Location: United States
Ohso is a self-taught, mixed media artist, born & raised in New Orleans, LA! Although her family history is riddled with poverty, abuse, addiction, and estrangement, her work repeats the themes of peace, beauty, strength, and growth thru wisdom in learning from her past. Ohso primarily paints imaginative, 3-D composition portraits of Women of Color and enjoys incorporating acrylics, sculptamold, inks, fabric paints, textiles, and block stamp printing in her work. Ohso attended the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts and is a graduate of John F. Kennedy Sr. High School. She also studied psychology & fine art at Delgado Community College in New Orleans, LA., later graduated with a degree in Computer Graphic Design from Remington College in Metairie, LA, and was inducted into the Alpha Beta Kappa National Honor Society in 1999.
Throughout the 90's Ohso worked as an Arts Educator, Freelance Graphic Designer & Retail Manager. In 1996 she began her career as an Artist when she took on a non-paid internship at The Neighborhood Gallery in New Orleans. In the Spring of 2005 Ohso founded ArtistiKIDS! An arts program for gifted & talented children! Sadly, the fall of that same year Hurricane Katrina destroyed her home and business forcing her family to relocate to Texas.
Ohso is a Graphic Designer, Educator, and a self-taught, International mixed media Artist born & raised in New Orleans, LA! She primarily paints imaginative 3-D composition portraits of Women of Color. She also creates abstract pieces as well as handmade notecard sets, hand painted journals & handmade Ankara fabric earrings. She also produces items featuring her work including calendars, coloring books, stickers, magnets, mugs and prints.
Most recently, her work has been exhibited at Electric City Barn, Schenectady, NY. Brooksville City Hall Gallery 201, Brooksville, FL. Pablo Center at the Confluence in Eau Clair, WI. InterUrban Arthouse, Overland Park, KS. GLH Gallery, Houston,Texas. Sunnyview Rehabilitation Hospital View Point Gallery, Schenectady, NY. and Zari Gallery in London, UK
Ohso is on the Autism spectrum with Asperger's Syndrome. She also suffers from Dystonia & Osteoarthritis; however, she remains active & productive as an Internationally Collected Artist.
You can find more Art of Ohso works at www.ArtofOhso.com
IG: ArtofOhso
FB: OhsoArt
Virtual Payments: https://pay.artofohso.com/
Phone: 210.544.1356
"IDAPO" is from the Yoruba language spoken in West Africa and translates to "FUSION". Join Native New Orleanian & International Artist, Ohso Fabone as she presents a new collection of 30 small, original, mixed media works. Embark on an unforgettable journey thru her Afro-Asian Fusion series which interweaves elements from African American and Japanese cultures resulting in an unforgettable encounter of vibrant aesthetics, texture, and diversity that challenge societal perceptions.
I myself have a strong interest in Asian culture, which includes Asian cuisine, clothing,
martial arts, anime, and movies! As a result of Japan's rich cultural legacy and openness
to many influences, black culture there is nothing new. A little known Japanese subculture
known as "Black Lifestyle" or "B-Style" first surfaced in the 1990s, and it is characterized
by young Japanese adults and teens imitating black culture's beauty, fashion, and way of
life. This frequently entails perming, weaving their hair into Afrocentric styles including
dreadlocks, braids, twists, and afros, as well as donning hip-hop apparel and jewelry.
Some even go so far as to darken their complexion at tanning salons, rejecting the Japanese
beauty norm of pale skin.
It appears that Japanese people respect and appreciate other countries' sense of style.
"B-Style" is just one of several fashion subcultures that exist; others include Chicanos,
Lolita Fashion (Victorian Elegance), Cosplay Anime, and Rockabillies. Even though the goal of
"B-Style" is to NOT look Japanese, some social justice warriors will condemn this and see it
as disrespectful, cultural appropriation, or mocking; nevertheless, a closer examination
reveals how Japanese fashion has evolved, showcasing a blend of traditional and
contemporary foreign influences while emphasizing individuality and inventiveness.
As a black woman of Nigerian and Scandinavian descent, is it inappropriate or disrespectful
for me to wear a custom-made Japanese kimono produced in America from African Ankara
wax print textiles, which were first introduced by the Dutch, who drew inspiration from
Indonesian batik designs? No, appropriation would have removed the garment's historical
significance and obscured its origins. How, therefore, do we walk this fine line between
appreciation & appropriation? The key is education! In addition to embracing the beauty
that results from fusing various styles, through my "IDAPO" series I aim to ensure the
utmost respect for cultural diversity by imparting basic knowledge of historical, social,
and religious significance of elements I've interweaved into my pieces.
"IDAPO" Afro-Asian Fusion is an experimental series blending elements from African American
and Japanese regions that, together, seem to demand vibrancy, drama and intricacy.
"IDAPO" (EE-DAH-PO) is from the Yoruba language spoken in West Africa, including Nigeria
and translates to "FUSION".
In addition, I've taken an Artistic License to create imaginative titles that combine Nigerian
/Yoruba and Japanese languages to further reflect the essence of these multifaceted pieces.
ENJOY!
“"IDAPO" Promo Poster”
