Author Archives: French Girl In Brooklyn

Holidays’ Edition: Gift Ideas for Dancers

Since last week, and every Thursday until the holidays I will be sharing gift ideas for the people you love. Today I will feature the Afro Dancers Collection! Frankly, I have always loved dancing, but have been shy about it. As a kid, I did not experience much representation and although I tried dance classContinue reading “Holidays’ Edition: Gift Ideas for Dancers”

Giving Thanks: Why Being Grateful is Necessary All Year Long, Not Only on Thanksgiving!

Until recently, I knew the holiday was important, but despite being acquainted with the codes and cues surrounding the festivities, I never fully understood its true significance and implications (even after moving to New York, being invited to a few “parties” and organizing my own “Friendsgiving”). For me, it came down to hanging with family and people you like, and of course: food.

Seyes: the French-Ruled Notebook (and Your Cursive Handwriting New Bestie)

In an article published in Trends in Neuroscience and Education, Neuroscientists Karin Harman James and Laura E. Engelhardt link cursive writing quicker reading acquisition. It is a good enough reason for me to teach it

Aesthetically Yours: In Love with Symmetry, Patterns, and Colors!

Subscribe to my newsletter As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Let’s talk about symmetry today – not physical and individual symmetry, but in art, shall we? The Things We Love… Scientists, along with artists (who are scientists too – don’t get fooled) have demonstrated time and time again that people have aContinue reading “Aesthetically Yours: In Love with Symmetry, Patterns, and Colors!”

The Power of the Mantra: #iAmEnough

Subscribe to my newsletter: http://bit.ly/gn A few years ago, on this very same blog, I posted a poem called #iAmEnough. I can’t exactly recall how this particular poem came to be, but I know I was challenging the notion of “being put down”. Put down by others, by society, by ourselves – based on others andContinue reading “The Power of the Mantra: #iAmEnough”

That French Girl with a Ukulele: From Hawaii to New York

Before the show started there was a brief 30-seconds soundcheck then I started. I was a nerve wreck. Fortunately, one of my superpowers “being able to fake it big time” nobody seem to notice, although I was shaking throughout the entire set.

Books, TED Talks/Videos, Podcasts, and Youtube Channels I Like

Subscribe to my newsletter: http://bit.ly/gn I love to learn new things, and the more I do, the more I realize how much there is to learn. It is a bit overwhelming… So I thought, if you are like me, you may like some recommendations, books I read, podcasts I listen to, videos I watch, etc… IContinue reading “Books, TED Talks/Videos, Podcasts, and Youtube Channels I Like”

Alicia Keys Biography + the Pyramids of Giza with a Twist…

Subscribe to my newsletter: http://bit.ly/gn The shape of a pyramid is thought to be representative of the descending rays of the sun, and most pyramids were faced with polished, highly reflective white limestone, in order to give them a brilliant appearance when viewed from a distance. (Wiki) I’ve drawn the Giza Pyramids last year, duringContinue reading “Alicia Keys Biography + the Pyramids of Giza with a Twist…”

Reflecting on The Afropean-Self: How Moving to New York Allowed me to Emancipate Myself from Expectations

Subscribe to my newsletter: http://bit.ly/gn – As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Michele Obama wrote “Becoming” and Alicia Keys “More Myself”, and over the years women of all ages and life paths have been uncovering their genuine selves. It is a sentiment I am myself familiar with and have been seeking for aContinue reading “Reflecting on The Afropean-Self: How Moving to New York Allowed me to Emancipate Myself from Expectations”

Do You Like Notebooks or People Who do?

When I started to create my illustrations a couple of years ago, this was one of the first things I wanted to make: notebooks featuring my art. At the time, I looked for months into suppliers: unfortunately, I neither had the funds nor the space to store the eventual purchase of dozen of notebooks. A few months back, I was watching TikTok videos (of all places) and realized that I could create that type of product with Amazon as a supplier

On Texturism: Bodacious Mane, Big Hair Don’t Care

“What we need right now is more women who have detoxed themselves so completely from the world’s expectations that they are full of nothing but themselves. What we need are women who are full of themselves. A woman who is full of herself knows and trusts herself enough to say and do what must beContinue reading “On Texturism: Bodacious Mane, Big Hair Don’t Care”

Don’t Miss a Beat Jazz Festival in Jacksonville Florida Contest – A Process

Subscribe to my newsletter: http://bit.ly/gn A few months ago I participated in a contest to design an inaugural poster for the Don’t Miss a Beat Jazz Festival in Jacksonville Florida, happening this upcoming July 24th, 2021. It was one of my first time creating with very specific directives, and I found it fun to doContinue reading “Don’t Miss a Beat Jazz Festival in Jacksonville Florida Contest – A Process”

On Dancing: How Representation Can Encourage Younsters to Turn to Dance

Subscribe to my newsletter: http://bit.ly/gn Representation matters. When I was about 4-5 years old I was taken to a dance class in my neighborhood. I honestly can’t recall specifically what happened that day but I knew I did not feel like I belonged. Never set foot in this class ever again. Fast forward to myContinue reading “On Dancing: How Representation Can Encourage Younsters to Turn to Dance”

Dotted Symmetry 101

Subscribe to my newsletter: http://bit.ly/gn There is nothing more satisfying than completing a painting you’ve been working on for countless hours over several days! I have just recently started to work on larger canvases and I it is a bit challenging: Well for starter, it obviously takes way longer to paint it. One section atContinue reading “Dotted Symmetry 101”

Celebrating Black Francophone Women, from the Caribbean, Africa and France – Part1

Subscribe to my newsletter: http://bit.ly/gn In America, we often celebrate icons such as Toni Morrison, Dr Maya Angelou, Oprah or Angela Davis. I feel like there is real a lack of Africans, Caribbean and Afropeans women depicted in art, so I decided to create some pieces featuring black and brown women I learnt about overContinue reading “Celebrating Black Francophone Women, from the Caribbean, Africa and France – Part1”

Fine Art Close Up: Dotted Symmetry 100

I am super excited to share this new piece with the community! Some New Fine Art Painting The large canvas (24x30in) was quite daunting at first, but the process became my main focus. I never really plan what I am going to draw beforehand, just that I would use a grey background (it wasn’t evenContinue reading “Fine Art Close Up: Dotted Symmetry 100”

If This Was Up To Me

Subscribe to my newsletter: http://bit.ly/gn If this was up to me, I’d spend my life in school. When I say “if this was up to me” I mean if I had the financial means to do so. I have been “visualizing it” and “calling it into existence” – probably not hard enough or too many peopleContinue reading “If This Was Up To Me”