Art Tart: Ananda Nahu

Art Tart: Art you can sink your teeth in.





We can't get enough of Brazilian artist, Ananda Nahu's work. A dynamic female voice in the explosive street art scene of Brazil, Nahu's stencil pieces are so rich in color, culture and beauty they bring invaluable wealth to the neighborhoods they were inspired by.

This past week has brought us so many pretty pictures, our retinas are hitting backflips...but we're not complaining one single bit!


//Find more of Ananda Nahu's art here\\.

Cocoa Lounge NOW: Black Lily

The city of brotherly love gives the sisters some...



Boasting an impressive lineup of some of our fave new artists (including Lizz Wright, Muhsinah, & Ayo) as well as some stellar films, the 2nd annual Black Lily Film & Arts Festival springs into bloom this Thursday, May 1st in Philly.

Hot on the heels of Coachella, Black Lily is inarguably the hottest--most affordable--ticket of the week.

[view full schedule here]

Art Tart: Bayou

Art Tart: Art you can sink your teeth in....

South of the Mason-Dixon Line, lies a strange land of gods and monsters. Born from centuries of slavery, civil war, innocent bloodshed, hate and strife lurks a world parallel to our own...

--From Bayou synopsis

Black girls aren't known for reading comic books, let alone being the heroines of them, but Jeremy Love's Bayou, may just help to dispel both myths.

Beautiful artwork partnered with a powerful story has drawn Bayou comparisons to the lush film, Pan's Labyrinth. If you thought you'd never pick up a comic in your life, this one may be the right kick to your cerebellum.

Read Bayou online: Bayou @ Zuda Comics

Art Tart: Elizabeth Colomba

Art Tart: Art you can sink your teeth in....



A storyboard artist by trade, Elizabeth Colomba's work is frequently only seen by the director of Hollywood films (Waist Deep, Next Friday, The Wood, Everything Is Illuminated and Romeo + Juliet to name a few).

But her work off-the-clock is equally worthy of feature-film treatment. The women in the above paintings all hint at a period piece waiting to be told.

The moody backgrounds and rooms of Colomba's Victorian imagination are just as layered as the women within them.

We dig it.

Junk on Your Trunk: Junkprints

The designer's name is Chanel Kennebrew, so it's no surprise that this trendsetter is brewing up her own memorable brand of fashion. Eclectic, pop-art influenced and fun, Junkprints, an online shop on Etsy, reminds of us of the kind of little boutique you might discover in a big city and never stop frequenting.

Check out the online collection, which includes fashion and Chanel's own artwork.

Coccoa Lounge Legends [#003]: Kara Walker

"Her silhouettes throw themselves against the wall and don't blink." --Time Magazine.

Named one of Time Magazine's 100 Most Influential People in The World, Kara Walker's artwork is so bold, it doles artistic slaps to the face.

Her fairy-tale-meets-nightmare world of silhouettes are often centered around antebellum slavery themes, and racial/sexual relations. Walker is unflinching in telling it like she sees it, and in doing so, has become a legend in her own time.



As is expected when an artist goes against the grain, Walker's art is frequently met with controversy, but it hasn't stopped the accolades from coming; by age 27 she'd pocketed the MacArthur Genius Award and her art has been exhibited in prestigious institutions across the globe including the Guggenheim, Harvard, and the Metropolitan Museum of Modern Art.

If a Kara Walker exhibition is not coming to a city near you soon, don't fret. You can gaze upon her startling imagery in the privacy of your own home in one of several books about her work.

Fresh Face [#009]: Dawn Okoro

From The Cocoa Lounge



Bold. Striking. Powerful.

Dawn Okoro knows how to make a paint brush bleed; and this young Texas native is working her way into the pages of art history one stroke at a time.

Dawn learned how to put pencil to paper at an early age and garnered a slew of awards for her artistic achievements. Her work even caught the eye of singer, Erykah Badu, and the two have collaborated for Badu's non profit organization B.L.I.N.D.


(Dawn's piece, "Untitled 6" and the artist with singer, Erykah Badu)

Okoro's art is engaging, with each piece appearing to have it's own riveting story to tell. And for those of us who can't squeeze high art prices into our budget, Dawn offers afforable prints that will save your wallet--and your living room walls.

Learn more about the artist and her work at:

www.DawnOkoro.com