Nov.30th, 2023 Six Feet Down the Aisle came alive in the heart of Belize City, downtown Albert Street for the 16 Days of Activism Campaign. This performance was a collaboration between myself and the Modern Dance Movement dance company paying tribute to the remembrance of Aneshia Young, a young woman who has been missing for five years and spoke about the tragedy of domestic violence
This initiative was supported by the Special Envoy for Women and Children, Department of Youth Service, Minister Fonseca through NICH, Special Events Rental, and Coye's Funeral Home.
Dedicated to Aneisha Young and her family
I teamed up with the illustrator Aberrant Citrus to create this piece to pay tribute to Aneisha Young in hopes of restring her dignity.
You are amazing!
I spent the last two months jumping over hoops trying to figure out what I was doing, trying to paint on a wall with no floors. I spoke to a colleague the other day and shared the experience. His comment was,’ It sounds like you were doing a performance painting’. It felt exactly like that, a whole-ass performance. I should have gone live and shared the experience, but then again, I like my solitude when working, so never mind.
While this design, in theory, was a simple task to bring to life, it took me on a journey to become 'amazing' in the sense I had to overcome my fears of slipping and falling. My anxiety, determination, critical thinking skills, ability to trust myself, and the balance of self-care were all tested. We all know I failed the self-care test haha. Do not worry, Yaoling gave me the self-care talk twice after I finished the project.
The idea of painting every day or even long hours was delusional of me, but hey we needed to try to truly know what we were capable of. What I learned in this very new situation the ideal route would have been to paint every other day. Painting every day develops aches and pains all over having to hold myself up at an angle. I will never paint barefoot again, because shoes are my friend even though I hate wearing them, they will save me from tendonitis flaring up when standing up for long hours and days at a time. This piece truly frustrated me with all its challenges, I know I painted you amazing on the wall, but other days it read, ‘problems,’ ‘pain in my ass,’ ‘difficult,’ why did I take this project on?
Why did I take this project on?
I built a relationship with Haven House when I was on my social work educational journey years ago. I was a volunteer den mother for a while. The director had a vision and wanted something positive on the wall. The experience with the women I had a brief interaction with sparked ‘you are amazing!’ because they need a reminder that the step, they are taking is a life-changing and affirming one that they are amazing for putting themselves first, understanding they deserve better and worthy of feeling safe. What made this journey more special was sharing with my two little helpers who grew in their fearlessness every day with me. While I had overcome my fears, there were still some compromising positions I found myself in and I never shied away from letting the girls know I was scared. I kept calm and just communicated my fear and guided them on how they could support me to ensure that I was safe. I purposefully did this to teach them that fear is okay, what is not okay is letting it cripple you and teamwork is key when we are scared to get the job done.
Briheda Haylock and Yoaling Lee are two prominent artists respected in Belize for their creative styles and approach. Both artists came together and agreed to collaborate with each other. Yaoling Lee is a Plein air painter and Haylock is a versatile artist that uses her creativity to advocate and empower the people they come in contact with. Haylock is requesting the sitters to feel confident and trust her as they bring out their vulnerability.
Haylock is playing with 2 ideas with this collaboration under one umbrella for the upcoming exhibition Stop Taking My Voice Away in November at the Mexican Institute. One idea is opening the opportunity for 10 people from all walks of life to have the experience to be the muse of creative activism. Haylock is playing with the vulnerability of having the sitters semi-nude. With this dynamic, the sitters emit their own energy which is then perfectly captured by Yaoling. This series is a highlight for the collection Haylock has entitled pillow talk.
The second concept is the "she-devil". Haylock is creating a character/ creature that represents the word of endearment 'Bitch' that women are famously labeled. Haylock is playing with the vulnerability and the darkness of the 'bitch.'The She-devil is a woman that confident and moves through life despite the negative backlash society has bestowed on her she is a vision of perseverance. The balance of light and darkness.
I love working from life. When we open our senses, we transform our surroundings, and thus our experiences are transformed into something extraordinary. I attended an art institution in Taiwan and learned the fundamentals of painting and sculpting. I then spent 7 years in Spain and France where I further continued my studies. However, I also wanted to experience life. I got married at the age of 29 and moved to Belize. I stopped painting for more than ten years to raise my three beautiful children. In 2015, I picked up my brushes again for the project, “One Hundred Portrait Studies”. I completed more than 100 oil portrait studies with sitters from life all within six months. Ever since, I sketch, paint, and sculpt. I exhibit, teach, and travel frequently to places to paint. It is not always easy, but I enjoy what I do. The journey of art continues to be what fulfills my life.
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