Artist bio

My love for art began through the medium of editorial styling and creative direction; over the years it has grown into a passion for mixing multiple mediums together to produce a full body of work. I refer to my artistry as Assemblage Art because of the mixing of multiple mediums. One thing that makes my art unique is the incorporation of fashion, architectural design, & conceptual thought. I mainly use wood, paint, clay, & metal when building my sets; as well as natural elements such as bamboo, dirt, rocks, and greenery. Above all I seek to create art that is transparent, conveys a message of authenticity; and contains life.

Title

"D.I.E. Eternal" (Daniel. Isaiah. Ephesians)

Medium/Genre

Photography

Artist Statement

Prior to Shooting The Sheek Gal Agency Photo Series “D.I.E. Eternal” (Title of The Submitted Visual Art Series); I had received a nudge from the Lord in my spirit to incorporate God into my next SG Project. I (Taylor Elizabeth Jeffrey) Founded Sheek Gal Creative Agency in 2015 with the concept of mixing Fashion, Art, and Spirituality together into one. Sheek Gal Creative Agency specializes in Set Design, Creative Direction, Wardrobe Styling, and Visual Art Curation for Brands, Models, & Designers/Artists.

Sheek Gal Agency also owns their own magazine entitled AKSUM Magazine (IG: #AKSUMag) as well as Our own Film Company (SG Filmz); in which we produce short films that are thought provoking and styled editorially by Sheek Gal Agency.

SG Agency recently hit year 5 of being in business in Feb 2020 & Has come to understand ART & The importance of incorporating God & Our Faith into the fabric of what we produce. Around the beginning of February 2020 is when I made an adamant decision to incorporate The Lord from start to finish into my next Sheek Gal Agency Project instead of running it by him once planned. I started planning the project in February of 2020 and received an email from my Business Partner regarding the Engage Contest shortly after on April 29 th,2020.

By this time I had begun to get a little frustrated with the project and myself as the VISION God had given me once I brought him into the planning required precise attention to detail, extreme patience, and hard work like I had never quite experienced before. Looking back, my team and I have learned when God is involved the vision can never be small or accomplished “Without Him". All along God was preparing me and my team for a competition/opportunity such as ENGAGE but in the grand scheme of things he was strengthening our spirits, increasing our faith in him, and feeding us the word as our MANNA Along the Way!

My business partner and I scouted the Victory Trailhead Location; Located in California 3-4 different times; hiking up hills each time, having to reschedule the shoot due to The CoronaVirus Epidemic, having to push past the mental trauma of seeing our Black Brothers and Sisters get killed on a daily basis, and fight our own doubts. All while holding on to the vision of the Shoot and Our Faith in the vision God Placed in our Hearts back in February 2020. We ended up shooting the project on the Day of Pentecost (May 31, 2020) & witnessed a ‘RAINBOW” at the top of the Mountain that was circling the sun the day of the shoot, which served as a powerful reminder of God's Promise to Those Who Diligently Seek Him!

SG Mission Statement: Sheek Gal Creative Agency specializes in curating Visual Content , Directing Short Films, Set Design, Wardrobe Styling, and Overall Artistic Direction for artists, brands, and models.

How it fits into contest

When I reflect upon the Book of Ephesians it starts off with Paul (An Apostle for Jesus Christ) explaining to the body of believers about The Powerful and Miraculous Promise/Gift we have inherited through our faith in Jesus Christ. In Ephesians 1:7 (NLT) Paul states “7.He is so rich in Kindness and Grace that he purchased our Freedom with the Blood of His Son and forgave our sins.

We are reminded to put on this same Salvation later in Ephesians 6:17 where The Lord states “Put on the Salvation as your Helmet, and take the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God”. Paul is intentional about telling the body of believers about their rightful inheritance early in The Book of Ephesians and the Power we possess under the Body of Christ. But towards the end of the book Paul begins to speak about the warfare that will ensue because of this VERY PROMISE. The Series “D.I.E. Eternal” produced by Sheek Gal Creative Agency took exactly 100 days to plan and was shot on the day of Pentecost (May 31st 2020); At the conclusion of the shoot God led Myself and My Business Partner into a 10 day Daniel Fast (June 16th,2020 - June 25th, 2020) where God spoke to me and my team about three major books that were highlighted during throughout the Series. The Title of the 5 part Visual Series piece is “ D.I.E. Eternal ” D standing for The Book of Daniel, I standing for the Book of Isaiah, and E standing for The Book of Ephesians.

The Book of Daniel speaks about the warfare that is referenced in Ephesians 10:12; the warfare we cannot see, “against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world”. We witness this heavenly warfare in Daniel 10: 20-21 where Gabriel (Daniel’s Spirit Angel) is speaking to him about Spirit Princes and Heavenly Battles in which he cannot see. In Daniel 10:20 Gabriel says to Daniel “Do you know why I have come? Soon I must return to fight against the spirit prince of the kingdom of Persia and after that the spirit prince of the kingdom of Greece will come.”

Throughout the photo series the Models Face is revealed in only 2 photos to highlight the awareness of a battle “Beyond Oneself”. A Battle that not only requires for me to use the tools God has given me, and place the armor on daily that he has given me in Ephesians 6:10-20. But also to pray for protection by Heavens Army, to reflect on my character daily using Christ as a Mirror Image (symbolic representation of mirror in series), and to rest in the fact that although there is a spiritual battle going on which I cannot see God has given me “Armor” to STAND FIRM against the Enemy. God has also given me “Prayer” (Just as Daniel utilized) to release VICTORY and PROVISION in my life. Interesting enough the Lord led Sheek Gal Agency for this shoot to a BARREN wilderness location in the Calabasas Hills of California named ‘VICTORY TRAILHEAD”. The Wilderness Location of the shoot (VICTORY TRAILHEAD) Stood as a Visual Representation that we as believers at times go through when we take our eyes off of God or when God is pruning us for the "VICTORY" in Him.

What I Love most about the Lord is that he leads by example in All His Ways and Commands. In Isaiah 11:5, and Isaiah 41:2 the Lord speaks about the ARMOR that he himself bears. In Isaiah 11:5 he says “He will wear righteousness like a belt and truth like an undergarment.’; this mirrors Ephesians 10:13 where the Lord of Heaven's Armies commands us to “Stand your ground, putting on the Belt of Truth and the Body Armor of God's righteousness”. Also, In Isaiah 41:2 The Lord speaks of the “Sword” he uses to “reduce armies to dust”. This gives us comfort in knowing that putting on the Belt of Truth and Standing Our Ground in HIS Righteousness will allow us to be fully prepared for the battle and walk in The Peace (Stated in Ephesians 6:15); Just as Jesus Christ Our Savior did.

The Sword which is referenced in Isaiah 41:2 and Ephesians 10:17 is represented in the photo of the series where the model is holding her ‘SWORD OF THE SPIRIT’ & Looking back at her Reflection of Who SHE is in “CHRIST JESUS”; simultaneously she is being “LYNCHED” in her current reality. DESPITE HER Wilderness CIRCUMSTANCE she is still standing strong facing her reflection as a “Warrior in Christ” with the “Sword of the Spirit” in her hand!

In Further analysis of SG Agency’s Art Series “D.I.E. Eternal”; The Second photo in the series represents the Helmet of Salvation, which is covered by a branch symbolizing “CHAFF “. The Lord speaks of scattering “CHAFF” before the wind and with “His Sword, he "reduces armies to dust” in Isaiah 41:2. Letting us know early on through the Prophet Jeremiah that battle would not be something that is avoided during our journey with Christ but Power and Might would come from the Lord of Heaven's Armies Himself, The King of All Kings!


In Isaiah 10:15 the Lord states “ Can a Rod Strike unless a hand moves it?” This verse is represented In the Photo Series by the Tying of the Hands (symbolism). The tying of the hands not only represents our Personal Submission to God and his will (DAILY), but also the Confirmation of PEACE we can receive under Christ about the warfare that will come our way. The Model's hands being tied and in submission to the Lord is supported by Isaiah 41:10 where the Lord says “Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.” This Verse attests to the fact that The Lords Right Hand itself will raise US UP in VICTORY!

The Photo Series "D.I.E. Eternal" by Sheek Gal Agency symbolically represents full and total submission to God; even at the hands of The Physical Warfare we as Black People have Suffered Here on Earth and are "Currently" suffering from (i.e.lynchings, racism, violence, oppression, pain, and generational trauma). It is important to note that "The Physical Warfare" the BLACK RACE (Globally) endures is in addition to the warfare that is happening in a spiritual realm that we “CANNOT SEE”. The Wilderness Location symbolizes the Wilderness many Black People may be feeling like they are In on Earth and Spiritually with God. The "D.I.E Eternal" Photo Series ends with the Model facing her back towards the camera and reflecting her perspective of the WILDERNESS through the Mirror to God in the heavens to solve and to bring her through this time of DESPAIR.

Credits

Wardrobe Stylist/Art Director/Set Design: Sheek Gal Creative Agency
(IG: #SheekGalAgency)

Model: (@TayElizabethSheek)

Photographer: (@rejeana_violet)

How to Purchase this Artwork

Original Work (Artwork will be Featured in Issue 1 of AKSUM Magazine)

** Updates of AKSUM Magazine Launch @ SheekGalAgency.com **

Contact: SheekGalAgency@gmail.com

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