Artist Statement: Ashanti Medley is inspired by the Akua’ba Figure from Ghana. The Akua’ba (fertility) dolls made by the Ashanti people represent babies. It is one of my favorite sculptures from Africa. While studying African Art at Cal State Northridge, I learned that the Akua’ba dolls are carried by women who are expecting a child and little girls. The women believe that a new baby will be beautiful and healthy, with a round face and high smooth forehead, if the mother keeps one of the fertility dolls. I learned that the fertility doll could help one conceive if there was a problem in getting pregnant.

My art celebrates the beauty of the African culture (the people, the sculpture, the textiles, the jewelry, the art). I incorporate a number of African motifs into my art using various mediums including acrylics, watercolors, collage, oil pastels, ink, color pencils and mixed media. I work on canvas, arches black paper and watercolor paper.

I studied African Art at Cal State Northridge College in 1970 and traveled to West Africa (Nigeria, Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire and Senegal) in 1975 to further explore what I had studied in college. I was fascinated and intrigued by the beauty of the highly stylized and intricately detailed art of Africa.

I do not attempt to create a realistic image when I am drawing from an African carving. I take the essence of the image and create my own rendition of it. I enjoy playing with the geometric shapes of the images and incorporating patterns into a piece. I love working with bright colors, testing one color against another (i.e., greens and oranges next to purples and/or turquoise blues next to reds and magentas in an attempt to create something eye-catching – good feelings and an explosion of color!). An artist colleague described my art as Expressions of Africa.

I’m inspired by master African-American artists, Samella Lewis, Elizabeth Catlett, Lois Mailou Jones, Faith Ringgold and Romare Bearden as well as European artists, Vincent Van Gogh, Pablo Picasso, Paul Gauguin and Paul Klee.

The late Claude Clark, Sr., master artist and educator from the Bay Area, became one of my mentors in 1993. He encouraged me to take the time to create art as much as possible. He advised me on color, balance and composition. I often think of his words of advice and encouragement when I am creating my art.

My goal is to continue to create and share my life experiences through my art.

My parents instilled in me to “give to the world the best that you have, and the best will come back to you.” One of my “bests” is my art, and I believe that the Holy Spirit is guiding me to create it and share it. If my work is well received and appreciated, the “best” will indeed have come back to me.