I want to thank everyone that has supported me since I started on this journey to create portraits of black music artists. I'm not sure how many I will create but it may be a huge collection before it is all over.
The reason why I chose Luther Vandross (portrait named: "My Luther") to be my first is because of how he showed the world about real love. I started listening to Luther Vandross long before anyone knew him. He used to do jingles on radio commercials and would sing background with other artists and no one knew who he was. There was one thing everyone could agree: "This man can really sing!" I literally own every album of his since his very first album, "Never Too Much". Actually I didn't own the album. My mother bought it and I played it out on her big console stereo. Later, I ended up with the album for myself! And from then on, I bought every album he's ever made.
What I loved about Luther was that he could reinvent himself every time through the change of times. Every album had his "Luther' signature sound but always new, fresh and with the current times.
So, you could imagine how I felt when he got really sick in 2003 but I was so happy he pulled through it. But a few years later, he struggled no more with the battle. We had lost him. I always thought I would just lose it. (I know you all probably are thinking, 'this grown woman is acting like a teenage groupie'.) Well, you see Luther introduced me, as many others did, to real soul music. I lived and breathed R and B and Soul music back then and his songs just helped make me realize what life and love was about. Some things you never forget about.. you know?
So, the reason why I chose to paint his portrait first was to release my love for him and what he gave to all of us: good music, good singing (great singing), and that love can be beautiful.
Resources: black art, african american art, black artists, african american artists, american art, fine arts.
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