My process is tedious but well worth it. Like any awesome work of art its really the passion behind the vision that pushes forward the concept.
Formidable Force came to me dream when I woke up I sketched out the idea and started the 3 month long process of bringing it to life. The beginning step was to find a model to pose for the painting. Andreas is a ambitious your High School track star that was eager to pose for the painting. After photographing him I create a digital spreadsheet in my Mac of what the painting will look like, this includes researched photos for the background and the overlaying of images of words.
The painting was done in Acrylic 1st then oil paint for the folds on the clothing. The face took about 15 hours. After the painting is complete we put it out on a table and begin to cut, burn and glue the reference pictures to put into the shape of Africa.
Once the painting is complete its time for the construction of the box. This starts with a trip to my favorite spot, HOME DEPOT! The box took about 2 weeks to make, we decided on a black oil stained exterior and a distressed wood finish. The led lighting is installed inside the box and has a switch at the top that is concealed by the frame. The led lights are remote control operated and can be adjusted to different lighting effects.
The last step is to hand paint the wording on the inside of the plexiglass. To do this I use a print out that is reversed and taped on the outside of the glass. I then put on a Netflix series and paint the words in gold metallic paint. This process takes about a day because the gold paint is so transparent on the glass that it has to be painted about 5 times to make it appear more opaque.
Now time for the best part, to see it all lit up with everything completed.
We get a cool glass of lemonade, stand back and look at the masterpiece God has created through us.
An epiphany is a surprising and fulfilling break thru from the result of a lifelong process in which the efforts of many begin to bear fruit. The efforts of those who have fought long and hard in the trenches for equality and freedom continues to fuel the struggles and achievements of those who stand and fight today. They planted the seeds; the results have been an epiphany for many.
Today’s generation of young adults are being ushered to take their position in society and to be the best they can be. The ancestors have already set the path for them to be successful. The blood has been spilled for generations and it's now their responsibility to carry the baton.
The same blood that runs thru our veins is the same blood as our ancestors hundreds of years ago and now in this generation we may finally be able to obtain some of the dreams and aspirations they were not afforded. The reward for all their hard work, the blood, the sweat, and the tears, now belongs to us. The legacy is being passed on.
My painting titled “Formidable Force” is about an epiphany moment. The moment when we all have come to realize we are on a time sensitive mission to fulfill the legacy from past generations to those of the present and those to come.
The young man’s stance, a sprinting position, adds to the overall feeling of the urgency of this mission. He wears a crown because we are all heirs in God’s Kingdom, no matter what ethnic background we come from. We are all children of God; brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus. The butterfly symbolizes the rebirth and new beginnings; every new life is an opportunity for a new beginning. The words “all roads lead back home”, remind us we must remember the past and understand who we are in order to have the right perspective on where our future is headed. This is the epiphany we must all come to realize.
The words “Amen and So Be It” are being whispered in the background. It serves as a reminder of how the prayers of the ancestors continue to move us forward to the revelation of the epiphany we seek. Amen means so be it, certainly or truth. The power and influence of the ancestor's prayers are being realized. They knew the seeds they planted could not be killed and would one day grow roots, rising to be stronger than before, with wisdom, grace, and ambition.
As we stand today in the midst of change and revolution, we realize this fight we are in is much deeper than the protest, Juneteenth, slavery, Jim Crow, Black Lives Matter, Republican vs Democrat and all the changes being made on behalf of the current movement. Now don’t get me wrong, all those things matter, but they are of this world, the natural. The real fight is one of a Spiritual Nature and requires tactics and measures of The Spirit.
The Full Armor of God provides US with these measures and in conjunction with our Faith makes us unstoppable. We not only stand on our faith in God but also on the faith and courage of those who came before us and those who are to come after us.
The very essence of Man’s original instructions to reign and rule, what we’re called to do as Children of God requires the Armor of God. Without the Armor, the faith and courage of those who have come before us we are defeated, with the Armor the Victory is Already Won.
Reginal Bowers - Helped assemble collage.
Christopher Waller - Carpenter, Built shadow box and installed LED lighting.
Jimmy Saint - Carpenter, Built shadow box and installed LED lighting.
Formidable Force is an original piece
The sale price is listed as $9,500.00
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