Stephanie's Studio

Signs of spring tease us. They give us a peek at the possibilities and then retracts them. Today is a beautiful day but the pattern seems to be every other day, here in Chicago. Yesterday I wore my coat during my morning walk. A couple of days before that coat and woolen scarf were needed. Today a sweater is just fine. Like many people, I crave the shift  from winter weather to spring. I'm filled with anticipation; savoring each day we have over 45 degrees. Stephanie Rose Bird "Change in Direction" Watercolor and Ink on Paper                                             Nature has the power to heal. It uplifts our spirits, particularly when we move from one season to the next. This movement and transformation, in terms of how we perceive our world, brings to mind the traditional Yoruban word 'ashe '. Sometimes you will see this word used with an exclamation point, tho...

Over the years, we have been called by so many different names. I find it interesting the phrase, “I won’t call you outside of your name,” that I hear people saying to one another. I always wonder what they mean exactly. There are many names you can call a person, and that’s just being proper. The other sorts of names…well, we won’t go there.  What’s in a name? Is it power or is it simply identification?                 You know the worse name for us. The “N” word. I heard it as a child, directed at me and my brother, when we first moved to a predominately White area. I hear it now in rap songs and on the Boondocks cartoon. It is still jarring. It still gets my attention. Inside…it still hurts. We should have never empowered that “N” word.                 We have been Negroes too, for quite a long time. Where did the Negr...