Hello dear readers! It’s me, Sephora bringing you a different kind of content! Now that winter break is finally upon us as Marywood, I can share some of the work I am proud of/ working on and shamelessly hype myself up on here!
So, to start strong I want to talk about my AP 2D Art and Design portfolio!
In high school, usually in senior year and if provided by the school, many artists have the chance to participate in the 2D Art and Design AP class. AP classes give students the chance to earn college credit by taking an exam and scoring a high score between one to five, one being the lowest and five being the highest. The 2D art class wasn’t like any typical class though, it wasn’t a class that you had to come in for but instead, it was a portfolio that you had to plan and complete within 6-8 months. This would (unfortunately) challenge a student’s creative process, problem-solving, and even worse… time management and productivity. Things that I still needed to get the hang of, but I learned a lot as I completed this daunting assignment.
The portfolio had to be centered around a theme (in the form of a question) and my theme was:
What could I learn about my culture’s old religion, Voodoo?
To call it an “old religion” is a bit off as many Haitians practice it today, but not many of them do so that’s the best word I can use. So let’s take a look into WHO Vodouisaints worshipped and how I portrayed them!
The Spirits
References to Voodoo are in many popular media but paint Voodoo in an evil and demonic light. Vodouisaints (Those who practice voodoo) worship a pantheon of spirits, also known as Lwa, they are typically portrayed in a relaxed or assertive non-demonic nature. Some may be rum drinkers, smokers, and representations of rage while others are laid back simply being guardians of the young. Each spirit has a veve (symbol) that represents them in a ritual so be on the lookout for where the veve’s are in every piece!
Baron Samedi
This vulgar masculine spirit and protector of the dead is the inspiration behind “The Princess and The Frog’s” iconic villain, Dr. Facilier. Haiti has a large smoking/ drinking population which comes from the crops we grow, in turn, it’s common to see Lwa partaking in the activity as it’s both sacred and a pastime.
Medium: Graphite and white Charcoal
Gran Brigette
My mother would always jokingly greet me with, “Well hello Gran Brigette!” Whenever I wore my wacky outfits to school, like she did in traditional works. For the longest time, I never knew who Gran Brigette was and it was lovely learning about her for my portfolio! Brigette is the (also very vulgar) feminine spirit, protector of the dead, and wife of Baron Samedi.
Medium: Procreate on Ipad
Ezili Dantor
Ezili represents Haiti as a whole since she is the spirit of motherly love as well as anger and war. I was drawing this piece in front of a friend of mine and she said, “Is that Mother Mary?” And yes, she technically is (specifically the version of Mary where she is called Madonna)! There is a history behind why she looks like this in my work and traditional work. But I’ll get to that in another post!
Medium: Procreate on Ipad
Ougon Feray
Every pantheon of gods/spirits will always have a god of war, and Ougon takes that title proudly! He is the angry and fierce spirit of fire, war, and metal. If you know the history of Haiti you’d understand why multiple spirits represent aspects of war. But I will also get into that in the next post!
Medium: Graphite
Papa Legba
This laid-back dog-loving grandpa was surprisingly mistaken for Baron Samedi in an “American Horror Story” episode. Papa Legba is the messenger spirit and guardian of the crossroads. He is beloved by children for his grandfather-like vibe and connection with dogs.
Materials: Watercolor and colored pencils
There is something so empowering about learning about my culture and the “taboo” religion it is known for. I believe it is important to look at aspects of your culture’s folklore and bring in your interpretations of it, especially if interpretations by people outside your culture are misrepresented. These spirits are highly respected in my community despite most of us being Catholic, Protestant, etc. My mom once said, “Most (super religious) Haitians demonize and reject voodoo until someone wrongs them!” Ironic right?
Nonetheless, this portfolio is a huge love letter to my culture and identity as a Haitian person who grew up hearing stories and the names of these (mostly) laid-back figures.
Thank you so much for indulging with me, I’m having a lot of fun looking back at my portfolio and seeing what I can change and what other stories or spirits I could Illustrate!
Have a merry holiday and take it easy! See you in the year 2024!
Sephora, out <3