm saying is this article is totally out of touch with reality. Does Matty not watch TV or listen to the radio? I know he listens to radio--he might have heard Akon's latest 'Sexy Bitch', maybe he watches a couple of music videos--we've all seen the halfclad videogirls, seen/heard some statistics about job (in)equality, or maybe he's aware that 1/3...1 out of 3 women!...will be raped. Yes Fitzgerald, that includes your mother, sisters, cousins, grandmothers, aunts,and co-workers.

Yeah, he claims that women have feminized men. Wow, I wish we had that much power. We must be some 'Bad Bitches' and some 'Boss Hos' to put each and every man in check--and you know how we did it? According to AskMen, it's cause all we're really good for is rollin' in the hay, layin' on our backs, gettin' knocked up in the back of a 'Lac! Yup, it's cause all men are sex crazed animals (he painted the picture, not me) and at the end of the day that's all it takes.

Hey, if Lysistrata and her homegirls can do it way back in Antiquity, the game ain't changed...it's nothin' but a chicken wang? Right?

Yeah, but I love how that play was written by a man.....

Man, I swear if this dude doesn't buck up! Stuff like this brings the hood out of me. His article is fighting words in my book. Women haven't done jack but demanded that they be treated with respect! If that threatens your manhood, you'd have to wander if you had an ounce of it in the first place. It's like Yin and Yang--they just go together--can't have one with the other, and if he sat there and realized that havin' some 'Yin' to his 'Yang', having that female presence, that female strength, does him no harm, but only makes him a better He [Man]; viceversa yo! [I'm talking to all you dads that think you don't need to be in your daughters lives...your childrens lives in general...but talking about that Father-Daughter relationship--she needs it].

Going back, I love how at one point in his article he says, "So the problem remains. As women continue to usurp positions of power and influence, as our culture exponentially coddles and panders to the female gender, as "equal rights" come to mean a kick in the balls, our society has learned to deify women and demonize men. The message is clear: women are good, men are bad. And what men needs, the female trumpet, is to be more like women--to be thouroughly feminized"....

Alright ya'll...Hold my earrings.

I saw the movie 300 when it first came out. In love. Absolutely in love with that movie. Aside from the beautiful men that paraded around in that movie--it was the message--it was the strength. It was the realization that if my man wasn't like King Leonidas, there was no reason for me to stick around. 

Watch this! (Embedding was disabled, so click on it, brings home my point):  'Goodbye My Love'

I'm speaking as a Woman, as one of the coniving creatures of the Earth, I don't think I'd be wrong in speaking for all women when I say, I've never wanted to "feminize" a man. If anything, I want guys to step up. Women are overflowing colleges nowadays, and are having to be turned down in order to allow the guys to have a chance! That's a minial example, but still--guys listen, no girl wants a punk. She wants a dude who has substance, who has something in him to 'Light Her Candle'.

Badu said it best--Women want to be your 'Orange Moon':

I'm an Orange Moon/I'm brighter than before/Brighter than ever before/I'm an Orange Moon and shine so bright because I reflect the light of my sun/ I praise the day he turned my way and smiled at me/He gets to smile and I get to be Orange/He rules the Day and I rule the Night/How Good it Is!

Trill recognizes trill--so for all you real dudes out there, please don't let this punk talk for you. Tell him to get off his soapbox and grow a pair.

On that note, Happy Women's History Month to All!

Visit: www.nwhp.org [National History Women's Project] to indulge. Let's write Women back into our history. Cause I'm pretty sure we were a part of it*

Bomb.

-Bootzilla Babay;btrilogy

Whole Different Level [Pt. 2]

Courtesy of Brooklynn, one of your Featured Artists:



Bomb&Brilliant!!


-Bootzilla Babay;btrilogy

Excuse the Hiatus...

BAM!


Back.


Had to take some time to regroup, but I didn't return empty-handed. 
This is going to be a quick post but filled with plenty of Btrilogy-ness:


1. My family has finally received a letter concerning my sister Ghiselene in Haiti
2. A new Featured Artist is around the corner (don't forget to check out Btrilogy's other 'FAs'!)
3. Gringita is back at it again
4. Last but not least--check out Ebonics: 'Just Jargon', my new adventure on Wordpress


Soooo......

#4 Wordpress Adventure--Ebonics:'Just Jargon'

Go over to Wordpress and check it out for yourself! I need more 'Lovetaps' (makes sense when you see the page).

#3 Gringita is BIZZACKK!:

If you haven't already, start following her "Mis adventuras en Peru!!" at Gringitabonita.blogspot.com

#2 Look forward to a New Featured Artist:

But don't forget to check out Btrilogy's other "FAs". Go to the sidebar on the right. "FAs" now have their own page!

This month's "FA" is Gia. Indulge!

#1 Letter from Compassion International:

"We just received more information about your sponsored child in Haiti.