Portrait of An African American Life & AIDS 22 Years Ago

This is a drawing I did in NYC in 1991.



“It’s in ma blood.”

“Be nothin’ to tell ya ‘bout ma childhood. Ah hated being a kid. Pa said HELL NO to me becomin’ artist. Ah wuz accepted in best art school, but Pa made me go to high school he chose. That was that! Ah dropped out of schoolin’, worked here n’ there, n’ got married. Pa destroyed ma dream. Ah hated Pa, n’ hated maself. Ah had the blues so bad it pushed me downhill....’till crashed to the bottom...endin’ up in jail.

“ ‘bout a year ago, somethin’ cracked in ma heart. Took a piece o’ paper n’ drew horse on it. Ma favorite animal. Ah liked it, n’ Ah drew another one n’ another. Even thought ‘bout goin’ back to school, but....

“God is fair, ah guess. He di’n’t want me to come out of the hell because of all what ah’ve done. Ah developed pneumonia, n’ doctor told me....ah have it.”